At the entrance, Khephren pays for us all, and I make a mental note to figure out how the heck money works in the rest of the universe. Then we go through a biometric scanner that is apparently an even more advanced version of what we have in the med lab on our ship.
Wow, I’m already thinking of the Sleigh Belle asours, not theirs.
“It identifies species, checks for any communicable illnesses, and scans for weapons or biological hazards of any kind,” Luna explains, winking at me.
“Have I told you that you’re super fucking cute today?”
She’s wearing a pair of overalls over a tight thermal shirt, and she’s rocking the look. I’ve always loved a woman in overalls. Not sure why, but Luna is proof that my preference is spot on. Who wouldn’t find that hot?
Luna gives a little twirl and waves a tentacle at me flirtatiously. “Had a feeling you might like this. Wait until you see me in my special jumpsuit for heavy-duty tasks in the engine room, baby.”
Her voice comes out in a sultry purr, and I know exactly what I’ll be fantasizing about all damn day.
Luna drags her eyes up and down my body in a way that sets every nerve ending of mine on fire. “You’re looking gorgeous, as always.”
I flush with pleasure. Waking up fresh and revitalized after last night, I picked an outfit to show off my seriously fly self. Ready to strut my stuff, I put on one of my favorite retro fiftiesswing dresses, the white one with red polka dots, and did my hair in an updo with victory rolls and a green satin ribbon.
I give her a little twirl of my own and then dart a quick kiss on her cheek. “Of course I am, but thanks nonetheless.”
She grins at me brightly.
“Welcome to Cosmic Kingdom,” an artificial, computer-like voice intones as Sasha completes his scan. “Please be sure to wear your juvenile visitor wristband. You will not be allowed to go on any rides for which you fail to meet the minimum height requirement.”
“The fuck?” Sasha yells, his face going nearly purple in outrage.
To everyone’s surprise, it’s Najar who starts laughing hysterically. “Hahahahaha! This moment will live in my memory forever.”
“I willendyou, Najar,” Sasha growls.
“For your safety, we are assigning you a child chaperone drone. Their name is Nanny Bubbles,” the voice continues, unfazed.
“I’m not a fucking child!”
A robotic arm darts out of the biometric scanner and slaps a band on his wrist so fast he can’t avoid it.
“Enjoy your stay at Cosmic Kingdom!”
A drone appears, hovering over poor Sasha and following him as Khephren drags him, much like one would a grumpy toddler, into the park.
After the rest of us manage to get through the biometric scanner without any issues, we huddle up as Najar explains our game plan. He definitely has some serious dad vibes, or maybe even grandpa vibes.
“Everyone, pay careful attention.” He points to the unusual bubble-making fountain in the center of this square. “If you need to find anyone while we’re here, use your messaging device andthen come here. It will be our meet-up location should anyone need it. Otherwise, you’re free to explore the park as much as you wish, but be sure you have returned to our ship no later than thirty minutes after the park’s closing time.” He levels us all with a stern gaze. “Understood?”
We all hurriedly agree and then go our separate ways as couples.
Luna and I are immediately on the same wavelength because when we look at the park map, we each point to the same attraction.
“LightSpeed MegaCoaster!” we shout in unison.
Giddy, we run to the line for the ride. Unlike the parks I’ve visited on Earth, the lines for rides at this one move at a rapid pace, and in no time at all, Luna and I are settled into our seats on the LightSpeed MegaCoaster and the ride begins.
Normally, I love rollercoaster rides, and based on the name, that’s what I’m expecting with this one.Poor, foolish Gemma.I should have known extraterrestrials would take this to a level I’m not quite prepared for as a human.
Once in college, some friends and I went to a midnight movie screening of2001: A Space Odyssey.We brought along some trippy treats, namely gummies, to best appreciate this film, a stoner favorite among many a hippie in the seventies. When we got to the total mind-fuck scene where the main character is traveling through time and space and everything around him turns into a psychedelic light vortex, I remember feeling like I was in that vessel with him, rocketing through the universe.
The LightSpeed MegaCoaster issomuch more mind-blowing—and terrifying. Somehow, the Cosmic Kingdom built the track for this particular ride in such a way that it juts into outer space, going far out from the park and directly into the fucking Rainbow Nebula. The ride and its track are encased in amysterious clear material that gives us an unobstructed view, but there’s nothing beneath us but emptiness.
New fear unlocked.
