The Rose Fleet pt. 2

I nod in agreement and we leave for the elevator. As the doors close behind us, Phoenix hands me my badge for the Rosa. After a bit of navigation we arrive at the cargo bay doors and loud bangs echo across the ship as the doors open. A long glass tunnel expands into the cargo doors, connecting us to the rest of the ship. As we cross it, I notice where the bang came from. The entire platform from which we landed on sank into the ship and the bay doors closed above us. The banging was the result of the hanger doors locking. Phoenix and I arrive at the main central hub where all the hangers converge. A rail system ran down the center and the walls were covered in restaurants, stores, and I even spotted a gift shop in the corner. There were incredibly large screens displaying advertisements and today's current announcements. Phoenix taps me on the shoulder and points at the incoming train. All the television screens flash red, announcing the incoming train and to back away from the rails. As we approach the queue to enter, a guard approaches us and asks for identification. We flash our badges and he gestures that we can enter. The train was a bit narrow and with so many entering at once, we found ourselves shoulder to shoulder next to each other as the doors closed.

"Next destination is the City Dome and Bridge." The train announces.

The train pushes forward, entering a tunnel. We were preparing to enter the city dome, a section of the ship I had never heard of before. The tunnel finally disappears and we are greeted with a spectacular site. A city, just like any other back home, encased inside a massive glass-like structure. The skyscrapers were all centered around the tallest tower in the middle, which stretched past the dome and connected to the bridge at the top. Thousands of small ships surrounded the city while the frigates could be spotted outside, flying carefully enough to not hit anything fragile on the dome. The scale of all of this was immense, touching from end to end of the ship. I was left in awe. The train stops at its next station where we make our exit. The station sat on the far side of the dome, nearly sticking out of it and had to be at least 600 feet in the air. The scale only grew bigger as we walked onto a viewing platform at the front of the exit. The same announcements and ads that we heard back on the station were echoing throughout the city and the LED lights placed on the edges on the buildings just made everything pop a little. Phoenix nudges my shoulder to carry on toward the docking platform at the far end of the station. There stood a skinny man waiting for us. He had light skin and was bald but his face was just recently shaved. He wore a bright green military uniform with several accommodations pinned on his shoulders. The name "Maverick" was written on his chest plate and he was holding a sign saying "Boseman" on it.

"That must be for us." Phoenix says.

The man spots us and waves in our direction, greeting us upon arrival.

"Hello, my name is Maverick, I am here to take you to the admiral." He said

I gave him a good hard look, top to bottom. It was interesting, his accent seemed a bit familiar. A little rustic, but it didn't sound like anyone I know from Nekomon.

"You're sultarian, aren't you?" I asks

He smiles nervously but it quickly goes away and a wave of confidence washes over him upon seeing me.

"What gave it away ma'am?"

"I don't know, lucky guess." 

"Lead the way." Phoenix says

Behind him was a small shuttle. It was a four door and quite small. There were several lights dotted all over it and a large sign on top saying crew. Phoenix walks ahead of me and opens the front door, waving me inside saying, "After you." I smile and enter the shuttle. Phoenix follows behind me.

The door closes behind me as he enters through the back door. Maverick acknowledges that everyone is ready to go and he flips a switch on the center console, lifting the shuttle off the ground. The shuttle turns around and launches forward with a burst of speed, shifting my weight into the back of the seat. We flew through the inner city. Weaving through buildings and oncoming traffic. Not much could be seen from the height we were at, but the buildings were glowing in several bright colors, giving the city a kind of nightlife vibe. Upon closer inspection, I find out how this city came to be. It's not actually apart of the ship. There were several locking mechanisms on the edges of the dome, suggesting it can detach at will. It makes sense to be honest, who would want to be flying around with a city attached to you. The shuttle picks up speed, tilting upward and climbs until we reach a large structure separating the dome from the bridge and space itself. The structure was shaped in a plus sign and was a part of the massive tower in the middle of the city. The shuttle lands on a platform that sticks out of the structure. Maverick opens the doors and tells us to use the elevators in the building to get to the admiral's quarters. That's where he will be waiting for us. As we exit the ship, it takes off once more, flying away and disappearing into city traffic.