
Ilane Lanik paid the vargr cabbie and stepped from the ground car onto the sidewalk. She included a nice tip for the brief geography lesson on the drive from the Starport to the Aluusia district of the large captial city here on Mark. Mark City rests along a bay and both sides of a river in the subtropical region of the planet. The Starport and the seaport border the bay on the east side of the river. A large vibrant Startown District is just north of the twin ports. Further north is a broad greenbelt separating the port districts from the older, more central Aluusia District. Aluusia is the commercial and governmental district. To the west, along the river, is Old City where the University and clubs, offices, brownstones and flats mix along narrow warrens of streets. To the east of the Aluusia District are the broad suburbs where most of the people in the area live. North of Aluusia, in the hills and along the river there are estates and mansions of the elite. "Than'ee Sianna!" the cabbie waves as he starts to pull the cab away from the curb. Ilane looked around. The sidewalks were crowded here in Old City with pedestrians. Many of the walkers were young, students from their look, coming from or going to class in the university buildings scattered throughout this area. Others of the walkers were men and women dressed in business suits. She also sees several people in long black robes wearing strange white wigs walking along the sidewalks. The occasional vargr is mixed in with the humans. Ilane can smell water and greenery, and food cooking. It's a good smell, clean and inviting, not like the smells around the ports back south a few klicks. Maybe Ilane should try to change hotels from the one she's left her bags at to one up here? Ilane looks up at the three story brownstone she is standing in front of, checking the number against the card in her hand. Yes, this is the place. The law offices of Gigo and Brand should be on the third level. The lawyer on Argent told her that Gigo and Brand are the lawyers for...for her new cousins and partners...it was still taking some effort to think of herself being part owner of a starship and of joining a bunch of strangers in running it. A small smile threatened to escape from hiding as she thought of the adventure that might lie ahead. Ilane feels a bump on her side and looking quickly she see a young man and woman have bumpped into her as they pass. "Sorry, Sian!" the young man says as they continue walking past. Watching them leave Ilane notes that he and the girl are carrying textbooks. As they leave her the girl says to the boy, "Mac, are you going to the Growler tonight?" "Smack, Teddy!" the young man replies laughing. Eris AKU GM -- ----------------------------------------------------------- "Eris Reddoch"using MR/2 ICE #245 http://www.crosswinds.net/~erisr -----------------------------------------------------------