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Chapter 41 - Selene
🕑 Added 2024-10-18 15:58:08 +0000 UTCOliver had his face pressed against the window, and in front of him, the entire universe expanded. Stars gleamed in all their majesty, but beyond that, numerous ships were moving in every direction. The spaceport they were approaching was one of the busiest in the empire.
Selene was one of the few cities without teleportation systems, likely due to its industrial nature. Nevertheless, being the capital of Luna, it was one of the most imposing cities.
Inside the small ship that held six passengers, Oliver was strapped to his seat as the ship taxied to connect with one of the docking stations. His view of the city wasn't entirely clear yet, but he could see various neon lights and gleaming holograms in the distance.
'The nausea is almost gone,' Oliver thought, breathing deeply.
The first few minutes after leaving Earth had been rough—not just because of his fear of the ship but also because of the sensation of zero gravity, which lasted until they exited the atmosphere. Once they passed through the toughest part, the artificial gravity generators kicked in, making the rest of the journey to Selene easier.
"Five minutes until docking at Selene. Prepare your documents for inspection upon disembarking," the captain's voice announced to all the passengers still enjoying the view.
Oliver grabbed the small backpack in front of him, containing only his uniforms. He didn’t need any documents, as his Gauntlet would suffice. Luckily, it would verify his identity and allow him to enter and exit different areas and use transportation at no cost.
'One of the few perks of being part of the New Earth Army,' Oliver thought as he glanced at the small screen before him.
When he was finally discharged from the hospital, Alan had already been removed from the dormitory to begin his detention. They had exchanged a few words via chat, but Oliver could sense something was off with his friend.
'Maybe the beating knocked something loose in his head?' Oliver thought, trying to keep his humor.
“TAKT!”
The sound of the ship docking snapped Oliver out of his thoughts. He quickly moved to the front of the ship, where a heavy door had connected to the spaceport's exterior.
The other passengers were already ahead of him, passing through the verification gates.
Oliver continued walking down a long corridor until he reached one of the cabins. As he approached, he noticed another person already inside.
"Come in, come in," the person waved him over. Oliver could now see more clearly—a young man, probably no older than thirty, dressed in the spaceport's uniform. However, there was something different. Near his left eye, there was a small tattoo: 'A-1445.'
'Ah!' Oliver thought as he realized—it was a service android.
Androids weren't common on Earth, mostly due to the constant attacks. Expensive equipment like this was more often found on other planets or in the homes of the wealthy.
The android lifted what appeared to be some sort of tablet. "Oliver, Nameless… coming from the Academy. Excellent, your evaluation will be quick." The robot smiled as it filled in some information. "Please extend your Gauntlet."
"Sure," Oliver replied, offering his arm with the device.
“PING!”
The tablet beeped, drawing the android's attention back to Oliver's details.
"Perfect! You're cleared to enter. I just need to give you a few reminders," the robot said, smiling while preparing for the next step. Oliver was still impressed—aside from the tattoo, he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the android and a human. Its behavior and appearance were nearly indistinguishable.
"You're fifteen years old, so while you're allowed to enter the casinos, you're not permitted to consume alcohol or participate in gambling. Luna is under House Selene's governance, so local authorities will judge any law violations. Any questions?" The android flashed a wide smile.
‘I’m old enough to go to war and kill Orks but not to gamble. Funny.’ The boy thought with sarcasm.
"I just have one question. Do you know where I can find the… um…" Oliver paused to check the note he'd made on his Gauntlet. "Gold Dreams Casino?"
Oliver's jaw nearly hit the floor for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. His eyes were trying to take in as much information as possible. Inside the auto-taxi, he hadn't had the chance to look up much, but now that he was walking the streets, there was so much to see.
The entire city had been built inside one of the Moon's craters, protected by a gigantic dome. Beyond that, different holograms were displayed on the dome, turning the city into an eternal night of celebrations. Drones were constantly performing an aerial ballet, creating artificial fireworks.
The city didn’t allow cars in their streets, but it was still packed. People were walking, entering and exiting buildings. Each building offered a different form of entertainment, from casinos to hotels to auctions. Oliver had been briefed about the city beforehand—House Selene was not only responsible for governing Luna but was also famous for heavily investing in entertainment. Yet, the festive atmosphere was unparalleled compared to any other city in the empire.
'Gold Dream… hmm,' Oliver raised his head to see the large holographic sign floating above the massive building.
The casino had to be at least two hundred floors tall, yet it wasn’t even one of the largest buildings on the street. Next to it, other hotels rose so high they seemed to touch the dome.
Upon entering the building, Oliver found himself in a vast, luxurious lobby filled with thousands of people playing and chatting.
“KACHING!”
The sound of countless machines and people betting all they had—or didn’t have—made it hard to concentrate.
Oliver kept moving, glancing at tables and machines to see who was winning and losing. After crossing the lobby, he reached a reception desk, where he encountered another pair of androids, this time a man and a woman.
Both androids looked him up and down, their electronic minds processing who he was and why he was there. His uniform made it clear he wasn’t one of the clients.
The female android approached him. "How can I help you?"
Oliver was struck by the beauty of both androids, but especially the woman. With short golden hair and a professional yet subtly seductive demeanor, she exuded elegance and allure. Above all, they both appeared youthful.
'Youthful? Do androids even have an age?' Oliver questioned.
"Hi. Where can I find the main bar?" Oliver asked, keeping his thoughts to himself.
"You know you can't consume anything at our bar?" the android replied, once again judging him. She didn’t even need to check his profile; his Academy cadet uniform already implied he wasn’t old enough to drink.
"Yeah, yeah. I’m here to meet someone," Oliver nodded, justifying his visit.
"Go to the 145th floor. The elevators are at the end of the hall," the android pointed in the right direction.
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When the elevator doors opened, Oliver found himself in another grand hall with a massive window offering a view of the city. Once more, he was impressed by Selene. This time, with a bird' s-eye view of the city, from up there, he could see thousands of buildings even taller than the hotel and hundreds of thousands of people walking on the avenues below on hundreds of different floors.
The bar was crowded. The decor, a mix of gold and black, matched the casino's name. Floating, rounded chandeliers added an air of elegance and luxury.
'Better not touch anything. This must cost a fortune,' Oliver thought as he noticed the sculptures lining the corridor to the bar.
Several small tables surrounded the main bar, each with two or three people. Waiters hurried between them, serving drinks. Oliver made his way to the counter where bartenders were preparing drinks.
"Ahem." With a slight cough, Oliver tried to get someone's attention. "Excuse me, I’m looking for..." He never got to finish his sentence.
“PRAH!”
Nearby, one of the tables was overturned. Plates, cutlery, and glasses shattered on the floor.
"Calm down, calm down. Who said you should bet against me?"
Oliver couldn’t see who was speaking, but the voice was remarkably calm, even after the commotion.
"Nico! You son of a whore! You made me lose ten million imperial dollars, you bastard!" A fat man shouted at the top of his lungs, veins bulging in his neck, his face flushed with rage.
Several security guards surrounded the table around him.
A man in a tuxedo lay on the floor, holding a champagne bottle. His appearance was disheveled, his hair messy, and he looked drunk. Yet, despite his state, he exuded a charm that seemed out of place for the situation.
Oliver moved closer to get a better look.
'Found him!' Oliver thought as he spotted Nico.
