Arrival: 4

Arthur forced his thoughts to the present. It was ironic that the stranger also was a foreigner here. Maybe he could share some insight in what it was like living here as one not really belonging.

Arthur recalled an incident on the surface not too long after the insane, criminal attempt to invade the planet. A decade or so earlier the locals sent cavalry to take the spaceport by force. Two thousand men died in the mud that day without ever coming close enough to use their weapons. There had been no other attempt since and somehow the locals had chosen to produce an official report as humiliatingly unlikely as the one written by the federation military after the failed assault on the planet. An exchange of military stupidity finally resulted in constructive communications between the Terran Federation and the local government here.

Strange how things turn out in the end. I know I should have shot that extra episode, but what the hell.

Ahead of him each of the traders received his or her luggage and was forced to open it, spreading its contents over several tables. What appeared to be the commander of the Inquisition troops checked that computers, holo cams and viewers still worked as described by the owner.

Damn! They're not fast, are they? We'll be standing here all bloody day!

Finally Terran trader, local merchant and luggage slowly lumbered away on the unpaved road leading to a ridge west of the launch port. A pair of rails ran alongside the road and Arthur suspected that whatever rode them was a far cry from the supersonic magnetic trains he was used to from home. As if to prove him right a number of black wagons hissed past him, solar panels glittering in the sun, and began their painfully slow ascent to the ridge.

Crap! he thought. It promised to be a very slow day. He turned to Harbend. "Three hours on the train to the capital! I should be able to see the damn town from here."

Harbend gave him an amused look. "I would not worry too much if I were you. The train to Verd is a bit faster than that."

"I bloody hope so!" Arthur replied aghast at the thought of spending half a day caught in a closed wagon traveling at walking pace.

Harbend merely grinned in return, two rows of yellow, but otherwise healthy teeth showing.