imthepilot | Honeymoon in Hong Kong

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

imthepilot

"Next time. We probably shouldn't bring outside tech here." He shoots Galen a cute grin. "Besides, this is fun. I haven't had a challenge like this for ages."

From:

galen_erso

"We'll get to find a 3D climbing route using 2D images," Galen says. "Almost like using a flat paper map."

He looks at the window.

"This doesn't open, and I guess they'd get angry if I just unscrewed the locks," he says. "We should perhaps take these to the roof terrace to test them. Roof terraces are invented here?"

From:

imthepilot

"Flying isn't the issue. I have confidence it will fly just fine. I just want to clean up the controls and improve the camera interface."

He has the back of the control panel open and is examining the microchips. "Interesting. How's yours going?"

From:

galen_erso

"Ready to be tested," Galen says. "But not without some real light. The wavelengths here inside are remarkably uneventful, even by the window. The glass filters most, except the visible light."

From:

imthepilot

"The you win. Because I still need another ten minutes or so to recode this. Do you want to go ask if we can use the roof?"

From:

galen_erso

"I don't win at all if this doesn't work," Galen says, "which is why I need to test it. Yes, I will -- see you in a moment."

And off he goes, a geek on a mission.

From:

imthepilot

Galen might be an engineer, but Bodhi is a mechanic. And is having just as much fun rewiring the drone to react to more sensitive signals. He wants to be able to fly it hands free while they're climbing.

But that might require more equipment than they have... Yet.

From:

galen_erso

Galen comes back after a few minutes.

"There is a roof terrace where all guests can go, and there's drinks and a small pool there, too," he announces. "I'm not so interested in those, but we might have to order an iced tea to justify our presence while testing our machines."

From:

imthepilot

"I think I could survive some tea." Bodhi grins, bouncing to his feet. He carries the drone and controls over to the door, kissing Galen's cheek. Then his lips, then his throat. "I love you."

From:

galen_erso

Galen's breath hitches in his throat, and he can't speak or move for a second or two, floored by the visceral feeling of love and amazement at that caress.

"And I, you," he answers, eyes still blown wide before moving again, beckoning towards the elevator.

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi loves being able to stop Galen in his tracks with a kiss. Just being able to kiss him, so openly and freely. And with the man he's bound his heart and soul to.

He practically skips onto the roof. It's not even close to the tallest building around but it is high up, and gives them a great view. "Perfect!" Bodhi sets the drone down, ignoring the pool as he sets up the controls.

From:

galen_erso

Past his momentary lapse of reason, Galen follows to the roof an sets up his measuring equipment. He turns it on, then starts to fiddle with the settings.

From:

imthepilot

Bodhi lifts the drone into the air, watching the way it flies very carefully. He activates the controls, steering it in slow circles. Up and down, left and right, hovering here and there. "Hmm. How's yours going?"

From:

galen_erso

"It's measuring -- something," Galen says, still deep in concentration. "There -- ultraviolet light, high, carbon dioxide, filtering. I doubt they're doing that on purpose, though."

From:

imthepilot

"How high is the UV?" Bodhi asks, mildly worried. He's from Jedha after all. And UV radiation caused the Sun Bloom that killed his grandmother.

From:

galen_erso

"I'm still working on the scale," Galen says, "but it's high enough to cause some spikes in the background radiation. I think they must have a problem with their environment here, as you really can't fault any sloppy terraforming on a pre-space-flight world."

From:

imthepilot

"A lot of people. A lot of hydrocarbon based travel." Bodhi points out, bringing the drone around in a smooth arch.

From:

galen_erso

Galen is still calibrating his measurements, but he is getting something like numbers now. "I'd have thought they'd do something about it, but they might not have the technology yet. In any case, we need sunscreen when we climb."

From:

imthepilot

"I'm sure we could find some." Bodhi sounds distracted as he pulls the drone back to land at his feet, checking the battery life and engine temperature. "It will do. For here. Before we come back, I want to build one back at the bar. Something more ID9 seeker droid." Like Galen, Bodhi is more accustomed to Imperial tech than anything else.

From:

galen_erso

"Yes, the tech here is rudimentary, but at least some exists."

A mere fourty years earlier, that wouldn't have been the case, and everything the two of them use as a matter of course would have been pure science fiction.

But luckily, Galen can't know that.