Page 66 of Stars At Dusk

She settled in with an incredulous smile.

8

The Nebula Crown

Harlow

Within minutes Kage and Harlow were cruising. After a dizzying flight through a maze of streets she noticed they were back to the more genteel end of Eden II.

The flyer came to a stop and Kage helped her out.

They were in another alleyway. A little along the way was a door from which a red carpet extended flanked by a gold hand rail.

Kage stealth-ed his craft and took Harlow’s hand. He led her silently towards the red carpeted entrance.

There was no doorman, instead Kage waved his wrist comm on a security panel.

The door opened to a small lift.

Kage stepped in and pulled Harlow to his side. The door shut and the lift smoothly shifted, first moving sideways and then down, into the depths of Eden II’s underground.

Eventually the lift slowed, made another sideways move and slotted to a stop.

The door swung open and they stepped into a luxurious reception space, covered entirely gold and red velvet. A droid rolled up to them.

‘Mr Sable. Welcome back to The Nebula Crown,’ the droid said to Harlow’s surprise. ‘Good to see one of our members after many months away.’

‘I’ve brought a guest to watch the matches this evening,’ Kage said smoothly.

‘Of course. Private dais?’

‘Sante. A Shield 1 please.’

The droid led them into an arena quite like nothing Harlow had ever seen before. Floating private booths were arranged in a circle all around a large sand box ring with standing room for the crowds of men and women milling around it. The booths rotated slowly above. Some were open, others shrouded by electronic patterned shields, yet others with extravagant curtains of red velvet and gold, parted just enough so the patrons within could watch the action below. They were all fashioned like clouds, with gold bases and extravagant carved gold nebula-like arches above.

Harlow stared. She’d never quite seen an arena quite like this one.

The droid led them to a drop off point.

A dais floated towards them and came to a smooth stop. Harlow turned to Kage and he gave her an encouraging nod and a lift to his brow.

She stepped into in and he followed, leading her to a lush velvet couch that ran the circular edge of the floating platform. They settled in and it slowly hovered away to a vantage open above the area.

Harlow looked around. A shield shimmered into place around them. While she and Kage could still see outside, it seemed no-one could see them inside. They were in essence in their own cloud. A small cocktail table built into the floor held plates of hors d’oeuvres, a bottle of rare wine and two glasses.

‘This is beyond, Kage,’ Harlow told him as he poured a glass of wine and handed it to her.

‘It’s a bit extra,’ he admitted. ‘As the droid said, I haven’t been here in months but I have a lifetime membership.’

‘You paid for one?’

He shook his head and scoffed under his breath. ‘No,kara. I earned it.’

She cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. ‘And how did this come about?’

‘Well, turns out I was really good at brawling fights. So good I began building a reputation for myself amongst the rock’s underground fight clubs. Then one day I received a message to participate in an invite only fight here. I was over the moon.’

‘Why?’

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