Read Online On Galaxy's Edge: Ascendance by Alex T. Kolter - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alex T. Kolter
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corridor. The lighting was also strange, with the walls themselves emitting a clean, white light. It was entirely unlike the sort of buildings they were used to.
“How may I help you?” came an artificial voice as they drew up to the helpdesk. In actuality, it wasn’t so much of a helpdesk, but rather more of a cube. It was made of four semi-transparent screens, each about two metres square, mounted on a single metal pole through the centre, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling far above them.
Nero was the one who replied. “We’re looking for the augmentation clinic.”
“The augmentation clinic may be found on the 368th floor.” As the cube said this, the screens came up with a schematic of the building, zooming into a floor very near the bottom of the skyscraper, near ground level - evidently they were on floor zero at the top of the building. “Please use the highlighted lift. Have a pleasant day.”
The screens faded back to moving abstract patterns, and a blue line illuminated in the floor, leading directly from the help-cube towards a lift down the corridor to their left. The line pulsed slightly, as if waiting for them.
“Well, I say we follow the blue line...” Nate suggested. They did, walking up to the lift, which opened as they approached. “Erm, 368th floor please,” Nate tried, once they were inside.
“I think it already knows which floor we want, Nate,” Talyah said, the lift having already started to move before Nate had finished speaking.
It accelerated downwards remarkably quickly, leaving them feeling a little like their stomachs had been left back up at the foyer. The speed quickly levelled out, though, leaving them to cover the 368 floors astonishingly quickly. By the time the lift had slowed down again - making them feel twice as heavy as they normally did for a moment - they had only been moving for about sixty seconds. They stepped out of the lift feeling a little queasy.
The design of this floor was similar to the foyer level, with illuminated walls and ceiling, though this time there appeared to be an actual desk, with a real human behind it, not far ahead.
Nero spoke first as they approached the desk, cutting straight to the chase. “Hello. Can we see a consultant about getting an augmentation fitted? Our mother has just lost her arm, and she wants us to find out what sort of replacement she could get.”
“Certainly signore,” the receptionist said. “Let me just check who’s free...” she moved her hand in front of her display, navigating through the 3D interface, until she found what she was looking for. “You could speak to Dr Ludovico now. Would that be okay?”
“Perfect,” Nero replied.
The receptionist continued manipulating the display on her desk, and after a moment another one of the blue lines illuminated in the floor.
“If you follow the line please,” she said, giving them a slightly fake smile.
“Thank you,” Nero said, turning on his heel to follow the blue line. It led them back down the corridor they had walked up for a short distance, before stopping next to a door on their right, which was now outlined in pulsing blue light.
“Well, that went remarkably well. Shame really, I was looking forward to having a little fun.” Nate said.
“There’s still time, Nate,” Nero replied, as they drew up to the door. As they did, it slid open, revealing a large, sparsely furnished office on the other side. At the far side of the room, in front of a great panoramic window, was an imposing desk, behind which was sat Dr Ludovico. Unlike the receptionist, he was an alien of some description. Probably a vacso, Nero thought, looking at him. Not that it mattered.
Dr Ludovico stood up to shake their hands as they approached.
“I understand you have a query about your mother?” he said, shaking each of their hands in turn. “I’m Dr Ludovico, augmentation clinician.”
“Yes, a pleasure to meet you Doctor,” Nero replied. “My name is
“How may I help you?” came an artificial voice as they drew up to the helpdesk. In actuality, it wasn’t so much of a helpdesk, but rather more of a cube. It was made of four semi-transparent screens, each about two metres square, mounted on a single metal pole through the centre, which stretched from the floor to the ceiling far above them.
Nero was the one who replied. “We’re looking for the augmentation clinic.”
“The augmentation clinic may be found on the 368th floor.” As the cube said this, the screens came up with a schematic of the building, zooming into a floor very near the bottom of the skyscraper, near ground level - evidently they were on floor zero at the top of the building. “Please use the highlighted lift. Have a pleasant day.”
The screens faded back to moving abstract patterns, and a blue line illuminated in the floor, leading directly from the help-cube towards a lift down the corridor to their left. The line pulsed slightly, as if waiting for them.
“Well, I say we follow the blue line...” Nate suggested. They did, walking up to the lift, which opened as they approached. “Erm, 368th floor please,” Nate tried, once they were inside.
“I think it already knows which floor we want, Nate,” Talyah said, the lift having already started to move before Nate had finished speaking.
It accelerated downwards remarkably quickly, leaving them feeling a little like their stomachs had been left back up at the foyer. The speed quickly levelled out, though, leaving them to cover the 368 floors astonishingly quickly. By the time the lift had slowed down again - making them feel twice as heavy as they normally did for a moment - they had only been moving for about sixty seconds. They stepped out of the lift feeling a little queasy.
The design of this floor was similar to the foyer level, with illuminated walls and ceiling, though this time there appeared to be an actual desk, with a real human behind it, not far ahead.
Nero spoke first as they approached the desk, cutting straight to the chase. “Hello. Can we see a consultant about getting an augmentation fitted? Our mother has just lost her arm, and she wants us to find out what sort of replacement she could get.”
“Certainly signore,” the receptionist said. “Let me just check who’s free...” she moved her hand in front of her display, navigating through the 3D interface, until she found what she was looking for. “You could speak to Dr Ludovico now. Would that be okay?”
“Perfect,” Nero replied.
The receptionist continued manipulating the display on her desk, and after a moment another one of the blue lines illuminated in the floor.
“If you follow the line please,” she said, giving them a slightly fake smile.
“Thank you,” Nero said, turning on his heel to follow the blue line. It led them back down the corridor they had walked up for a short distance, before stopping next to a door on their right, which was now outlined in pulsing blue light.
“Well, that went remarkably well. Shame really, I was looking forward to having a little fun.” Nate said.
“There’s still time, Nate,” Nero replied, as they drew up to the door. As they did, it slid open, revealing a large, sparsely furnished office on the other side. At the far side of the room, in front of a great panoramic window, was an imposing desk, behind which was sat Dr Ludovico. Unlike the receptionist, he was an alien of some description. Probably a vacso, Nero thought, looking at him. Not that it mattered.
Dr Ludovico stood up to shake their hands as they approached.
“I understand you have a query about your mother?” he said, shaking each of their hands in turn. “I’m Dr Ludovico, augmentation clinician.”
“Yes, a pleasure to meet you Doctor,” Nero replied. “My name is
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