“Aunt Arpovae is the very best,” Jaron reassured as he rubbed the back of her neck. “Both of your friends will be fine. I guarantee it.”
Nikki smiled. “If I pretend to be upset, will you keep doing that?”
He chuckled and pulled her head back for an upside down kiss. “If we postpone much longer Malik will dispatch troops to come collect us.”
They took an automated shuttle, Ghost City’s version of a taxi, to the detention center. All the windows were heavily tinted to protect the occupants from the sunlight. They sat down and Jaron told the shuttle where to take them.
“Does it cost to use these things?” Nikki settled back into her seat as the buildings zipped past. They were at least twenty-five feet off the ground so the shuttle wove in and out of the taller buildings.
He nodded. “The cost is added to my account automatically.”
“Are they expensive? I haven’t seen very many of them.”
“The trams are free, so most don’t see a reason to spend what few credits they have on a luxury.”
“Why didn’t we take the tram?”
He looked at her and smiled. “Because riding the tram with you, my love, would be like us riding the subway on Earth. Humans might have accepted that they are not alone in the universe, but elf-spottings are still extremely rare.”
She couldn’t argue with that.
They arrived a few minutes later and Malik made it obvious he was not happy about waiting so long. “The entire council is on stand-by,” he grouched as soon as they walked into the control room. “You two are being incredibly rude.”
“I apologize, but it wasn’t what you presumed,” Jaron defended. “Nikki was in a holo-com with your mother.”
“I see.” Malik let the subject drop, but he still looked annoyed.
Natalie walked over to Nikki and motioned toward the door. “United Council meetings are private so we need to find something else to do.”
“Could you tell me about the orphanage you’re building for the urbanite children? I’d really like to hear more about the program.”
“I can do better than that,” Natalie said. “I’ll show you.”
The shuttle was still out front, so they decided to splurge. Natalie told the computer their destination and they were off.
“One of the conditions of the alliance between the Outcasts and the Sarronti was a mixed-use outpost in each Sarronti village. They are meant to be a refuge for Sarronti fleeing persecution or anyone needing protection in general. Well, in Ghost City, the ones most in need of protection are the street kids.”
The buildings became more industrial, the area rougher as they neared their destination. “Are you sure this is safe?”
“It looks worse than it is. This is actually considered a nicer part of Ghost City. It just suffers when compared to most of the cities on Earth.”
The shuttle came to a rest outside what looked like a warehouse. Natalie got out, so Nikki did too, though the destination confused her. Wasn’t Natalie building an orphanage?
“Unlike the other outposts, it made more sense to go with a renovation rather than new construction. Also, this is not an orphanage. It’s a community center. Our focus is going to be children, but not all of them are orphans and orphanage has such a negative connotation. I want this place to be fun.” They had reached the large double-doored entrance, but Natalie paused before opening the doors. “Keep in mind this is still a work in progress. We’re about two weeks from completion, but this will give you a good idea of where the project is headed.”
They walked inside and Nikki looked around with a mixture of intimidation and awe. An army of workers performed a variety of tasks creating a sort of organized chaos. It wasn’t at all what Nikki had pictured, but it wasn’t hard to imagine the finished product. Part YMCA, part boarding school, with a dash of summer camp. They had barely begun their tour and already Nikki’s mind was filled with ideas and possibilities.
“The kitchen is functional but there are still some finishing touches needed for an appealing esthetic.” Natalie motioned toward the ring of doors encircling the upper level. “There are a few private rooms for those who are particularly difficult or insist on being alone, but most of the rooms sleep four to ten. We can accommodate a lot more that way.”
They moved around the ground level, careful to stay back from the workers. There were bathrooms and bathing facilities with multiple, private showers. Classrooms and supply