Honeymoon in Hong Kong

[imthepilot]

Bodhi takes the card Jay give them and opens the door. It opens into large five star hotel suite - champagne chilling in a bucket and roses by the bed. In the corner of the living room are several large crates labelled climbing equipment. There's a welcome pack with maps and travel guides, ferry tickets and the number a car service.

Comments

[galen_erso]

"So, we now have adequate machinery to deal with local conditions and to document our climbing adventures," Galen says.

It's quite a lot of electronics.

[imthepilot]

Bodhi grins. "I still want those goggle. I miss mine."

[galen_erso]

"Course you get goggles!" Galen says. "Goggles, messy hair, shapeless coveralls and talking a mile a minute -- essential Bodhi in working mode! I like."

[imthepilot]

"Hey!" He bumps against Galen as he carries their purchases out of the shop. "I don't dress all that shapeless any more. I look good in this jacket!" It was nice of Jay to ask the bar to set them up with local clothing styles.

[galen_erso]

"Very good!" Galen murmurs under his breath. It's short enough that I get to see nice things when following you through the food market -- but those, I get to taste only when we're back in the hotel."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi growls a protest then dumps all the bags on Galen as they reach the stall with the sunglasses and goggles. He spots a cute pair - round yellow lenses and brass rims, slightly steampunk, if either of them knew what that was.

"These ones?"

[galen_erso]

"For the moment," Galen agrees. "You might need others if the sun contains anything unusual. But they do look good!"

[imthepilot]

"You're being practical again." Bodhi chides, trying on an oversized pair of mirror shades. Pulling them down to look at Galen smoulderingly over the top of the frames.

[galen_erso]

"I am a scientist and engineer!" Galen says, by way of explanation. Of course he's practical -- that's what he is all about!

"What shades would suit me as well as those do you?"

[imthepilot]

Bodhi grins and picks up a perfectly ridiculous heart-shaped shades and slips them on Galen. Laughing.

[galen_erso]

"Stars, everything is pink!" Galen says, chuckling. "Nope."

[imthepilot]

"I don't know." Bodhi grins. "I think they look great on you."

He picks up another pair. "There. These look more protective."

[galen_erso]

Galen puts them on. "Much better!" he declares.

[imthepilot]

"You look very stylish. Like a professional pod-racer or something."

[galen_erso]

"I was never allowed to try, as a kid," Galen chuckles. "Too dangerous. My mum would have had a fit."

[imthepilot]

Bodhi grins playfully. "I was arrested when I was a kid. Unsafe operating of an airspeeder. I got into a race with some friends, out past the fallen ones."

[galen_erso]

"I think every pilot needs that kind of criminal record on their books before any pilot academy accepts them," Galen laughs. "How old were you?"

[imthepilot]

"I was ten." He shrugs sheepishly. "I got another record at thirteen. Unlawful wagering on sporting events."

[galen_erso]

Galen laughs. "Stars, what did you do? Run a pod-racing betting ring?"

[imthepilot]

"No, nothing like that. I knew people involved in dune camel races. I'd heard a race was going fixed so I thought I'd get in on it. Make a little extra money to help my grandmother. Sadly I was too young and stupid to know who to place the bet with."

[galen_erso]

"An informant?" Galen says. "Who put your name on the wrong list and kept the money?"

[imthepilot]

"Nothing that sinister. Just an idiot who hadn't paid up his protection bribes with the head of the local garrison." Bodhi shrugs. "I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I got off with a slapping and a mark on my official record."

[galen_erso]

"Main thing is, it didn't keep you from being a pilot and flying," Galen says.

[imthepilot]

"No. And like you said, stuff like that gives you cred with the other pilots. Even if you have to talk the story up."

They reach their hotel and the concierge offers to have their things taken up for them.

Bodhi's not use to this level of service and respect and really isn't sure how to react to it. He's more of a street stall person.

[galen_erso]

Galen thanks the concierge and hands over their bags; it's odd to have actual people doing droid jobs, but then, he'd had been on planets where that was usual, too.