By

Brian W. Antoine

Jan 20, 1994

It had taken three years to complete, but the view from the rooftop of that had become the Starport made it worth it. Floating 50 feet off the ground and circling the central grove. The Starport office complex had become what I believed to be the most easily recognized building on the planet. Certainly the occupancy rate made it one of the most popular. Sitting at my table by the railing, I flagged one of the waiters who constantly floated around the rooftop restaurant.

"One more?" he asked as he picked up the empty glass.

"Maybe a half" I said as I sat and enjoyed the sunset. With a flick of his tail, the waiter dashed off to re-fill my drink. The building had just rotated back around so I was facing the sunset when I heard someone snickering behind me.

"I told you we'd find him up here" came Kalindra's voice from behind me.

"I should know better than doubt you after all these years" laughed my partner. "One of these days you're going to have to tell me how you do it."

"Easy, magic!" chimed both Kal and I at the same time.

"Wizard's..." muttered Steve as he took a seat.

I just laughed and ignored his complaints. After the trouble we'd had the first year after the building lifted, he had earned the right. Hell, I didn't even wince when he called me a wizard anymore.

"So, what brings my chief architect and pain in the butt up on the roof? I thought you didn't like it up here?"

"I don't, it's to damn high for my tastes."

"Sure seems to suit everyone else." I looked around and was not surprised to see the place packed as usual. The only relatively clear area was around the table I sat at. Being half owner of the place had a few advantages.

"Yep, business is good as always. Hell of an improvement over our first year."

"I told you they would come when they quit being scared it would fall. It just took them longer than I figured."

"That it did." The waiter showed up with my drink and something for Kalindra and Steve. "Well enough doom and gloom, to the Starport!"

"To the Starport!" Kalindra and I chimed as we clinked our glasses together with Steve's.

"So, is there a launch tonight?"

"Yep, should be in about ten minutes. It's another load of stuff for the L-5 colony and a crate labeled 'machine parts' for the mil-base."

"Christ, don't remind me. I still wish we hadn't let them in here."

"It was part of the deal" I reminded him. "No deal, no permits."

"It still sucks."

"Too true my friend. At least be glad I don't let them ship anything dangerous through here. That stuff all still goes via shuttle and they don't have the lifting capacity to get anything nasty to clark orbit." The three of us sat and watched the stars begin to wheel about over our heads as the sun faded into the west. It was a beautiful summer evening, and the environment field that protected the park had faded to transparency.

I was just looking at my watch when the first warning signal went out from the launch area at the far end of the park. "Show time once again." Radiating outward from a central platform, glowing circles appeared in the ground. As the noise from the restaurant around us died down. We could hear Penny warning the people in that part of the park to please stand away from the launchpad.

"Warning. Please stand clear. Gravity launch platform commencing operation." As always, someone tried to stand too close to the area. I swear some of them did it just to see what she would do. "Hey you in the loud shirt. Would you like a space suit, or would you like to step behind the line?"

He was too far away for us to hear his reply, but the crowd on the ground was laughing. "Sorry, I don't do that on the first date" came Penny's amplified answer as she laughed also. As soon as the area was clear, a protective force field sprang up at the outer circle and extended into the sky. Looking into the sky above, I quickly spotted the moving dot that was the receiving platform passing overhead. When I looked back, the packages for tonight's launch were just being raised into position on the central platform.

"Launch in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... Oops, what comes next?"

"Launch!" cried the crowd on the ground. At their cry, a ruby bolt of light leapt into the sky from the launch platform. Contained in its heart were the packages destined for the various stations that orbited the planet. The transit was slow enough that we could all follow the package as it raced towards it meeting with the receiver above. When the dot and the ruby came together, the excess energy flared outward as the packages were brought to a halt in orbit. For a brief second, the sky above filled with a brilliant web of light, then faded.

"That never ceases to fascinate me" said Steve as we watched the web fading.

"Yep, it's a beautiful sight" I replied.

"More beautiful then me?" asked Kalindra as she was watching something in the central core below us.

"Heavens no! It pales into insignificance compared to you."

"Good, because you still owe me a backrub and a pound of lemon drops you bum! I'd hate to have to try and claim it from your estate after I was forced to teach you some manners."

Steve stood up and backed away from the table. "I can see you two have important things to talk about. I'll see you later after class is over."

"Some friend you are. Leaving me here in the clutches of this heartless female!" He just laughed and moved quicker.

"You think I'm heartless now? You didn't think so last night..."

"Last night I was trying to bribe you for a backrub" I snickered. I downed the last of my drink and stood up. "Now though, it's time for class. You ready to face the inquisitive hoards?"

"Tell me again how you talked me into this..." she said as we walked to the railing around the central core. "You had to have put something in that drink you gave me."

"Of course I did. I didn't think you'd agree to let me film that porno flick if you were awake at the time." I was looking below at the central grove when I got whacked in the side with her tail.

"I better get half of the profits" she laughed.

"Profits? You snored the entire time. I had to destroy the film to save face." I could see a small crowd forming below. Then a couple of them broke off and floated up to hover in front of us.

"Hi teach! Hello Miss Kalindra, how are you tonight?"

"See!" She whacked me again with her tail. "Some people know how to speak with respect."

"They haven't heard you snore" and I dove over the edge. The howl of laughter and annoyance I heard from behind told me she was right behind me. I had the advantage though, because even after all those years of work she still had problems with heights. It slowed her down just enough to let me stay ahead.

"Anyone got a flea collar handy? I've got a pest that I need to get rid of quickly." I heard her coming in behind me as I landed and ducked to avoid her tail as she tried to swat me once again. When she landed beside me I introduced her to the 30 or so kids and adults who had come to tonight's class.

"Most of you have seen her around here, but may never have had a chance to talk to her. As promised, I talked her into helping teach tonight's class."

"Bribed is a better word" she chuckled.

"Quiet please. You'll make them think I can't control you!"

She just rolled her eyes and winked at the crowd. "I hope you people don't listen to everything he tells you. He's a notorious liar on at least four planets."

"Two of those don't count because you told them about me before I'd ever met them." I grabbed her tail to keep from being swatted again. It was a matter of pride between us that she had to convince me to let it go of my own free will rather then just jerk it out of my hands.

"Release it or I'll tell your students about that time you took me camping..."

I dropped her tail like a hot potato. "That's cheating..." She just smiled and I tried to ignore her. "Ok, tonight's class is a continuation of last weeks class on flight fields. I see some of you have been practicing your lessons and some have been hoping I wouldn't notice." Ripples of laughter went through the group as we sat down in the grass beside the Gate that dominated the central meadow.

"Also, Kalindra will be starting those of you who are interested in learning how to shape and manipulate living energy fields for healing. Her class will be on the other side of the core area and I'll hold mine right here since the weather is being so nice tonight."

It took a couple of minutes for the groups to separate and head their own directions. "Ok," I said to those who had stuck with me. "Who remembers the first rule of how to manipulate..."