The Altian Plague
Copyright© 2026 by D M Arnold
Chapter 17: A Night on the Town
Suki held Nyk’s hand as they rode a tubecar from Central Clinic. “Aahhn tells me Senta will be confined for couple of days so she can recuperate,” he said. “Andra went back to Lexal to be with Janna. That gives us a couple of days to do Floran City.”
“I haven’t seen much of it except for the insides of buildings — mostly hospital rooms.”
“Is there anything you’d like to see?”
“I don’t know what’s here to see.”
“Floran City is the most visited place in the hegemony. There are many sites of interest. I thought, as a historian, you’d enjoy seeing the Floran Museum. Then, we’ll get settled in Senta’s apartment and perhaps enjoy some night life.”
The tubecar stopped. Nyk escorted Suki to the lift and they walked to a paved quadrangle. “This,” he said, “is the Central Square. It’s the site of the original encampment.” He gestured. “This is where the Ricin perpetrators were executed.”
“It’s a bit gruesome — like the guillotine set up in the Place de la Concorde in Paris.”
“They had erected towers around the perimeter of the square — to hold the gallows. A crowd gathered to watch. Not one of Floran City’s prouder moments, in my opinion.” He gestured. “Over there is the Floran Museum.”
She walked with him into the structure. “The museum is built around the hull of the Floran. Once the passengers were taken off the vessel, they brought it down on this spot and cannibalized it for supplies. What was left became a monument.” He walked toward a metal wall, now grey with a mottled patina. “This is she — the Floran.”
Suki ran her hand along the hull. “It gives me goose bumps.”
“I feel that way, myself. Over here is a timeline. The launching of the mission in 2201 ... the warp jump accident ... planetfall ... the Floran compact...” He pointed “Here’s the first colony, Gamma-5 ... and so on — to the present.”
Suki embraced his arm and locked her fingers with his as they walked along the timeline. “I can actually read these descriptions,” she said and leaned against him. “This diorama must be the original camp.”
“Yes ... Here’s Floran City two thousand years ago ... Some of these buildings are still standing.” He slipped his arm around her shoulder and steered her into a hall. “Over here is an exhibit you might enjoy.”
He stood with her regarding a life-sized statue of an Asian man. “Is that Koichi Kyhana?” she asked.
“That’s right. He’s your great-great-great-great grandson. Do you know who I think he resembles?”
She nodded. “He looks like Daddy.”
“You see it, too. I translated his journal, Suki. I got to know him — and, to like him fairly well. His journal kindled my interest in Earth.” Nyk pointed toward the statue. “It’s HIS fault I joined the ExoAgency and ended up there.”
Nyk pressed his wrist to the doorscan and the apartment door slid open. “After you,” he said.
Suki walked in and walked around. “Wow,” she said.
“This is the abode of a Food Service director. It was my official residence when I made my first transit to Earth.” He gestured her to the balcony. “If you get vertigo — don’t look down. It’s 353 stories to the street.”
“Oh, my God! Look at that view. The city seems to go on forever!”
“It’s our first night in the big town. How about sampling some of the nightlife?”
“What do you suggest?” she asked. “Dinner and a movie?”
“You won’t find a nice restaurant on this planet.”
“I noticed there isn’t any fine dining in Sudal, but I figured that was just Sudal. I thought here in Floran City it would be different.”
“No — the food here is so bland Florans consider eating to be a bodily function. The dining establishments are all utilitarian commissaries. We’d have to go offworld to find a gourmet meal.” He sat at a vidisplay, poked the screen and scowled. “I don’t see any holofilms worth watching ... We could catch a performance of Red Dawn, Red Dusk. It’s a Floran classic — the longest running play.”
“How long?”
“It’s been running in the same theatre for a thousand years.”
“A thousand years? I thought ‘Cats’ had a long run.”
“It’s considered THE Floran literary treasure — esteemed more for the beauty of the language than the plot.”
“Do I have sufficient facility with the language to appreciate it?” she asked.
“Probably not,” he replied. “I’m not sure even I do. Sitting through a performance of Red Dawn, Red Dusk is considered de rigueur — something every Floran must do once in his life. It’s required reading in the schools. By current cultural standards, it’s a silly and trite melodrama...” He poked the screen. “No luck — tonight’s performance is sold out. No doubt, it’s because of the upcoming High Legislature session. The HL delegates and hangers- on must be looking for a night out, too...”
“How about a sporting event?” she suggested.
“Those are held during daylight ... Sorry, korlyta. I’m coming up blank on such short notice.”
“Isn’t there a mall or someplace where we could walk and window-shop?”
“There’s The Arcade ... It’s a pleasant walk over there. Shopping’s not a big thing for Florans ... but — there is a drug club there I used to frequent.”
“Drug club? Oh, Nykkyo — I don’t know about that...”
“It’s a part of what makes Florans, Floran. This is a nice place. The drugs are regulated by the state, they’re safe and non-addictive — not physically addictive at least. I was never into the recreational chemical scene in a big way here, but a couple of euphoriants might a fun way to relax.”
“Andra has never taken me anyplace like that.”
“She won’t — she’s what would be on Earth a tea-totaler. She swore off drugs after Zander used them to control her. It’s up to you. It’s the Floran equivalent of going to a bar to have a few drinks and listen to a band.”
“I didn’t bring any evening wear.”
“Tunic with lifxarpa is always appropriate,” he replied. “Come on — let’s go.”
“All right...” He led her down the corridor and to the lift. They rode to the ground floor. He held her hand and they walked along the street. They approached a ten-lane boulevard packed with groundcars. “How do you cross?”
“I’ll show you.” He approached the crosswalk and stood on the curb. A row of ten panels in the pavement glowed red. The one closest glowed white and traffic in the corresponding lane stopped. The panel turned blue and the next one white. Nyk took Suki’s hand and crossed the street as traffic stopped lane by lane. As the stepped onto each square, traffic behind them resumed.
“You cross at the crosswalk,” she said.
“Exactly. Blue is the equivalent to green on Earth, and white is the same as yellow. Red means red on both worlds.” Suki pointed toward a crowd on the sidewalk at the middle of the block. “Groundcar kiosk,” he replied.
“I feel like an absolute yokel,” she replied. “This so different from Sudal. I keep reminding myself not to look up at the tall buildings.”
“Look all you want. No one’s going to take advantage of you — no matter how naive a yokel you appear. Up ahead — there’s a real City girl coming our way. No doubt she’s ready for a big night.”
A tall young woman approached them. Her medium blond hair was up, in a twist. She wore a two-piece outfit — the skirt’s hemline was a diagonal slash from her right hip to her left knee, and this line was echoed in her top, cut to expose her left breast. Her right thigh and breast were decorated with a colorful, abstract flame pattern. The same pattern adorned her cheeks and forehead.
“Now, THAT’s a fashion statement,” Suki remarked.
“Indeed — even by Floran standards.”
The woman passed them. Nyk led them across more boulevards and then turned left. He pointed to a building illuminated with colored lights. “That’s the Arcade,” he said.
They approached the entrance and walked in. In a doorway was a young woman waving to them. “What’s that?” Suki asked.
“One of the round-the-clock sex clubs. If you’re into anonymous, no- strings-attached sex — this is the place.”
“No thanks ... Although — there was a time in my life when this would’ve appealed to me.”
He led her to an escalator to the second level. “Here’s the drug store. Care to look around?”
“I’ve been in the drug store in Sudal.”
“This place has it all. Come on in — we don’t have to buy anything. This is part of what Florans are all about. Look — euphoriants, inhibition relaxers ... sex aids ... performance extenders ... orgasm enhancers. Those are Senta’s favorites...”
“It’s sensory overload,” she replied.
An attendant approached them. “Only looking,” Nyk said and pointed to a display. “These are experimental. You can try a few for free and report how you liked them. Senta tried an experimental combination performance extender and orgasm enhancer once. I almost didn’t survive the night ... Do you see anything that appeals to you?”
“I’m afraid not.”
He nodded toward the door and stood in the corridor. “Down there is the food store — not too different than the one in Sudal. Over there is the clothing shop. Down that way is the body art salon — probably where our walking fashion plate had her work done ... At the far end is the kids’ club — no intoxicants, adult supervised — a place for young people to go and hang out, listen to music...”
“And, fool around?”
“To a degree. Lewd touching isn’t allowed there, and no one can rent a trysting room until they’re past the age of consent. It doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Speaking of which...” He gestured toward an archway. “The trysting rooms are down here.” He led her to another escalator and rode to the ground floor. “Here are some other clubs. This one is Klub’Fraxi...”
“Club Smash?” she asked.
“Yes — loud music — popular with the middle-age set.”
“Loud music is a middle-age thing here?”
“Here, middle-age refers to the period between the ages of consent and majority — 20 to 25 Floran years. You haven’t heard that expression?” She shook her head. “Maybe it’s a City thing...”
He guided her into a doorway labeled Xi Dulxe Nota.
“The Soft Note?” she asked.
“The Sweet Note — it’s the club I told you about. The music is quieter in here.” He scanned his wrist and Suki scanned hers.
The hostess led them to a table in the dark corner of the club. Most of the other tables were empty — a pair of young men sat at another table near the stage.
“Why did she seat us here?” Suki asked.
“Because of you.”
“Because I’m Asian? Nykkyo — I thought I left such prejudices on Earth. I never expected to encounter racism here. Maybe we shouldn’t stay.”
He shook his head. “She’s not racist, korlyta. No one on this planet has ever seen an Asian. She would’ve deduced you were a naturida gone wrong.”
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