Baylor studied his image in the mirror, adjusting his cravat, and flicking away imagined specks from his nicely cut frock coat.....he switched off the mirror and picked up his silver-knobbed stick, and left his cabin in first class headed towards the Casino.....all about him is polished golden wood and gleaming brass.....thick red carpet, artificial gaslight, late Victorian style notes of the decor shading into Craftsman and art nouveau touches.....Management had found just the right note, he thought.....to convey a sense of Edwardian decadence and luxury......his fellow passengers all play the game to the hilt.....ladies with corseted waists and bustles twirling parasols, gentlemen striding in polished black boots, etc....
The Casino is a marvel, a more sophisticated venue for gaming cannot be imagined....all is spot on perfect in detail......Baylor glides blithely to his accustomed spot at the roulette .....smiles and nods greet him .....he obtains chips and places them .....the evening begins.....
Several decks deeper than Casino, in the mechanical bowels of the great starship, a stealth droid is creeping through access tubes, up to no good I'm sure......Management is not aware of it's purposes.....it is not even aware of it's presence, if the plan is going well.....
A couple light years off the starboard bow, a Machine Dominion corvette tracks the quantum sign of the droid.....it also tracks the sign of the silver knob on Baylor's walking stick....
Back on Casino deck, Baylor is raking in the chips......Management scowls somewhat.....
No comments:
Post a Comment