If they continued, there could be no backing out. That gaping entrance was the point of no return.
“Go on,” Belina directed.
He did not want to.
But he did.
The stone walls slipped over and around them. The entrance hissed shut behind as they were bathed in the soft
amber light of the glowing panels in the ceiling. Their engine was switched off by remote control. They settled to the floor. The rubber parking rim of the truck squealed as it made contact with the black rubber road. Instantly, the mammoth conveyor system jerked to life and carried the truck forward to the maw of an elevator large enough to accept it. Then the belt stopped; everything was still and quiet, as if it were now their turn to do something.
“Everybody out,” Belina said.
By the time they were on the pedestrian walk, the puppets in the cargo hold had also disembarked.
“Now what?” the prince asked.
A computer-tape voice spoke to them through the public address system speakers installed in the ceiling of the public walkway. “Please complete the provided form at the arrival desk. Your vehicle will be returned to you when you request, upon identification of fingerprints.”
The truck was pushed into the elevator by the beltway. The lift doors closed behind it. It was gone, along with all their belongings and what food they had with them.
“You can’t do that!” the prince shouted at the invisible speaker, his hand upon his sword.
It was the prince’s fate to be constantly challenging opponents against whom he could never win a battle. Consequently, his rashness and bluster made him less formidable in the eyes of the puppets he could handle.
Bitty Belina only smiled. Every time he made a fool of himself, he gave her a firmer hand with the others and ruled out the possibility of making a successful coup against her.
“Damn!” the prince snapped.
Wissa giggled behind her hand.
Belina filled out the arrival form. She knew the idiot would not be with them when they left. Three times the computer requested another chance to register her prints, unconvinced that such small fingers could be real. At last it was silent, as if disturbed but satisfied.
“Now?” the angel asked.
“Now,” Bitty Belina said, “let’s explore”
The city was a palace, though much larger.
Every street, park and apartment had been designed for gracious living. The wood paneling was dark and well-oiled and generously used. The fabrics were thick and lustrous, the brocades rich in texture and story. The stones were polished or carved in intricate designs that related the tales of Eskimos. Everywhere the eye rested there was beauty, sometimes subtle and gentle, sometimes blaring and bold. There was no dirt wad no sign of corruption to mar the loveliness.
There were pedways and simple sidewalks, escalators and elevators and inclined plains for transportation.Thoughthe city was large, one could get about in it as fast as one might wish. Or as slowly. The city had been designed both to facilitate commerce and to offer the casualness of less sophisticated eras of civilization. Though the hustle and bustle of modern living might appeal to some, it was anathema to others.Thatwas one thing that had driven so many from Earth, into the stars.
Many restaurants had self-help menus and food delivered by robotic beltway in the walls. Some of these still had food that was edible and served it with a sense of style and culinary finesse. At least they would not starve in all this splendor.
Most of the stores were empty. The few that contained stock were mostly those which carried nonperishable goods, things that would not decay or go out of style from year to year. There were booktapecenters stocked with classics and proven titles. There were back-projection liveart stores with hundreds of tapes in stock. The only stores with clothes were the sporting-goods houses where Arctic rigs could be purchased.
The only life they encountered in the streets of the city were the complex maintenance robots. These came in all sizes and shapes, according to function, and were only minimally conscious. If the metal janitors noted the presence of living creatures, they cared little.