[Black Fleet Crisis] - 02(41)

It also put Mud Sloth right back in a line this time, the long taxi line leading to the vast field of open-air tie-down berths. Teyr’s exorbitant landing fee didn’t buy “Li Stonn” a spot in a docking bay, or even secure covered stowage, for his ship.

“One good storm, and the shipbuilding trade has a record year next year,” Luke said, surveying the expansive, and expensive, assortment of vessels.

When the tow droid finally reached the assigned berth and backed Mud Sloth into its space, its port wing nestled under the thrustpods of a big Toltax Starstream, the port manager’s official voice—another droid—came over the open channel.

“Welcome to Prye Folas. In order to help ensure the safety of all visitors to Teyr, port regulations forbid occupancy of vessels in tie-down berths,” the droid said.

“Please remove whatever personal articles you will need during your stay and seal your vessel, then wait for the arrival shuttle. In order to help ensure the safety of your vessel, access to this parking area is limited to arriving and departing visitors. This area is patrolled by port security.

Thank you for including Teyr in your travel plans—” “I’m ready,” Akanah said impatiently.

Luke powered down the skiff’s primary bus. “Let me grab my bag and put on my face.”

The arrival shuttle, a low-riding, slow-moving landspeeder, was piloted by still another late-model droid.

Akanah and Luke caught two of the last three open seats, and the third was taken by the Elomin who emerged from the airspeeder parked across the towpath from Mud Sloth. When the shuttle was full, it rose several meters above the ground and sped off in the direction of the terminal.

An empty shuttle immediately moved in to take its place.

“Quite an operation, don’t you think, dear?” Luke said. The voice of “Li Stonn” had a little tremble, a little added huskiness. “When you see this many droids, you know someone’s doing well.”

Akanah seemed inhibited by the other travelers close around them—the Elomin, immediately to her right, towered over her by more than a head.

She answered only with a glance and a polite smile.

Luke patted her hand reassuringly. “I know, you don’t like open landspeeders. But we’re almost there,” he said. “Look—you can see the track for the Rift Skyrail.

The guidebook said it’s the fastest aboveground train in five sectors—” The last hurdle was Arrival Screening—another line, a droid greeter, an IRR screening for their bags, a discreet security sweep of their persons, and three questions from a human examiner who had much the same demeanor as the district censor on Lucazec.

“How long do you plan to stay on Teyr?”

“We’re not sure, are we, dear?” Luke asked. “How long does it take to really see the Rift at its best? Our reservation is only for three days, but we’re hoping that we can extend it now that we’re here.”

“Three days,” the examiner repeated. “Are you now, or have you recently been, infected with any transmissible class B or class C agent?”

“No, no,” Luke/Li said, smiling at Akanah. “We’re fit as can be. I just hate to travel when I’m sick, don’t you?”

“Do you have in your possession any lethal weapons, proscribed drugs, unlicensed technology, or other articles in violation of the General Visitor Agreement?”

“Oh, gracious, no,” Luke said. “We’re here to have fun.”

The examiner passed two traveler’s aid cards through an encoder.

“Welcome to Teyr,” he said, handing the cards to Akanah. “Enjoy your stay with us.”

Between the Prye Folas spaceport terminal and the Skyrail station was the broad green expanse of Welcome Park. Luke and Akanah stopped at the first open bench they spotted, tucking their bags protectively behind their feet.

“I think we’re finally officially here,” Luke said.

“How are you doing?”

“It’s not what I expected,” said Akanah, looking around.

Luke held out a palm. “Let’s see that,” he said, nodding toward the traveler’s aid cards Akanah still clutched in her hand.

Distractedly, Akanah handed one of the cards to Luke, who began to study it. The card had a tiny display screen that took up half of one side, with some universal-symbol command keys below. On the back was a line drawing of the structure that stood at the center of the park—a ring of more than a hundred small kiosks surrounding a two-story-high carousel display.

“I have to go do a Li Stonn thing,” said Luke. “Stay here—I’ll be right back.”