[1-200] THE MECH TOUCH

Chapter 29: Bentheim

The flight from Cloudy Curtain's star system to Bentheim only took less than a day due to Bentheim's favorable gravitational position. It made travelling to the economic heart of the Bright Republic convenient. Besides having no one to talk to, Ves enjoyed the flight.

Once the shuttle arrived at the edge of Bentheim's star system, it flew towards one of border outposts Bentheim established to meet incoming vessels. Smaller systems such as Cloudy Curtain normally wouldn't bother with this formality, but a major port like Bentheim necessitated increased security checks.

Many ships formed an orderly line in the space set with beacons. Small patrol ships flew alongside them, scanning their interior for any contraband while determining their origins and destinations. The shuttle from Cloudy Curtain only warranted a brief scan before being let through by the space security forces.

The passenger shuttle nimbly navigated deeper in the system like a fish swimming along a river. It passed by several plodding haulers and and heavily armed warships. It kept its distance from rickety looking mercenary ships and anything else that hinted of danger.

After half a day's flight, they finally approached the planetary orbit of Bentheim. From above, the heavily populated planet looked like a paradise that mixed greenery with high tech urban development. Ever since Bentheim established itself as the premier port of the Republic, the government invested trillions of credits in its ability to accommodate an endless amount of visitors and cargo.

The shuttle landed at a crowded spaceport near the capital city called Dorum. Ves, the pilots and their chaperones were practically booted out of the shuttle. As soon as they stepped out, the shuttle left in order to make way for another passenger shuttle.

Captain Gillian, the lead supervisor of the contestants from Cloudy Curtain, led them to a prepared atmospheric transport that brought them to a hotel near the venue. After leaving the shuttle, they entered the hotel in order to check-in and left behind their luggage.

"Alright pilots, the Young Tigers Exhibition officially starts tomorrow. You're free for the rest of the day, so go play at the local game center or shop until you run out of credits. I only have a few rules that I hope you can follow for your sake."

The captain lifted up a finger. "First, be at the venue at 6:00 local time. If your comms haven't automatically adjusted their internal clocks, do so now. Tardiness is no excuse."

A couple of pilots activated their comms, and some of them had to adjust their settings.

"Second, you'll be tested for any drugs or intoxicants the moment you enter, so for god's sake don't go party in a club and get smashed. More than a handful of contestants find their qualifications revoked after imbibing a suspicious drink. Don't rule out sabotage from your competitors. There's spies and agents everywhere in the city."

This caused a couple of pilots to gulp, though most of them snorted or dismissed the warning as a fantasy. As natives of Cloudy Curtain, the people in power never paid much attention to them. The best pilots of the Republic all graduated from institutions in Bentheim or Rittersberg.

"Third, do NOT get into an altercation with your rivals from other pilots. We're all Brighters here, so don't lower your standing in front of the foreigners. We have guests from all over the star sector here, so keep your roles in mind."

The young men and women appeared to listen attentively, but Ves knew most of it would be thrown right out the window a few seconds later.

"If you break any of these rules, don't expect to participate in the Young Tigers Exhibition. You're grown ups, so bear the consequences of your screw-ups yourself."