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Gaiya woke up at a crack of dawn when the first sun rays knocked on her window. Her head was pounding and her feet were sore, however there was an intravenous fluid bag attached to her right arm, so she didn't feel parched from dehydration. 'Clever Erot, thank you!' She internally thanked her savior.
"Orion, remove IV, and prepare hangover breakfast on the balcony."
The IV line detached itself from her arm, and the hole was nano-sealed."
"Orion, I got chills, give me warm robe with a hood."
A few moments later a robotic arm delivered the desired robe through an opening next to the bed. She wrapped herself tightly pushing shivers away, and slowly trotted towards the balcony. The fresh air smelled good, and it seemed like Orion turned on ambient heating to help with her chills. She plopped herself on the sofa, wrapped her fingers around coffee mug and enjoyed the quiet morning sky.
"Orion, inform Taras that I will be going in today, and I will need a ride."
"When will you be departing?"
"In about two hours, I'm not in a rush."
She sipped her coffee while nibbling on egg bagel, watching the world wake up. She called up interface and chose simple white shirt and black pants to wear. In the time the clothing arrived she took a light shower to refresh, before she got dry the outfit already arrived. After a once-over in a mirror she put her hair in a bun and felt ready.
"Orion, I'm ready to leave."
"Your ride is already here."
She jumped, at the sudden announcement. Turning around she saw Erot, beaming in delight at startling her.
"Got demoted to escort?" She growled.
"Something like that, ready to go?" He was unfazed as always.
"Yes."
He helped her into his aircraft, got in himself, the opening closed and they smoothly ascended into the sky. They headed out of the residential district, leaving the city borders. After a while of flying over a wild forest, a giant dome came into view. Due to morning sun's light refraction it looked like a enormous magical gem that was forgotten in the forest by a careless goddess.
When they approached the dome, the aircraft slowed down before reaching it.
"Lady Gaiya, Lord Erot, Orion welcomes you." System announced.
As they passed through the security field a metropolis of giant pyramids and obelisks came in to view. Silver and gold circuits shined on smooth black surfaces that were also absorbing light energy, topped with gold or silver crowns that directed fuel energy output and input. As a whole, it looked more like magical jewelry created to please gods then a nano-bio technological complex.
"It hasn't changed much." She lamented, flow of time and erosion are the faithful lovers of our reality, destroying, reshaping, giving birth to new things in the process.
"Like Orion would miss and update, we get spam harassed about peeling paint. I fear to think about consequences if a reactor was neglected for a minute." Erot sounded seriously concerned, with a shadow of dread shadowing over his face.
"Well, they are important for our quality of life after all." Rationalized Gaiya.
They carefully glided between structures, heading towards the center of the complex. Soon a circular hangar doors came into view, slowly opening up while exposing enormous opening leading into the underground as if magical underworld portal. The aircraft smoothly descended, and glided towards their desired department entrance.
After a while they were walking through pristine white, slightly inclined hallway. Gaiya was huffing and puffing the whole time.
"Why not use hooverplatform? You're still tired from last night. It will be faster that way anyway." Concerned Erot proposed.
"I want -heh, heh- to build -heh- up -heh, heh- muscle mass -heh, heh..." she retorted stubbornly. Having toddler like muscle consistency, she was annoyed at being a weakling.
After five minutes of that show, Erot and grouchy Gaiya were standing on metallic platform, that looked like floating mercury, smoothly gliding towards their destination.
They passed quite a few doors, got to the central portal cavity, and were instantly beamed up to command center located near the top of one of the largest pyramids. You could see the rest of the tech metropolis on the digital wall projections, creating an illusion of wall-less structure of top platform of the pyramid and a floating ceiling. You could see everything in your surroundings, even more if you chose to zoom in, you could probably perceive the limits of the residential city they just left.
A quiet figure bowed as soon as the two appeared in the room.
"Taras!"