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Starliner Athos Nexus Main Chat

Chattykaffi: Good morning, cruisers! For those of you attending this evening’s gala, we have the most amazing evening ahead of us as we unveil the Omega Min nebula, all while being serenaded by the incredible voice of Ayronina, Loessa’s most popular chanteuse. And if you like a bit of sparkle, the Omega Min Star, possibly the rarest gem in this galaxy, is not to be missed when it goes on display at tonight’s big event! The Athos is honored to host His Excellence, Premier Yut Hanth, along with his wife, Fathia, and we thank them for making this exciting night possible.

1001Stories: Hello, cruisers! This is Ellis McFadden, the Athos’s head librarian. If you’re not going to the gala and need some entertainment in the form of a great digital or audio book, a new video game, or a favorite movie, stop by the library and we can help you make a selection. Remember, library cards are complimentary!

NeptuneCruiser: This is the best starliner I’ve ever been on. I can’t wait for the gala! The nebula is going to be amazing, but getting to see the Omega Min Star up close will be the icing on the cake.

Etta_the_Explorer: Speaking of cake, if you haven’t tried the petit fours at La Patisserie, you’re missing out.

Starman00: I can get cake at home. I’m here for the nebula.

Nexus_Mod3: Everything at La Patisserie is delicious, but tonight’s gala will be spectacular. All of it, from the nebula to the entertainment to that big gemstone, will be out of this world!

JupiterJenny: I see what you did there.

Starliner Athos Nexus Chat 2

MsBeanCounter: Please tell me someone has a sewing kit? The strap on my dress is about to come loose and I need to wear it to the gala tonight!!

ZeeinHousekeeping: MsBeanCounter, I’ll have one sent to your quarters immediately.

A fter a busy but thankfully uneventful day at the library, Harry, my android cat, and I had rushed back to our quarters so that I could get myself ready for tonight’s big event. That meant skipping my usual dinner with the girls, but they understood.

Vashti, my friend who was also one of the doctors on board the Athos , was attending this evening’s function, so she’d skipped dinner, too. Benni and Zanya, the other two women we usually ate dinner with, would miss us, I was sure, but no doubt they’d be fine.

I bet they’d eat an extra dessert for us. They were good like that.

As I finished the last sip of my protein shake, I glanced at the time. I had forty-five minutes until Frank arrived to escort me. He was my plus-one. As the Athos ’s head librarian and the mother of the starliner’s vice-admiral, I generally got invited to the big functions.

It was a good perk. I loved seeing my daughter, Hazel, doing her thing as vice-admiral, but I didn’t always love the events themselves. Tonight was different.

Tonight, we’d not only be welcoming Premier Hanth and his wife, Fathia, of Loessa, a gorgeous planet known for its diverse climates and unique landscapes, but we’d be entertained by Loessa’s most celebrated vocal talent, a young woman known by one name: Ayronina. They’d be on the starliner all week as part of the celebration of the Omega Min nebula’s first commercial visitation.

Viewing the Omega Min nebula for the first time was going to be something major. We’d been headed toward it since our stop at the Loessa starport last night, where we’d picked up the premier, his wife, and Ayronina, along with a couple hundred new cruisers from the planet. We’d also taken on board the premier’s security detail, who’d be protecting him and the Omega Min Star.

The entire time we’d been traveling toward the nebula, every window and viewing area on the ship had been electronically blacked out, replaced with footage from previous travels. Kind of interesting that that could be done, am I right?

Anyway, the Omega Min nebula was supposed to be one of the most beautiful nebulas in the galaxy. I had no doubts about its beauty, but most beautiful? I kind of thought nebulas were all stunning in their own ways. Sort of like snowflakes, I guess.

I was still eager to see it, but I was really looking forward to sharing the moment with Frank. Just like I was looking forward to seeing the Omega Min Star, an enormous and supposedly spectacular hunk of uncut gem that had been born in the heart of the nebula at its creation. According to Loessaian legend, anyway.

What wasn’t legend was that the Omega Min Star contained enough energy to power an entire planet the size of Loessa for a millennium or more.

That part was known to be true because fragments of the original Omega Min Star material were already doing that. Well, I didn’t know if they were from the original, but other pieces of nebulite, which was the Star’s gem name, were what powered most of the planet.

The Star was famous because it was the most beautiful and gemlike chunk of the first deposit of nebulite that had been found on Loessa ages ago. Some said the nebulite was the result of being spat out of the Omega Min nebula, coming through the planet’s atmosphere, and burying itself in the surface, where it spread across the planet.

Not so sure about that, but it was widely believed to be true.

Once discovered, the Star had been tucked away in a super secure vault, only put on display for special occasions. Such as this one. Needless to say, this was the Star’s first time off-planet.

Smaller pieces of the same clean material were prized as gemstones among the elite of Loessa’s population. It was rumored the premier’s wife would be wearing a necklace that featured a gumball-size hunk of nebulite surrounded by diamonds. The pendant was worth the equivalent of thirteen million US dollars.

I couldn’t wait to see it. I’d promised Zanya and Benni that I’d try to get a picture of it. Maybe I’d get Frank to stand with the premier’s wife for a picture, if the opportunity presented itself. I almost laughed at the thought. Frank wasn’t one for that kind of behavior, but for me, he’d do it.

It seemed that whatever made me happy was fine with him. That was just how Frank was. The thought of sharing this special evening with Frank brought a smile to my lips. He was quite a guy.

I took my empty glass to the sterilizer, then set to work finishing my preparations. I’d already showered, done my hair and most of my makeup, as well as dressed. All that was left now were the final touches.

I applied a bit of lip stain, a soft, berry shade that was just a bit darker than my own natural color, erased a speck of mascara on one eyelid, then stepped back to take in the whole look.

My hair had come out better than I’d hoped for, and for that I was glad. All that effort to blow-dry it with the cumbersome round brush attachment had paid off. It had volume and bounce and, thanks to the new shampoo I’d picked up several starports ago, the gray looked luminously silver. I approved.

My makeup was simple. A smoky eye, a delicate cheek, and the neutral lip. My jewelry was even simpler. A pair of sparkling dangles. Tonight was all about the dress.

And, my stars, what a dress it was.

Knowing I’d need something fancier than what my wardrobe contained, I’d gotten the gown on Charn 9, our last port of call before Loessa and a planet renowned for its natural resources, which made possible an incredible textile industry. Because of that, fabric and clothing were among their top exports.

The dress was a one-shouldered, gunmetal-gray silk with blue undertones. It had been expensive but nothing like what it would have cost at a boutique on Earth. Not that we had this kind of technology at home.

When I’d bought the dress, it had been black, but the fabric had color-changing technology. With the press of a button discreetly attached to the interior of the right-hand pocket, the dress shifted from black to the color it was currently. Another press and the dress would turn a medium dove-gray. Yet another press would change it to a pale, wispy silver-blue. A fourth press would return it to black.

There was a detachable knot detail on the shoulder, and through the use of some clever hidden zippers, the skirt could be expanded into more of a flowy A-line or kept body-conscious, which was what I’d opted for tonight. With a set of tiny, hidden snaps, the gown could also be shortened to just above the knee, which would be handy for cocktail parties.

It came with a matching wrap, but the best part was, it had pockets. About as multifunctional as you could hope for in a gown. Granted, I wasn’t sure when I’d need a dress like this again, but when the moment came, I’d be prepared.

I walked out to the living room where Hieronymus, aka Harry, was sitting on the couch, watching the nature channel that I’d put on for him earlier. Birds flitted across the screen, and he seemed mesmerized, whiskers twitching. He let out the occasional ack-ack when a particularly interesting bird appeared.

I was loath to interrupt him, but I wanted his opinion. He was nothing if not honest. In fact, I wasn’t sure compdroids could lie. I cocked a hip to the side and planted my hand on it in my best model pose. “What do you think, Harry?”

He took his gaze from the screen and had a look at me. He gave a little nod. “Gorgeous, Mum. Real class, that is.”

“Thanks, baby.” I would have kissed his head if not for the lip stain, which was supposed to be transfer-proof when dry, but I didn’t want to risk Harry having a permanent kiss mark on his head if it was still wet. I’d accidentally stained a hand towel before. I didn’t want to stain my cat.

My door chimes rang, letting me know my date had arrived. A little flutter went through me. Even after a month and a half of regularly seeing each other, Frank still had that effect on me.

I shifted my position so that I’d be directly in his line of sight when the door opened. I put my hand on my hip again and took a breath. “Computer, open the door.”

Frank Kitson’s good looks were a known quantity, but when the door slid away to let him into my quarters, I was not prepared for the sight of him with a fresh haircut, cleanly shaven, and dressed in what was undoubtedly a custom-made tuxedo, based on how beautifully it fit him.

He was jaw-droppingly handsome. The nebula was going to have some competition for my attention.

I swallowed and came up with a witty response that I hoped wouldn’t make me sound like a high school girl with the universe’s biggest crush. “Now you really do look like James Bond.”

It was something I occasionally teased him about, due to his proclivity for gadgets. He also had incredible computer skills, but I didn’t remember James Bond sharing that trait.

Frank smiled, stepped inside and came toward me. He took my hand and gently twirled me around. “Ellis McFadden, you wear that dress very well. Aren’t you worried you’re going to outshine the premier’s wife? And every other woman at the gala?”

I grinned and fluttered my eyelashes, resting the fingers of my free hand on my chest. “This old thing?”

He knew the dress was a recent purchase, because I’d told him about it. He laughed, then shook his head like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing. “You are a remarkably beautiful woman.”

“Thank you.” He was easy with the compliments, too. “We make a sharp couple, don’t you think?”

“I do, but I don’t think anyone will be looking at me.” He kissed my cheek.

He was wrong about that, but I let it slide. “I just need to put my shoes on and I’m ready.”

He gave a nod as I went back to the bedroom and slipped into a pair of embellished black and silver evening slippers, also a new purchase, because I hadn’t had any shoes dressy enough. My wristband, which was my key, my ID, and my main communication device, went into one of my pockets. I wasn’t ruining this look with a bit of utilitarian tech.

When I returned, Frank was sitting on the couch petting Harry. Frank looked up. “Thanks again for inviting me. I’m really looking forward to seeing that nebula.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for accepting. I’m really glad you’re going with me. These kinds of things aren’t always my favorite way to spend my time, but I think tonight will be all right. Food, music, great views, and possibly the most expensive gemstone in the known universe seem like a good combination. And then there’s the company.”

He smiled. “I’m sure the evening will be very nice.”

I went over to ruffle the fur on Harry’s head. “Have a good night, baby. I’ll leave the birds on for you, okay?”

“Okay, Mum. Have fun.”

“Thanks.” Frank and I headed out. Frank offered me his arm. I took it, and we made our way to the elevators. Being dressed up and escorted by such a handsome man made me feel, well, maybe not exactly like a princess, at my age, but at least like minor royalty.

It was a sweet sensation, one that gave me a sense of buoyancy and lightheartedness. I was smiling without even being aware of it.

A vuum shuttled down the corridor ahead of us. A fleet of the dinner-plate-size vacuums made regular rounds on every deck of the Athos , zipping through common areas and into everyone’s quarters through special slots in the doors. The vuums kept the starliner free of space dust, which could be a real hazard.

The elevator arrived and the doors opened, revealing a few others in evening wear. We stepped on, but there was no need to tap the button to take us to the appropriate deck. It was already pressed.

The doors closed, and the car took off, moving us swiftly to Deck 39. Tonight, the entire two-story observation deck would host the gala. I wondered if it had been decorated.

Still holding Frank’s arm as we stepped off the elevator, we walked toward an archway that had been set up for gala guests. Athos Security Forces personnel stood on either side, checking credentials.

I took my wristband from my pocket and kept it at the ready. When it was our turn, I held it out to be scanned. “Ellis McFadden and guest, Frank Kitson.”

The officer ran a hand scanner over my wristband, then Frank’s, before taking a look at the information it gleaned. He gave us a nod. “Enjoy your evening, Mrs. McFadden.”

“See?” Frank whispered in my ear, clearly amused. “He barely noticed me.”