”Hic.” A gruff voice emerged from the hooded Valkorian. He rose and walked to the officer. During the trip, he had started coughing. Now his voice came out as a low growl. ”Ut ubi sum ego suspicabar malum?” Despite his refugee status, Felix made a ominous figure.
Felix had forgotten to speak the common tongue. “My apologies officer. Where do I need to go.”
'‘You will be staying at the Dragon’s Garden Pods, you are to present the doorman with this key…’'
The officer handed him an electronic key with numbers inscribed on them, as well as the logo of the place.
’’…and they will take you to your pod. And good news for you. The board has already found you work. Your employer’s secretary is said to come to the pods to finalise the contract and take you to see your new workplace later today. Apparently, Valkorians are well sought after in their business. Now, move along.’’
After Felix had stepped off, the officer kept calling names and people came up to greet him, one by one.
Outside, he was greeted by a vast skyline of a seemingly endless number of cold stone buildings with very thick supports that looked like they were carved in to the side of the mountain itself, though through those cold grey supports, a shy colour shone from the colourful facades of the buildings that hid within, and the multitude of flowers the Keelish would plant on the outside of their windows. All of these buildings were apartment complexes, some with more smaller and some with less larger living quarters, all of which were at least two stories high from street level, and a few were even three, which towered over the streets with penthouses on the top levels. The outer city had streets wide enough for vehicles to use, but the central old town was simply too dense, and was developed before such machines were even imagined, having many narrower streets, lots of stairs, and terraced walkways.
Finding this ‘Dragon’s Garden Pods’ place would be easy, as there are signs leading to points of interest through out the city.
After figuring out the sign system, Felix made his way through the city. While Felix had little that he cared for outside of the army, the sight of little gardens gave him some happiness. Other than the lack of 8 foot humans, the city was quite similar to Valkora, if somewhat more complex.
He followed the street signs, being forced to back track now and again, but eventually arrived at the Pods. He found the name somewhat ironic, but decided to go on anyway. He stood in the street, a light illuminating the tall dark figure standing there, waiting.
‘‘OY!!’’ a loud shout came from the street. Felix didn’t mind it, he was in a big city full of noises after all.
’‘I’m talkin’ ta YOU you tall arsed freak’o nature!’’ he continued, making it obvious he was speaking to Felix as he and his mate closed in on him.
Two Danheimers, both drunk as can be, both with a bottle in hand, and looking very displeased.
‘‘What a perfect day it would ave’ been, if i didn’t have to lay my eyes on you, half breed!’’ yelled the first.
’‘You Jotun kin will get wht’s comin’ to ya!! Your very kind is a crime against nature!’’ threatened the other.
’‘Ere’, old… hold my mead! I’ll fix em’ right up!’’
Before anything can happen, the doorman of the place intervened.
’‘HEY! You two, knock it off!’’ the doorman yelled as he stepped between them.
’‘Oh, give me but a moment, i’ll knock his mutant nuts right off!’’
’‘You know what this is?’’ the doorman asked while holding a rod in front of them to see.
’‘Whats this now? You protecting these monsters!?’’ the drunk cried out.
’‘Get out of here, NOW.’’ exclaimed the doorman, and they were on their way with a mighty frown on their faces.
The doorman turned around to face Felix.
’‘And you! What are you standing around for? Looking for yesteryear or something?’’
Not a fight, not the first day in Kleriel… Felix turned towards the two drunkards. "I wouldn’t do that if I were you…"
Suddenly a random Keelish showed up, berating the two Danheimers. After their tipsy retreat, Felix faced him.
“I’m a Valkorian, I was told lodging had been found for me at the Dragon’s Garden Pods, is this it?”
The doorman takes the key and inspects it.
’‘Number says 318. First number indicates floor, in combination with the other two, your pod number.’’ he explained as he gave him back the key.
’‘Which means 3rd floor, pod 318.’'
He then returned to his post at the double doors.
As Felix entered the Dragon’s Garden Pods, he comes up on a large central area, with tables set about the floor with cheap chairs, in some sort of a diner fashion as cheap fast food was cooked, baked, and grilled in the middle of it all, with a number of kiosks and traffiks set up around the perimeter. Around the edges of the building were stairs leading upwards, there were 5 floors total, and then a cold stone ceiling. On the ground levels, there were just a lot of cluttered lockers and storage compartments, on the upper levels which surrounded the empty centre, there were hundreds of pods which people called home. Privacy was as much as the thin half-see through plastic panels those boxes they called ‘‘pods’’ had, and air conditioning was rather crap, so the smell of the cheap fast food bellow, in combination with burnt herbal sticks and cigars could be smelt throughout the complex.
As he ascended the stairs the stairs to the 3rd floor and entered one of the wings of the complex with his key in hand, he searched for, and finally found the pod he would call his own. It was empty, save for a small flat screen television mounted at the end of it. A rather short space for a Valkoran too. The hallway though could be described as anything else but tidy.
”Oh god…” Felix opened the door, and bent over to get in. His attempt failed, with him smacking hishead into the door frame. ”Damnit.”
After a second successful attempt, Felix managed to get inside. Upon inspecting his barren abode, he placed his swords in the corner, and threw his cloak and jacket on the floor to make a bed. Dust flew from the floor. ”Makes me want to go back to the forest…” Not knowing what to do with the television, he moved it into the corner, and placed spread a small pieces of cloth over it to form a makeshift table. Locking the door, he then tried to lie down.
Unfortunately, the room had most certainly NOT been built for Valkorians, even short ones, and so after a great deal of moving around, Felix fell asleep, curled up into an uncomfortable ball.
Hours passed, and a knocking was heard on Felix’s pod.
‘‘Hello?’’ a male Keelish voice greeted with uncertainty.
’‘Is anyone home?’’ the Keelish in more refined garments knocked on the door repeatedly, bent over while covering his mouth and nostrils with a hanky, trying to ignore the odour of the place.
A shuffling could be heard inside, followed by a loud Crack! Latin curses followed in a deep foriegn accent. The door opened.
”Who are you?” said Felix, not bothering with pleasantries. He had had a bad few hours of sleep, and his cough had gotten worse with the dust. He was holding his forehead, where he had cracked it on the ceiling.
‘‘My name is Tayrell, i’m looking for Felix? Its about his new job. I have brought the contract, but would rather go over the details outside, this place is… not to my taste.’’
He smiled faintly. ”You have no idea…give me a second.” He emerged a moment later, dressed, armed, and with a bleary expression. ”Lead the way.”
Felix followed his visitor out of the ‘‘hostel’’ and in to the streets. It was dark out.
Tayrell sighed with relief.
’‘Aaaaaah, much better! The Niirai believe all business should be discussed outdoors with the gods as witnesses. There is some wisdom in that, wouldn’t you agree?’’ he babbled as he reached for his bag and pulled out a bunch of papers clipped together.
‘‘I am here on behalf of the Yotanna Development Co. your new employer, which will cover all of your living expenses here, as well as provide you with a modest start up salary. As you work and your knowledge and experience grow, you may achieve a promotion, in which case you will be provided a more favourable work place in combination with a better pay.’’
‘‘Your rights are as standard law dictates: You can refuse any task assigned to you if you feel it endangers your well being. You can ask to be relocated if you feel uncomfortable with your co-workers, due to harassment, continued insults or other such activities. You have 3 brakes every day in your 8 hour shift, 1 of them being your company-paid lunch which lasts half an hour and is scheduled after the first 4 hours of your shift, which means in the middle, and the other two you take at your discretion and last 15 minutes. All brakes are taken outside of the workplace to avoid cluttering and to keep things tidy. You will be provided a pass which you stamp when you leave and enter, which means we will know exactly when you come in, and when you go out, and for how long you are gone.’’
‘‘The state’s unemployment board has assured us your cooperation on your behalf, and you shall receive all this, as well as health insurance, on the company’s expense. Should you cease cooperating, or quit work outright, we cut all these benefits outright as well. Meaning you loose not only your job, but your pod as well. Is that clear?’’
‘‘As for what you will actually be doing. The board assured us you have engineering experience, yes? You will be working in cooperation with several other Valkoran in a construction effort we are undertaking. Good news for you, you will be given preferential treatment, as you will be the only one in this team who isn’t a sla… i mean, an indentured servant. You start this morning, the construction sight is in the undercity, which is just down the street down the stairs which lead below. Any questions?’’ he finally concluded while handing him his electronic tablet with a ‘‘pen’’.
‘‘I would also ask for your signature, right there.’’
”Where is the construction site?” Felix said, while he signed. He didn’t really care what his wages were, as long as he had food. He handed the pen back. ”And what am I building?”
Tayrell took back the tablet with a nod.
‘‘Like i said, straight ahead down this road, down the stairs in to the undercity. As for what you will be building…’’ he tapped Felix on the shoulder with a grin, ‘‘The future!’’ and walked off, satisfied.
”Bloody red tape. And this bloody hellhole of a city.” Felix snarled to himself as he walked to his new work place. His former peace of mind was completely gone, replaced by a dull desire to fight someone.
He arrived at the address.
There were a few security guards at the entrance, one of them approached Felix.
'‘You must be the new guy, right?’'
The guard was tired, having stood, or rather sat, at the entrance to the works.
’‘Well you’re an early one. Here to check out what you’ll be doing before your shift starts? Not a bad idea, come on in.’’ the Keelish guard escorted him through the checkpoint where he gestured Felix to hold his pass by the panel for it to be scanned, so Felix was logged that he arrived at work.
They stepped in to an elevator, and the guard pressed a button with a down pointing arrow. The barred gates of the elevator shut closed, and began to descend. After a few meters of pure concrete the view opened up on a large underground cavern which they referred to as ‘‘the works’’, or ‘‘the undercity’’. Sparks could be seen flying from metal panels of what were to be buildings surrounding the central square as workers welded steel to steel, cables were hanging across the space from side to side, across, and under in all directions, and at the bottom, workers could be seen hammering away at rather large bolts of steel.
As the elevator reached ground level and came to a halt, the gates opened, and Felix stepped out for a better view.
‘‘I would find your supervisor if i were you. He knows best where to put you and can show you your place.’’ the guard said as the metal grate doors of the elevator closed again, and began to ascend.
Felix took in the sights, and notice there were no Keelish around at all, no guards whatsoever, just a whole heap of labourers focused on their work. There were Valkorans doing the heavy lifting, hammering, and welding, elves and humans laying cables and fiddling with circuits, and the occasional dwarf that came through with drilling equipment, who were in charge of tunnelling efforts lower within the works.
What stood out was the disturbing fact that quite a lot of these people were missing limbs, or several, having them replaced with cheaper outdated blocky prosthetics.
