Viper's Hope (Anguis Defenders Book 1)(58)

The four of them followed the guards through the crowd and Hope caught a peek of her new home.

When Viper and his father had described the temporary dwellings Hope had pictured a tent city, but this was much better. There were hundreds of pods all clumped in organized rows, along a main promenade. Each dwelling was a different color to help distinguish between them and featured a simple shape beside the door. It was a system any race might be able to use to find their assigned quarters.

The central area featured a large oblong dome at the middle. Outside the main building were tables and chairs scattered here and there that Anguis citizens sat at. Along one side of the central park was a playground, at least that's what Hope assumed, since several little Anguis children were frolicking on the unusual structures.

"I like the playground." Hope grinned up at Viper.

"It keeps the little ones busy since they usually rebound the fastest after revival." Adder smiled.

That sounded about right. Children were resilient.

"Most of the dwellings will hold five to ten people." Viper commented. "Would you like to go inside one?"

"Sure."

Viper opened the door of the first pod they came to. There was a large sitting room with seating and a dining area connected. The walls were a calmer yellow hue than the lemony color that decorated the outside, with a large shuttered window facing the main road and a colorful abstract painting on one wall. It looked like much like a chic modern hotel suite. Certainly not barren and stark like she'd expected from emergency housing.

"This area is for preparing meals but the main building has a large dining hall. Most of your people will be too overwhelmed to deal with making meals straight off."

Hope agreed. She herself didn't know half of what she was looking at in the kitchen. She followed Viper down the hall to see two bathrooms similar to the ones on the ship and five bedrooms some with two beds others with one larger bed.

The best thing about the pods were that they were air conditioned. It would've been hard on most of her people if it hadn't been, considering the temperature of the planet.

Nothing could truly make the loss of her home better, but this really went a long way. Hope was impressed and touched by how their needs had been considered. The Anguis really had out done themselves constructing all this in such a short time.

"These houses are amazing." Hope exclaimed as Viper led her back out to find Adder and Hyla waiting.

Hyla was leaning against Adder smiling at him. She almost looked sweet.

"This is really great. Thank you. It's better than what I could hope for." Hope told them truly grateful.

"Sadly we have done this before." Hyla said sounding sympathetic.

Hope wondered if Adder had encouraged her to retract the claws, or maybe Hyla was glad Hope hadn't embarrassed them earlier. She wasn't quite sure which.

"I know, I'm sorry." Hope replied and meant it. The woman had lost all but one of her children, and Viper apparently spent a lot of time traversing the galaxy fighting the strange virus. "I thought these homes were going to be glorified tents from the way you described them going up."

Hope would've never fathomed that one of these pods unfolded from a smaller cube about the size of a car, almost like an RV expands. It was shocking the Anguis considered this temporary. She knew many people who'd be content to stay in them permanently.

Apparently in the next few years a community would be built with permanent homes more like those of the not too distant Anguis metropolis. Humans could choose to mix in with the Anguis as they became acclimated or form a closer knit suburb to the town that welcomed them.

Hope was so glad the Anguis were used to other alien species. She could only imagine what chaos would ensue if a group of aliens tried to colonize the burbs back home.

"I'm glad you like them." Viper smiled as he and his parents led her towards the large building.

Hope pulled the thin wrap around her shoulders, again blessing Viper for hunting it down. She looked up to see Tara and JP along with Ophidian approach.

"This building is the main center for recreation, meals and security." Adder pointed to a large central structure.

"Is this where the medical facilities are located?" Tara asked.

"Yes, they are here too, though there is a larger hospital in town." Adder replied.

"Oh good. I like how it's in the middle of everything." Tara noted.

"Let take a look and see if it is to your liking." Viper suggested to her doctor friend. "Ophidian can introduce you to the physicians, you haven't already met from the ship who can get you acquainted with everything."

"That will be good, then we'll be ahead of the game when we wake everyone up." JP added as they entered the community center.