Free Chronicles of a Space Mercenary 0: Tanya by Ronald Wintrick Page B

made their presence known to her. A green arrow began flashing within the metal floor. Tanya followed it.
    Tanya spent the trip here studying everything there was to know about Kievor Trade Stations and the Kievor themselves. There was a lot more information to be gleaned about the Stations themselves. Little was actually known about the reclusive race of horses, the closest human term to describe them, except that they were the only known hooved sentient to reach the stars on their own initiative.
    Not only had the Kievors reached the stars on their own, but they were the most technologically advanced race that was known. They were so far advanced in comparison to humans that most of their technology seemed like magic. Humans were babes in the woods compared to the mighty Kievor. Luckily, the Kievor weren’t bent on Universal Conquest. They were a trading empire of unknown range and they were known to be scrupulously honest with everyone. The arrow led Tanya to a lift tube. The opening seemed to melt away, the trans-metal she had read about, and Tanya entered the lift.
    Tanya felt the plunge of the lift as soon as the door sealed back in place, though it was more intuition than a physical sensation. She felt nothing whatsoever. However, there was little doubt in her mind, as the lift's door melted away again that she had just been accelerated and then decelerated to and from speeds the human body should not have survived. Only the Kievor’s incredible technology, incredibly powerful gravity shields, not to mention the computing power necessary, would allow the journey to be made in complete comfort and safety. And it had been a journey; the Kievor Trade Station was massive beyond belief. There were smaller planets.
    This was Level One, the indicator inside the lift designated. Tanya stepped out and continued following the green arrow that began flashing in the floor as soon as she stepped out of the lift. Only four more steps and the door of the office it directed her to melted away in front of her eyes as soon as she stepped in front of it. Tanya walked in, as it seemed that was what was expected.
    The stories were true. If there was any animal the Kievor most closely resembled it was the Earth horse, but that image was broken immediately when it spoke.
    “Shall I address you,” the Kievor asked, “with the name by which you are known?”
    Tanya looked into the Kievor's eyes for a moment. Since she had traveled here under an alias, she assumed the Kievor meant the name she had used to travel here, but when she looked into those knowing eyes, and by the way in which the Kievor had posed its question, Tanya was instantly positive the Kievor was going to call her by her real name. “Yes, by the name by which I am known.” Tanya answered. Nor was she wrong.
    “Excellent.” The Kievor said. “The name of record is Tanya Serensen. What sort of accommodations will you be seeking with us?” Tanya had made no mention of the fact that she would be seeking accommodations at all aboard the Kievor Trade Stati on. The only possessions she brought were in the wheeled suitcase standing on the floor beside her. Add to that the fact that they knew her real name. It seemed impossible. Tanya was impressed, and that was not easy to do.
    “Something small and affordable,” Tanya responded.
    “Small we can accommodate.” The Kievor said with what Tanya was sure was amusement. There was really no way to tell. “Affordable is another question altogether.” It added.
    Tanya had already researched the Kievor's pricing and it was outrageous compared to human space habitat resorts, quadruple even the most expensive five-star space hotels, but Tanya had just entered the land of milk and honey and the Kievor’s pricing would be no problem. She had sufficient funds with her for several months, in any case. After what she had just seen in her short walk through the Station, she was assured that only several days’ funds would have been