His armor blended Gato well into the crowd - after all, soldiers were a rather common sight everywhere, even on the Hubâs Tertiary Ring. People probably werenât even aware he was there; they tuned him out like a landmark they passed every day, something not worth noticing.
Not that he really benefited from this; it just made him a little more relaxed. There was something liberating about not being under constant surveillance. Towards the end of his trek, it was doubly true - the hallways leading toward Voice HQâs own residential area from the closest maglev stop was mostly deserted; very few people lingered there aside with a specific purpose.
Gato had been there a couple of times. Cairis had taken him to the HQ before and the last time, Gato left with a pad containing some select literature that came with Cairisâ recommendation. Even Valoren added a few titles to the list and the novels and poetry served Gato well on his latest excursion with the fleet. Theyâve returned two quintants ago, and Gato was eager to see Cairis again.
She was on an assignment as well, but last time they managed to talk, she promised to be back today, about this time. Gato wanted to give her a tight hug, most probably a slow kiss, return the pad and if she wasnât too tired, invite her out to eat something, or even cook for her⌠He had plans, definitely.
It was a little surprising to see the building just standing tall and quiet; one wouldâve expected a bustle around the Empireâs propaganda machine, but everything was rather quiet, almost no vehicles parked nearby and no one really tried to stop Gato. He didnât even want to enter just yet; he was content with waiting for a little while.
Just outside the building, there was a small cultivated area that could be called a park. Carefully designed with the concept of aesthetics in mind, it had subtly glowing walkways lined with an occasional bench, crystal structures and holosculptures. The plants were species that thrived in artificial or low light. Gato settled down on a bench under a tree and busied himself with admiring the bioluminescent dots adorning the leaves.
