“Ladies and gentlemen,
now that we’ve left hyperspace, were coming up upon Karbala Major.
If you look out of the port side windows on the observation deck you’ll
see Karbala Major. It is the large blue, yellow and red gas-giant
we’re passing. Karbala Major has 14 moons, all of which have habitation
colonies. About half of these are mining colonies, the rest are all
involved in gas harvesting from Karbala Major. Gas harvesting is the
major industry of this solar system. We can’t see them, from this
far away, but large orbiting stations, in high atmospheric orbit, have collecting
nets miles wide, do the gas harvesting. Those of you who are taking
The Provest Gas Mining Company Tour will actually get to see one
of the gases harvesters at first hand.
“The moon we are passing close to is
Julia, one of the largest moons of Karbala Major. The city you can
see, under those four large domes and the surrounding smaller domes, is
Randall Vale City. It is the largest city of all Karbala Major’s moons and
houses the headquarters of The Provest Gas Mining Company, one of the biggest
gas mining companies in this sector.
“We will be arriving at Karbala Minor
in approximately two Earth hours, where shuttle crafts will take you down
to Millennium City – the capital city of Karbala Minor.
“Karbala Minor is a blue-green earth-type
planet. Two-thirds of the planet is covered in oceans and the atmosphere
is rich in moisture – just like our own historical home planet Earth.
Karbala Minor has three major industries, servicing the gas mining on Karbala
Major, farming and tourism. You’ll find that Karbala Minor has everything
from the cosmopolitan life of its several large cities, the relaxing kilometre
upon kilometre of clean sand seaside resorts, or millions of unspoiled square
kilometres of green countryside. My favourite place to visit is the
ancient, unspoiled and huge forest of the Mackenzie Hills, and Karbala Minor’s
second continent.
“As I said, in two Earth Hours we
will be taking up a geostationary orbit, above Millennium City. We
request that you be ready to disembark then, because we have a short turnaround
time.
“I have been your chief steward, Kelly–Ann
Mears, and on behalf of our Captain Finneran and all her crew, may I thank
you for choosing The Star Princess for your journey.
“Have-a-nice-day.”
Chapter One – Arrival
Chapter Two – High
Orbit
Chapter Three –
Along Came the Spiders
Chapter Four – Passing
By
Chapter Five – Runaway
Home
Chapter Six – Falling
Chapter Seven -
The Watcher
Chapter Eight -
Slave Nation
Chapter Nine - Cats
and Mouse
Story Editor - Andrew Panero.
Story © 2004/2005 Drew Payne.
Layout © 2004/2005 Visagraph Films International.