"I will be out for a few days. Please keep the room clean and tidy until I am back." Aric spoke to the reception before leaving. He had come a long away from home because he needed to get away from people and that included his parents too.
Now he was here and he had already left Mira with his luggage. Since it was a high end hotel, his luggage wouldn't be touched and even it was a high end hotel. He was a high end client at the moment so he was sure that nothing would happen to his belongings. And even if anyone took away his belonging they wouldn't be able to access to Mira.
Aric walked into a huge mall and went straight for the toilet. But after entering the toilet, he didn't come out at all. And nobody noticed that the boy never came out of the toilet. At least not on that day.
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Aric was back in Echorysia and he had finally come out of the storage unit after a long stay there. Thankfully there were no aliens or humans operating it, or else they would have felt that they had seen a ghost. Who lived in a storage unit for such a long time?
After coming to the streets, he booked a taxi for the spaceport. The spaceport was a bit far so it would take some time to reach there. As Aric approached the towering structure of the interstellar spaceport, his eyes widened in awe. The main terminal, an enormous dome made of transparent hyperglass, allowed a panoramic view of the blue sky above. Sunlight refracted through the dome, casting shimmering patterns on the polished floor below.
As Aric walked through the automated sliding doors, he was greeted by the gentle and the soft murmur of travelers. Inside, the spaceport was a hive of activity. Holographic signs floated above, guiding passengers to various sections of the terminal.
"Welcome to the Echo Interstellar Spaceport." "Your gateway to the stars and beyond." Aric's smartwatch vibrated gently, displaying a notification: "Flight IXS-233 to Vallin city departing in 90 minutes from Gate 17. Please proceed to security check."
He followed the arrows to the security checkpoint, marveling at the efficiency and technology in place. Instead of traditional metal detectors, there were sleek archways that scanned for prohibited items using quantum resonance imaging.
"So even in the future, I still have to follow the same checks. Tax and security check, I guess are the constants of lives." Aric thought.
Once through security, Aric found himself in the departure lounge. It was an expansive area filled with comfortable seating, lush indoor gardens, and views of the docking bays. Massive windows stretched from floor to ceiling, revealing the silhouettes of various spacecraft docked outside. The vessels ranged from sleek personal shuttles to colossal starliners, each designed for journeys of unimaginable distance.
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
His smartwatch buzzed again. "Final boarding call for Flight IXS-233 to Vallin City at Gate 17. All passengers please proceed to the gate." Arriving at the gate, he handed his digital ticket to the gate agent, a humanoid robot with a reassuring smile. "Welcome aboard, Mr. More. Enjoy your journey," it said as it scanned his ticket and directed him through the boarding tunnel.
"I wonder who copied whom here. Why does it mirror the ways of flights in Earth?"
As Aric stepped onto the luxurious spaceship, he was greeted by plush interiors, ambient lighting, and a sense of tranquility. The ship's design was opulent yet functional, with every detail meticulously crafted for comfort and efficiency.
A uniformed attendant, dressed in a sleek, silver-and-black ensemble, approached Aric with a warm smile. "Welcome aboard the Interstellar Cruiser, Mr. More. My name is Elara, and I'll be assisting you during your journey. Please follow me to your suite." The attendant was a humanoid alien and her whole body was more beautiful than Aric had ever seen. Though he was quite young and it was weird to find an alien attractive but for some reason he did so.
"You are having those emotions because this particular species involuntarily release a set of attractive hormones in the air which makes most of the humanoid species of the almost all the civilizations pin for them."
"So she is a magnet for males?" Aric asked Apis.
"And females too. Their whole species mean nothing but trouble. There had been wars before just so somebody could have power over these species. They are both lucky and unlucky in that regard." Apis replied. Aric could already guess what might have happened over this.
"But it was very long ago and their species are no more the prized species everyone wants." Apis continued.
"Why is that?" Aric wanted to know.
"Because of enhancement of biotechnology, one could both have these abilities and also have the ability to negate the attraction." Apis said. Aric would love to know more but at the moment he would have to wait.
Elara led Aric through the atrium, and as they walked, he marveled at the ship's amenities. The main concourse was lined with upscale boutiques, gourmet restaurants serving delicacies from various planets, and lounges with panoramic windows. Passengers moved about leisurely, some sipping exotic cocktails, others engrossed in conversation or simply enjoying the luxurious surroundings.
They passed through a series of sliding doors that opened silently into a private corridor reserved for first-class passengers. The walls here were adorned with contemporary art pieces, each one a unique creation from different corners of the galaxy. The corridor was quiet, exuding a sense of exclusivity and tranquility.
Elara stopped in front of a set of double doors, which slid open to reveal Aric's suite. "Here we are, Mr. More. I hope you find everything to your satisfaction."
Aric stepped inside and couldn't help but gasp in admiration. The suite was spacious and tastefully decorated, blending modern design with touches of luxury. The main living area featured a large, comfortable sofa and a low table made of a rare, iridescent wood. A holographic entertainment system was seamlessly integrated into the wall, offering a vast selection of movies, music, and interactive programs.