Max took to the floating stage with the Council, Nico, Mary and the Innu behind him while Felicity stepped forward to do the introductions.

[Good afternoon, everyone. It's Felicity again, here with some excellent news for our lovely Absolutionists. The Commanders are back home for the Birthday celebration, and they have some kind words for you all.]

Max wondered for a second what the AI was on about, then read the Council members' minds and realized that not only was Felicity doing advertising work for the businesses on the ship, but she had also set up a motivational streaming channel, highlighting all the great things to do aboard the ship, like a travel blogger, but exclusively aboard Absolution.

ραndαsnοvεl.cοm She had become quite popular, and her food recommendations were considered to be the finest among human food reviewers. It seemed that the general population didn't know that Felicity the Idol and her alter ego as an advertising specialist were the same person. They did realize that she worked for Terminus Trading Company, but as her actual job wasn't clear, most people thought that it was the sponsored streams, not that she was the AI in charge of ship operations.

Max stepped up beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder for the cameras, then waved to the watching crowd.

"Thank you all for such a warm welcome home. We have been working for far too long, and it is amazing to see how much everyone on the ship has done since we left. You have all accomplished so much, and the love I feel from all of you reminds me that no matter how far we might travel through the universe, this is Home."

Max could hear the cheering from the city below the platform that they were broadcasting from, and he stepped back so that Nico could give a speech to the city.

"Greetings, everyone. It is so good to be back here for my birthday. After spending months on a small ship without all the luxuries of the big city, I could really go for some custom-made pastries that aren't in the replicator system.

But seriously, thank you all for the Birthday Wishes, and I sincerely hope that you all enjoy your long weekend."

She stepped back, and Felicity gave one last parting speech, then summoned a public transit pod for them to head up to the second level where they would go straight to a resort, and the Innu could check out the gravity slides that spanned an entire resort city.

There were over three hundred kilometres of them in total, and the Innu guests and residents loved them more than any roller coaster.

The view from above the ship's ocean was incredible, with clear blue waters over white sandy beaches, sharp granite cliffs and surrounding lush green islands. The Innu sighed as they saw the variety of landscapes that were present aboard the ship and then looked to Max with hundreds of questions in their minds. historical

"Alright, I will start with the easiest answers. Yes, this is all publicly accessible. None of it is off limits to a resident of the ship, though we do limit development based on the region to keep the population spread under control and avoid employment issues.

Most of the cities you see on this level are tourism based, and there are over sixty Alliance Cruise Ships currently docked with Absolution, letting their guests enjoy a shore excursion on this level, or the city below, which specializes in designer goods.

Yes, there are nude beaches, and no, that is not where we are going now. We do have swimsuits available for you, but I know that all of you are actually wearing one right now, as you were so eager to get into the water that you only threw on a sundress over the top to get through the public appearance part of the day. I think you should take a look at

What else should I cover?" Max asked.

"Where are we staying?" Nergal asked with a smile.

"In a resort right where the Gravity slides exit into the ocean. You can take short trips through them to land in the water, or you can take them the other way and loop through the city first.

For the rest of you, there is a public Rings arena, a GPS-marked scenic flight route, various arcades, gaming centres, and a library. And this weekend, they are hosting a legal theory symposium, with group legal argument presentations open to approved entrants. If the Giants want, I can get you a spot." Max informed them.

It sounded incredibly boring to Max, but getting to flex their logical muscles was a favourite pastime of the Giants and a point of pride among the species when they could defeat groups of their peers in a logical argument, such as a legal proceeding.

Felicity smiled at the group. "We also picked this location because they have crew upgrading courses over the next few weeks, so everyone can gain experience in Reaver policies and procedures, as well as take on virtual challenges of delicate situations which you might face in the future.

So, it's a bit of a working vacation, and you can gain valuable skills that will keep you among the elite of the Terminus Trading Company's crews."

Skills upgrading was a regular necessity for a ship's crew and was often done during downtime just to make sure everyone was on the same page. Doing it on a tropical island, with beach bars, natural hot springs and unlimited fresh fruit, was distinctly more pleasant than the average course, though.

The pod landed at a resort by the beach, and Max had to grab the nearest few Innu before they could escape.

"Check into the hotel first. Then you can go play." He reminded them.

Mary cleared her throat to catch their attention. "You all have four hours before the more exclusive birthday party starts. As part of his current personal crew, you are invited. The main research team will be here, as well as a number of dignitaries and professors from all over the Alliance, nearly a thousand in all, so be sure to requisition something that is within the formal wear guidelines available in your room."

"Got it, Mrs Tarith. We won't let you down." Nergal cheered with a cheeky salute and then broke into a run toward the hotel.

"They're a lively bunch, aren't they?" Mary asked Max with a smile.

"The whole species is like that. These ones just have extra energy because they're young and caffeinated."