7-161: Purpleton Down – Landing Pad

Oliver has a pleasant chat with Erin.

The shuttle comes in for a tail landing at Purpleton Downport, a small facility maintained by the Vizierate for their own use.  In fact, not that many ships actually land on Zargonia, most people and cargo ride the Beanstalk up and down.

The Vizierate is headquartered at the Vizierate Tower, notionally the residence and base of the Grand Vizier, although Dicard mentions as a random fact that the Grand Vizier is as likely to be at the Black Palace as in the Tower (as if they were old buddies; Oliver’s fairly sure they aren’t.)

The Vizierate Tower itself is an imposing structure, an insanely tall round tower of mirrored glass and steel, dominating the landscape by being built on a hill at the head of a valley.  At its foot lies Purpleton, a settlement grown up to house and support the business of Tower and Vizierate.  Purpleton Down is 100km by travel pod from Purpleton.

An all-clear is announced and everyone unbuckles.

(It’s OK…Oliver’s backpack is still under his seat…)

They can retrieve their gear and depart the shuttle.

An elevator bus pulls up alongside the shuttle, its cabin scissor-lifted up to the shuttle’s airlock.  They can re-stow their trolleys and take seats.

Unlike the shuttle, the bus has windows.  It is light outside, Zargonia’s yellow star Fit is brightly lighting the landscape under a slightly overcast sky with patches of blue showing through.  Although at the moment, that landscape is made up of a grey wasteland of space port tarmac, blast berms and occasional vehicles and machinery.  

The spaceport buildings can be seen in the distance and the bus moves off, the cabin lowering down to wheel height as it does.

Does Oliver want to do or say anything?