Free Ally or Alien: A Sci-Fi Novel by Mars Dorian Page A

of sound. Think of it as a person-based subway."
    Not gonna lie, the tube system looked kind of cool. 
    eLoom said,
    "I have already updated your destination. It will take 0.7 seconds in total."
    "Sounds good."
    Bellrock stepped into the tube's capsule when the display shimmered in green. Reminded him of getting stuffed into a coffin. eLoom looked down at him and sent him the peace sign.
    "Are you okay?"
    "Do I have to do something?"
    "No. Just stay calm and carry on. I'll see you on the other side."
    Whooosh.
    Some kind of invisible propulsion blew him through the pipe.
    Whooosh.
    Bellrock, the human rocket. 
    Half a breath later, his capsule came to a soft still stand. He staggered out and failed to coordinate his feet. Bellrock's boots felt like watered sausages giving way.
    Balance was a bitch.
    eLoom appeared behind him and touched his arm.
    "Are you okay?"
    "Yeah, it's nothing."
    Something inside of him shot up.
    Bellrock tried to turn away but it was too late.
    He vomited over eLoom's face...

25
     
    How to alienate allies, the Bellrock way. 
    And now Dr. Rao and the others arrived with eyes as wide as moons. They saw how Bellrock unleashed his vomit salad over the Newtype's head and chuckled.
    And eLoom?
    Just stood there while the puke pieces rivered down her perfect face.
    To be honest, she looked neither pleased nor peeved, just indifferent.
    When the urge stopped, Bellrock wiped the gobbets from his lips.
    "I'm sorry," eLoom said.
    Talking about an awkward moment.
    Bellrock thought he misunderstood her.
    "You're sorry? But I was the one puking all over you."
    "Yes, I know, but that is because the tube system is adapted to us Newtype. We have never had an Earthling use it before, so it is my fault. I should have thought about it before you arrived."
    "No worries," Bellrock said.
    Still feeling a bit bad for the action. Dr. Rao looked a bit cranky too, but at least he wasn't letting any fluids out. Heck, the scientist was even smiling from ear to ear, the bastard.
    eLoom remained on the same spot with half the vomit covering her face.
    "Can I show you the quarters now?"
    This started to look like some kind of comedy sketch.
    "Don't you want to...clean your face or something?"
    "You are right. That would be the appropriate reaction."
    She told her female Newtype friend to wipe off the pieces. Opened the slide door in shutter-motion and offered a view inside the quarters. Bellrock whistled and he meant it. The chamber harbored an ergo-dynamic architecture in minimalist style. Chairs and crates were fixed into the structure itself, or so it seemed.
    eLoom said,
    "We have used older recharger pods as beds. Their hull is still working—let me show you how to dim them.
    Two 'beds' in total, so enough to take care of Bellrock and his partner. The Newtype had thought of everything—at least they didn't suck at service.
    eLoom headed straight for the wall and fumbled with it.
    "I want to show you something."
    A wall, how impressive.
    "Oh yes. That is the best part," her female Newtype friend said.
    In fewer than two seconds, tiny plates of the wall changed colors, no, they phased into transparency. The two men from Earth stared at the view with mouths wide open. Bellrock stepped forward to get an even better grasp.
    The red planet glowed in the center, surrounded by ships and drones coming in and out. Stations hovered around the orb like mechanical bees. Mobile platforms circumnavigated the bigger ones and did some repairs or maintenance. 
    Busy space. 
    "Bite me," Bellrock said.
    eLoom joined his stare and smiled.
    "I've seen that planet 1828 times from my quarters now, but the view spellbinds me every time."
    "No shit," Bellrock said.
    He wasn't much of a stargazer, but that landscape, or spacescape for that matter, flashed every part of his iris. The universe was truly an eye-pleaser of a place.
    A hostile and mean mistress.
    And yet sooo damn beautiful.
    eLoom accompanied his stare with soft-spoken words.
    "You