Chapter 48: Futura

Nena sat in the driver’s seat and looked at Tom.

Tom flashed his Go-Card at the device and then said. “Bus, take us to Lorena wherever she is, when she is no more than two years old, please.”

“Yes, Tom,” Bus replied happily.

“Also, how long will the trip take, Bus?”

“About two hours, Tom. With the modifications, we can travel a lot faster than we could in the past.”

“Thanks, Bus,” Tom replied as he went to sit in his seat. He pulled the pad off his vambrace and selected a book to read from the menu that Tron flashed up for him.

Nena grabbed the Primer that she had left on the dash earlier. She settled back in the driver’s seat and started to read. Her concentration was all over the place, and she spent more time contemplating her life that actually reading.

Neither said a word to the other during the trip.

“We are here, Master Tom and Miss Nena.”

Tom stretched as he blinked his eyes. He had been engrossed in the book and hadn’t even realised how much time had passed. Looking towards Nena, he asked, “Where and when is here, Bus?”

“We are in the city of Futura on the Planet Utopia. It is the city that Empress Lee and her people from Earth founded when they arrived here. For whatever reason, they didn’t have a year zero to start their new calendar.”

“So, it’s the 28^th day of June 0007, by the local calendar or the 9^th of March 2102 on the Earth calendar. The Earth year is ten days shorter than a Utopia one, so it seems like it has gained time. If that helps as a reference, Tom and Nena.”

“Here they will celebrate their Christmas in two days on the thirtieth and then Gods’ Day on the first of their new year, which is, of course, July here. Lorena has just turned two years of age, and if I may be so bold, I thought you may like to spend Christmas with her and her family.”

Tom grinned as he shrunk his pad and put it back in its place on his wrist before he got up, “Yes, thank you, Bus, that sounds awesome. Nena, prepare to be amazed.”

As Tom hurried down the aisle to get his backpack, Bus added, “Oh, don’t forget the gravity here is greater than Earth’s, and it may take you a few days to get used to it. It is also winter, so rug up.”

“Thanks for the reminder, Bus. So where do we need to go from here? It looks like we are parked near a huge dome,” Tom called back from the bedroom.

“Yes, just go in through the entrance you can see to your right and ask someone where Captain Cool lives. I’m sure they will direct you. You will also find a bank near this entrance. I surmise your old account will still work. You can deposit some of that gold that Amy gave you for coin to use while your here.”

“Good plan, Bus,” Tom called back as he went into one of his hidden storage rooms to retrieve some precious metals and gems to sell. He also went into his wardrobe and changed into some jeans and a jumper, and he grabbed a heavier long-coat to wear. He grabbed his spare jacket for Nena.

He headed back to the kitchen area to see Nena peering through the front windows in wonderment. “Come on Nena lets go explore. I haven’t been to this planet before. When I was in the Delta Pavonis system over two years ago, I went to Harmony. It is the sister planet and rotates in the same orbit but on the opposite side of their sun.”

Tom chuckled as Nena hurriedly got out of the driver’s seat to go and fetch her backpack and some warmer clothes. Despite her being upset with Tom, she couldn’t ignore the fact that she had just travelled into the future and to a different planet.

She hurriedly changed and raced back down the passage to the doors. She gratefully took the coat that Tom offered when she realised the air was rather chilly. Her eyes were everywhere as they made their way into the huge dome.

The layout of the dome had them both gob-smacked. Shops and offices curved around to their left and right. A wide central tower contained more offices and apartments. Huge eating areas spread out within the hollow centre of the tower and you could see to the top of the 25m high dome.

Tom saw the sign for the B&C Bank to his right and grabbed Nena’s hand to take her to it. Tom grinned at the small Pix woman who was sitting behind one of the counters inside the spacious receiving area of the bank. “Hi, I wish to make a deposit in my account,” Tom said.

The woman looked him up and down and said, “Well, hello stranger, how about you place your hand on this screen for me.”

Tom did as she requested and then removed his hand when she looked back at him and nodded. “Greetings, High Paladin White, I’m Alis Martyn. It seems that you have been out of the system for a while.”

“Please note that two flags have been placed against your account. Empress Lee and Captain Esky have both asked to be notified when you turn up. Do you wish for these notifications to be sent?”

Tom grinned, “Yes, please.” He then placed the sack that he had pulled from his backpack onto the counter with a loud thud.

Alis looked in the bag and then motioned to someone to come and get it. “It shouldn’t take us long to analyse the items and give you a value. There is a beverage dispenser over near those seats if you wish to sit while you wait. I shall call you when we are done.”

“Thanks, I also wish to have my friend signed up for an account. She hasn’t been to this planet before,” Tom said.

Alis looked at Nena and smiled. “Have you taken her to Medical to get her immunisation?”

Tom frowned. He remembered that Merry had said something about immunisation, but because of his vambrace, he didn’t need it. “Um, she is wearing one of my medical bands that does the same thing, is that good enough?”

Alis shrugged, “Doc Von will be able to tell you that. Her office is just down the hall. You should go see her when you are finished here. The immunisation is fairly quick and painless and a requirement to be on Utopia. In the meantime, please have your friend fill out this form.”

Alis handed Tom a tablet with a stylus attached. It already had a form displayed.

Tom took the tablet, slung his pack back over his shoulder, and then he and Nena went and found some seats.

They looked at the form that had an outlined hand for her to place her hand inside of on the screen. Nena placed her hand on the screen. When she took it off, the form flashed, then went blank and then a list of information started scrolling down the screen.

“Okay, that is weird, how does this system know who I am and when I was born?”

Tom grinned, “It probably read your mind.”

“No, way!” squealed Nena.

“Why not? I could if I wished to, but I don’t,” Tom told her. Nena gave Tom a horrified look and moved back from him a bit. “Nena, I consider it an invasion of privacy, your secrets are safe from me if you wish to keep them from me.”