> Mobile Suit Gundam Nova <
June 25th/ I.J.C. 196 / The Stellar, Deluxe Suite./
[ Attention Passenger, At this moment, we have arrived at Earth's Docking clearance station. The vessel will assume a docking maneuver in 20 minutes. I repeat The vessel will assume a docking maneuver in 20 minutes. Please return to your room, and sit in the gravity anchor. I repeat, please return to your room, and sit in the gravity anchor…. ]
Looking outside the windows, I saw a massive space station, spanning over four hundred meters wide, the station was built using three asteroids joined together, the distance between this checkpoint and Earth is almost a thousand kilometers, and I could see it, a tower that was protruding from the earth, spinning along the axis and the ring that covers the earth, a man-made ring made from metal that was mine from the asteroid, and it were connected to this checkpoint.
Earth's Elevator, the full official name being Earth Orbital Transfer Terminal or EOTT, is a massive structure that rotates along the earth. It has five checkpoints in total, and the one I'm about to take is the Central Alliance, which encompasses Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Mmh, I was hoping I would get to check on Western Collective since it was built over the sea and has an aquarium that reaches almost eight kilometers, meaning it is almost where the giant squid lives. The sea would be so dark since there is no sunlight there, the water pressure would easily crush a person, and the many wonders of the sea would constantly look at you….
Just thinking of it makes me shudder with excitement, although…I can't go visit there just yet, there isn't a mobile suit design to do research underwater yet, since making them would essentially be making a large tank that could probably overflow the earth if dropped into the ocean, there is no material that is light and can withstand that much water pressure yet.
Although we have a giant suit of armor flying in space, it is safe because space has almost no pressure; instead, it is a vacuum. That is why, as long as the Mobile suit is sturdy enough to withstand the vacuum, which it does, and has no visible spot for the vacuum to tear apart, it is quite safe.
Not like the ocean where some little shit like an unknown animal rammed into you causing damage, at that point, the pressure would immediately crush you before you could even think.
Ah…I rambled in my mind too much, while I was not thinking, I was strapped to the chair by Mama, then the maneuver passed by in a flash and I was now getting unstrapped by Mama…
"What are you thinking about, Yoha? You have been completely still staring at Earth." Mama said, pulling my cheek teasingly.
"Nothing much, Just about how I want to go to Western Collective instead of Central Alliance," I said as I took her hand, our luggage had already been loaded for check so we just had our ID and some of our private things, like my laptop and tablet in my backpack.
We walk along the hallway and follow the others onto the bridge where there is already a tunnel connected to the reception area, just like when we first boarded the ship. The only different thing is instead of this ship worker, it was men in the military doing the check.
This is to be expected for gaining access to Earth. Just as I was about to get my ID, Mama tucked me to the side, dragging me along since I wasn't paying attention, she took me and walked past the security without a care, and just as someone was about to stop her, she shoves something on his face, and he completely steps aside to let us walk ahead.
The one who comes to stop Mama even salutes her.
Ah…I feel like this connection of her is going to be so troublesome… probably related to someone in the military, probably a high-ranking one, so even just showing something could stop the checkpoint guard from further inspection….
I don't like this…
Mama's stunt had just now drawn the attention of other passengers, and they really expressed their displeasure, though I couldn't care less and just ignored them. Soon, we walked past the tunnel and arrived at a new checkpoint with just three men in military uniforms and an official Lady with a welcoming smile.
"Welcome to Central Alliance's Elevator checkpoint! May I see your passport and ID?" The official lady smiled warmly. Seeing me, she took out a candy from the bowl next to her and extended it toward me. "And this is my welcoming gift for the young lady."
Thanking the lady, I took out my ID and gave it to her in exchange for the candy. She smiled as she received it, and Mama handed over her ID and our passport. After a thorough check of running our ID into the system, she let us through.
The lady waved me goodbye as I walked past her. When we walked past the automatic door, there was a small hallway in front of us. Confused, I looked at Mama, but she just walked in like it was normal. When I stepped in, the automatic door closed quietly.
And while I was confused, I suddenly felt something shift in the air. Grabbing Mama's hand as the sudden flows startled me I looked around and found a railing.
"Hehe, why are you startled, Yoha? This is the same process before we went into space, remember?" As Mama said that, she grabbed onto the handrail and pushed the button, pulling her and me forward.
Just as we were about to hit the door, she released the handle, and the door opened, revealing a massive lounge with hundreds of people flying and talking…
They are floating seamlessly across the lounge, a feat that I can't do seeing as I am now wobbling in the air, Mama seems used to it, as she is now guiding me without trouble, back in Siga we never had this zero gravity zone, and even when I went out to space, it was with a giant hulk suit that have cable attach with air pushing me so I wasn't the one moving, the flowing state I experience right now is similar to that of swimming in the pool…?
No, I don't think I ever swam before… So why would I think that it was similar to swimming…?
"Oops, careful, Yoha. You don't want to flip your head upside down, right?" Mama caught me, making me come out of my thoughts. When I focused again, I could see the world sideways.
"Eh…" That was the only word that came out of my mouth. It was different from going out in space, where I had a suit protecting me and cable guiding me. This…, I don't have any equipment, only my body to rely on.
"The first time is always like this. If you want to be a researcher, you will need to be at least able to move around flawlessly. After all, most research is conducted in zero gravity nowadays." Mama said as she flipped me straight and took my hand.
I could only stare at the scene; something stirred within my heart…I like this scene very much…it seems to remind me of something I can't remember.
"Haro…" I unconsciously mention his name, even though he is in my luggage. He has probably passed the check by now and got loaded into the elevator's inventory.
"Hm? You miss him already?" Mama seems to catch me muttering as she asks.
"....mh." Answering her flatly. I focus on where we are going, passing through the lounge, we arrive at the door that leads to one of the glass halls, the view… is amazing, Earth is just outside, constantly moving along with hundreds of stars that were millions of years away, the earth looks so big in front of me…
This is the month of June so it should be around…summer?
The earth was lit up by hundreds of millions of light, was very bright, and…beautiful…
I could only stare at it, mesmerized by the scene.
"It's very beautiful, isn't it?" Mama said as she floated next to me, her hand touching the glass with a longing look.
"Did you know, the first time I fell in love…happened there." Mama suddenly drops that shell. I could only stare at her, waiting for her to continue.
"I was an alumni at Elysium Academy, well, I just stayed there for only one year but that still makes me an alumni, I think? That was how your Father met me. We meet again when he comes to work at the same place as me, during my frustrating years as everything I did was hit by a roadblock. But well…that was probably the first gift that he gave me…" Mama rubs my head as she continues to stare aimlessly into the Earth.
"Nuh hu, look like this old woman rambles a bit too much, I think this story is best kept for another time, come Yoha, let's go." Mama dragged me along hurriedly as if she was trying to escape from this place.
I wanted to ask for more, but knowing her…she wouldn't tell me anyway. So the only choice I have is…to follow after her without asking anything.