Caveship

13 || Compromise

Upon arrival, Nal'rook leads the six off of the platform they'd just landed on and toward a building tall enough to block a large patch of the sky. Easily stretching from the surface of the planet and beyond the clouds, perhaps even into space, and impossible to fathom from their angle in width, it becomes clear that the building isn't simply meant for offices. At the end of the platform stand two guards, both serpent-like and with brilliant yellow and black patterns on their skins. Nal'rook motions the guards away with a wave of his right wing. Without a word, the two Drekkan guards separate to allow the seven into the building.

"Wortani Enterprises is a powerful conglomerate spreading across much of the known galaxy. There's very little that we don't have our fingers on," Nal'rook says, motioning for them to follow him down a hallway as they enter the building proper. Nothing about the lobby stands out, beyond its sterile grey pattern walls.

Beyond a soft, low hum in the air, there's no real sound outside of their footsteps inside the hallway. Although there are some receptionists inside, no one is talking or doing anything audible. This creates a sort of professional feel to the locale, like one would find at a library or bank. The gentle click of unclipped nails on the metal floor makes a dull thud, as another bird-like alien arrives to hand Nal'rook a pocket-sized silver rod. This Praeryndori is different, a soft green in color and much less decorated, and much smaller in comparison to Nal'rook. She offers a low bow to the group as the exchange is made, then turns and flits off down a different corridor.

Tah-Kuell leans down a bit to offer a whisper to the others behind him. "Praeryndori have notable height differences between their males and females, with the females rarely growing more than half the size compared to the average male. Though females are the ones seen most often in leadership roles among their species, now and then you see them take on less spectacular roles, like the green one just now. A secretary of sorts, perhaps."

"Astute observation, my Grey friend," Nal'rook says and gently throws the rod into the air, where it splits in half and extends a few feet before floating. Between the two halves of the stick, a hologram shows what looks like a schedule in a different language, no doubt Praeryndori, and it keeps in step with the ground as they move. It remains perfectly level the entire time they walk, hovering a few meters in the air. "The President has cleared his schedule for you today, as have I, so you'll have plenty of time to talk with him. We'll be answering any questions that are within our power to answer, so don't be afraid to ask."

"Well, I have a question. What is this place? Seems pretty big." Sophia speaks up, curious. "Are all of these offices?"

Nal'rook smiles down at Sophia as best he can before stopping at a door. He presses his fingers to a seemingly innocuous spot and with a soft chime the door splits open to allow them inside. Once they're all in, Nal'rook presses a green button on the wall and quietly the door slides shut, and they begin to ascend, much like in an elevator. 

"This building has many functions, but primarily, it's used as a medium of transport. It serves as the base for a 'space elevator' that leads directly to the spaceport above the planet. It also acts as a living area for Wortani employees, as well as their guests and families. We are also a hub branching out to nearby Wortani shipyards and repair facilities. This is one of the safer areas of the galaxy, so it makes sense to engineer and create them here. Though in a less spectacular capacity, this building also serves as storage. We have a lot of things to keep track of. The most important function of this place, however, is that it comprises almost ten percent of Wortani's current research and development. We are standing on several of the most advanced laboratories in the galaxy."

Tah-Kuell taps his chin with a finger. "Interesting. Question, don't these elevators typically have windows? I'd imagine my friends here would enjoy seeing the inner workings of a fully functional space elevator. If we're going to the top floor, we'll have a few minutes to spare, no?"