Utopia War

Chapter 7 - Proxima Ring (ii)

Min-ji and Sparkle stepped out of the cloning center, still wearing their simple white clone outfits. The cloning center, like most buildings on Proxima ring, was a little island of beautiful  architecture surrounded by green space. It was a monument to symmetry and grace, as much a product of math as art. Great artists had competed for centuries for the honor of contributing to the aesthetics of such an important public building.

The birds in the two large swathes of woods that flanked either side of the building seemed to be singing a conversation. Tiny mammals and tinier insects went about their business. It was nice to be around so much life.

A few meters away from where the stone mosaic patio gave way to a grassy field, under the shade of a wineapple tree, three grizzly bears were sleeping in a heap. The sound of the two women leaving roused one of them, whose movements woke the others.

The three bears stretched lazily then padded over towards Sparkle and Min-ji, looking to guilt some food from them.

"I'm sorry," said Sparkle, as the boldest of the three bears nuzzled at her clothes, looking for food in her pockets "I don't have anything for you."

The bear made a grumpy sound in reply. It nudged Sparkle with it's snout.

"Get out of here, you," said Sparkle, pushing it as hard as she could "Go bother someone else!" The gesture was a largely futile one, the bear was too large and heavy to move, but it caught the hint. The bear made another sound, halfway between a groan and a roar, but turned around. The other two bears joined it, and the three returned to their tree disgruntled.

Min-ji laughed as she watched their retreat.

"Those bears just reminded me that I'm famished," said Sparkle.

"We've never actually eaten in these bodies," said Min-ji "I think an out-of-control bender of gluttony is in order."

"Yay!" squealed Sparkle "I agree."

<Proxima, could we please have a flier?> thought Min-ji.

<Since you asked so nicely...> replied Proxima.

A large white sphere descended from the sky. It was big enough to fit at least ten normal-sized humans. A piece on the side dissolved away, revealing a doorway. Sparkle and Min-ji stepped inside.

From the inside the sphere was transparent. As they rose up, the two women could see the curve of Proxima Ring as the horizon rose up in front of them instead of melding with the sky as it does on a planet. Water and land, like a strip of Earth, curled up and around their line of sight.

Proxima was a ring of blue and green, exactly one astronomical unit in radius. It rotated around the sun, simulating gravity through the centrifugal force.

The tiny sphere sped towards it's destination then began to slowly fall back to the ground. The illusion of being on a planet began to reassert itself. Only the rising horizon remained as a clue as to the nature of their home. The sphere settled just outside the restaurant.

The Gastronomicon Ex Vitae, one of the most respected restaurants on this ring-plate, looked like a cylinder with a rounded top. It was dripping with overdone baroque details that made the whole place busy with grandeur. This gave the building the feeling of history, despite the fact that it was less than five decades old.

This was what passed for an eyesore on Proxima.

"They'll be all booked up for sure," said Min-ji, as the two came upon the door to the restaurant "I'll talk to Cleto, the chef. I've known him since we were kids. He'll set us up with something we can eat outside."

"A picnic!" enthused Sparkle.

Inside the restaurant people were eating, talking, and most of all laughing. The atmosphere had an immediate positive impact on Min-ji's mood.

"White robes!" yelled a man sitting at the largest table with at least a dozen other people "I know what that means. Fresh bodies yeah? You must be starving! I insist you join us!"

"Oh please do!" added a woman at the same table "We have plenty of food."

Min-ji turned to Sparkle, who just smiled.

"Thanks," said Min-ji "That would be nice."

The table of friends was immediately warm and welcoming, and their jovial attitude was infectious. The group continued to eat and boisterously socialize through the rest of the night, eventually coming to encompass every guest in the restaurant.