Korra slept so much that she almost missed her meeting. She woke up 30 minutes before the rendezvous. She had merely enough time to buy meals. She chose three boxes of chicken dumplings in the hallways of her dormitory. She then quickly went to the chosen place.
The area 5 was in the inferior ring, a 1g place. There was no restaurant, no shop, nothing except an resting area. There were hundreds of tables and seats on which workers were eating. Some of them were sleeping, laying on benches. The only difference from many other such places in the station is that there was a wide windows giving a view to the red moon. At that time, the natural satellite was showing the side on which there was a huge storm. Korra was admiring it when Asami came in the place.
- Enjoying the lightnings? Asami asked.
- Korra turned around to talk to her:
- Nice choice. She said. I've never seen something like that. I had a glimpse of that view from my ship when I arrived but, from here... it's just amazing.
- That's why I chose it. Asami answered smiling.
They both sat down and put their meals on the table. Asami got her dumpling out of her bag and Korra decided to eat some smoked fish brought from her home world. A dish that was unknown to Asami.
- Is it common to eat fish on your planet?
- Oh yeh, very. We eat fish and meat. There are not so many vegetables on my ice planet. Not many tree could grow there. That's why I'm so excited about going to Tera. There is much vegetation on that planet, which allows them to cultivate so many kinds of fruits and vegetables. I want to taste all of them.
- Were you living at a pole ?
- No, at the equator. The poles are really too cold. I like ice but I preferred the city I lived in.
- You're used to living where there is snow. What is it like? I mean, I've seen snow but only in books.
- Hmm... let's say it's like... walking on a giant bowl of rice. You can even lay on it, if you have warm clothes of course.
That picture made Asami smile.
- Can you play with it? The engineer asked.
- Well, I've played so much in snow that it's not really entertaining anymore. I still like writing chinese characters in it though.
Asami was about to ask her for more details when Bolin arrived at the table.
- Hi Girls.
- The boy sat down on a seat then greeted the girl:
- Hi miss... who ?
- Her name is Korra. Asami told him. And Korra, this is Bolin. I great friend of mine.
Bolin didn't want the greetings to last too much. He directly put a little sack on the table and get some dragon fruits out of it. They were all grainy purple balls on long spikes.
- You're lucky. He said. They were imported today from the earth kingdom.
- Yeh I see that. Asami admitted inspecting them. They're very fresh.
- May I taste them. Korra asked.
- Yeh, sure. Have some.
- Korra got one of the spike from the sack then move it to her mouth. She was about to start eating when she was caught off guard by Bolin:
- So confident. He spouted. Do you trust us that much? I mean... We could have poisoned it.
- Come on Bolin. Asami answered. Don't say bullshit.
- Actually, he is kinda right. Korra admitted. Although you don't look like bad persons. You could try to hurt me. Fortunatly, it's very simple to know if I think right about you.
- Korra move the fruit to Asami's mouth, waiting for her reaction. The engineer moved her lips to it then ate a piece of the fruit while Korra was holding the spike.
- So good. The engineer declared.
The cartographer get the food back to her mouth and ate it.
- Damn, this glimpse of the Tera planet is just awesome. Thank you for sharing. I also invite you to share some of the fish I've brought.
Asami didn't have to care about the safety of Korra's food. She had already seen the cartographer eaten many slices of it. She took a piece that she put into her mouth then she swallowed the whole. Bolin did the same.
- First fish I've ever tasted. Thank you.
- Thank you very much. Bolin said. I'm only used to eating sea animals with tentacles from the planet Yamete. I've got so tired tired of it.
- You're welcome but you didn't ask me to come here only for food right? Asami told me about your desire to hear stories.
- Yep, I can't really travel. Bolin answered. People who have grown up on this station are really bored. So, it's very common to ask travelers to tell about their home world. In exchange, we offer money or services.
- All right, I'll be describing my home world then.
Korra chose to speak about the festivals of Glacia. The two natives listened to her while eating their meals. The cartographer told them about her culture for more than one hour. She enjoyed talking to them so much that she had forgot why she had come when the dinner was over. She was about to leave the place without asking Asami how to get a new ship ticket. It was the engineer who had to remember her. Asami gave her the location of the guy she had to see to exchange her ticket. Korra just needed to tell him that she was sent by her to get a new one for free.
As the three young people were about to leave. Asami realized that Korra might not have a place to sleep in for the night. All Hotels must have been completely busy. It was hard to find a hotel without booking weeks before.
- Do you know where you'll be sleeping? I doubt there was even a pod to rent. Since you didn't intend to stay longer, I guess you don't have what you need for tonight.
- You're right. Korra answered. I've found nothing but it's not a problem, I'll stay in the docking bay. I'm used to sleeping in the center of an ice desert. Lying a bench wouldn't be so hurtful to me.
- Wait, really? Bolin asked.
- I think I might have something. Korra said. I could bring you to my warehouse. Nothing fancy though, I warn you.
- A warehouse?
- I know, sounds weird at first but I've nevet got complaints from those who have tried it.
- Because the rare persons who did, are now dead. The boy taunted.
- Come on, Bolin. It's a fine place.
- Don't worry. You don't look scary to me. Korra reassured.
- All right, let's get to it then.
They all thanked each other for sharing a friendly meal then left the place. Korra followed Asami to a superior floor. The level was the closest to the center of the station. Someone would walk in a hallway like on the moon. No room was rented in such an environment. The almost-zero-gravity was not endurable for most people in the long term. That place was used as a depot, only machines and goods were stored.
The engineer used her fingerprints to open the door and they came in. The place was very messy, almost completely full of different kinds of crates. There were also working out machines and other devices. On the ground, hundred of tools were dispersed. The whole surface was very messy, except a little a corner. Two large beds had been set up near a window through which the emptyness of space could be admired. One of them was covered with clothes and a book but the other was completely clean.
- This is it, my warehouse. I store all my stuff here. I can't stay here too long. The gravity is too weak but... sometimes, I rest here for one night. Feels so great to sleep in such a weightless room.
- And the second bed is for... gests like me?
- You're right. I always keep a bed ready for a friend. Usually it's Bolin. Sometimes we sleep here together. The view inspires him so much that he could tell stories all night. He's so entertaining.
- I realized he likes taunting.
- You can stay here until your onboarding. Noone comes often in this level, so it's very silent.
- How about I need to get in or out?
- You can use my password, it's Hiroshi, H.I.R.O.S.H.I.
- Your boyfriend's name ? Korra Asked with a great eagerness to get the answer.
- No, someone else. I don't have a lover.
Korra smiled after hearing this. She was slowly but surely getting more interested in the dark hair woman.
- See you and thank you so much. Korra said.
Asami left the room to reach an inferior level. She went to her pod to relax. This time, she didn't chose to listen to music. She just was lying on her back and was watching the ceiling. She was thinking about the worlds Korra told them about. She was imagining all the scenes the cartographer described. She fell asleep sure not to dream about dirty pipes but about exotic lands.