The ship docked in one among thousands of individual bays that riddled the surface of the station. Instructions had been sent to them as soon as they’d approached within hailing distance.

Val had let Nim handle the maneuvers, and watched with fascination as they slowly sunk deeper into Evenodds. This place seemed as big as a planet!

She jumped out of her seat.

“Come on, let’s go.”

Kaine stood and blinked.

“You’re not leaving right away? I thought you were just dropping me off?”

She laughed. “And miss the chance to visit Evenodds? Are you kidding me?”

“You must like to gamble.”

She snorted as they walked down the hall toward the exit.

“No, not really. But this place is kinda legendary... I still can’t believe you’d never heard of it.” Kaine just shrugged, so she continued. “It’s been around for hundreds of years, you know. I remember hearing stories about it when I was a kid. There were a few gamblers in my family, and they drooled at the thought of coming here someday. I was more fascinated by the sheer size of the place. Though I have to admit, it’s even bigger than I had expected.”

“It looks like a planet...”

“That’s what I was thinking! Except, of course, it’s all hollow inside. Imagine how many people you could house in here...”

“Except that’s not its purpose.”

“Well, no, but they’d still have to have living quarters. For personnel. And hotels for tourists. That said, they don’t only have games. I mean, it’s known for that, but if folks are gonna stay for a while, they need other amenities. Restaurants, resting areas, shopping malls... I believe they even have parks and pools.”

“In other words, Iriaki floating in space...”

She grinned. “Don’t be silly. Iriaki has a sun. And forests. And mountains. And rivers.”

“It’s a planet, I get it.”

Val nodded wisely as they exited the ship.

A small glider was waiting for them. A woman stood by its side, smiling.

“Welcome to Evenodds,” she said. “My name is Samantha, and I will be your guide. Do you have reservations with any of our facilities?”

Kaine shook his head.

“Uhm, I’m afraid not...”

“That is no trouble, sir. No trouble at all. We always have room on Evenodds. How long are you and your wife planning—”

“I am not his wife!” interrupted Val, frowning.

“Apologies. It is common for clients to come in couples. Would you still like to share a room?”

“Absolutely not!”

Kaine smirked. “Not your type, am I?”

She ignored him. “Besides, we don’t need rooms. We’re not staying. At least, I’m not. I just want to look around... if that’s okay?”

The guide nodded. “Of course. I will take you to the Concourse immediately. Please step in.”

She moved aside and waved toward the glider’s open door.

The two of them sat inside, then watched as the woman entered, closed the door, and sat across from them. She placed her hand against one of the sides, covering a black oval-shaped surface. Her fingers disappeared as the metal seemed to absorb them. Part of her arm merged into the structure, though Samantha did not scream—nor did she look concerned. Rather, she smiled.

“You’re a robot!” cried out Val.

“I am your guide,” responded the other as the vehicle began to move. “We will reach our destination shortly. There will be a fee of 20 credits for this service.”

Kaine frowned. “You could have told us that before we started, don’t you think?”

“It’s okay,” said Val. “Everything here has a price.”

“That is correct,” confirmed Samantha.

“Speaking of which, how much will it cost me to keep my ship docked at the bay?”

“100 credits per day.”

“What if it’s only for a few hours?”

“A full day’s worth is due as soon as you land.”

“Of course it is,” said Val with a sigh.

“Guess you won’t be staying long,” snickered Kaine.

She glanced at him. “Why, you think you can afford to stay here for a few days?”

He grimaced. “No, I don’t imagine I can. At least, not until I get paid for my last job.”

A few minutes later, the glider stopped in front of a large building.

“Welcome to the Concourse,” said the guide with her unwavering smile.

They both glanced at it and frowned.

“That’s a hotel,” remarked Val. “We said we didn’t need one.”

“I can take you to another if this one is not to your liking.”

“I don’t think you understand. We don’t want a hotel at all.”

The smile on the woman’s face widened.

“I’m sure the hotel personnel can answer all of your questions and help you around.”

The door opened.

The two looked at each other.

“I’m starting to think she’s programmed only to do very specific tasks,” mused Val.

“But she looks so human...”

They stepped out as the woman waved at them with her free hand, wishing them a happy stay.

The glider’s door closed, it lifted into the air, and sped away, disappearing into a stream of vehicles.

Kaine grunted. “I swear, there’s as much traffic here as on Assalin.”

“You’ve been to Assalin?”

“Once. A long time ago.” He looked over his shoulder at the hotel. “Should we go in?”

“We might as well if we want to get directions.”

Inside, another woman greeted them.

“Welcome to the Concourse! Do you have a reservation?”

“We do not, no,” said Val, “nor do we need any rooms. We just need directions...”

“Splendid! I have just the right room for you, if you would follow me.”

“No! I said—” Val gritted her teeth. “Is there a human we could talk to?”

“I’m afraid no mentor is currently available. But if you’ll follow me, I can take you to your room...”

“We’re fine, thanks.”

Val grabbed her companion’s arm and pulled him back into the street.

“How do people get around over here?” asked a startled Kaine. “This is crazy.”

“I’d guess most people come here to stay a few days, so the robots are programmed accordingly.”

“You’d think they’d use smarter AIs, though. These barely understand anything we say.”

Val looked around the street and started in a random direction. He followed her.

“Don’t forget how old this place is. And what with that stagnation you mentioned earlier, they wouldn’t have improved anything in ages...”

“Not that they would do much improving out here in the rim.”

“Well, there’s that. And...” She looked around at the skyscrapers that rose to touch the metal roof, hundreds of miles above their heads. “And considering how expensive this place must have been to build, I wouldn’t be surprised if they tried to cut expenses by using simplified models. It’s not like the robots need to do anything complicated. Well, maybe some do. I bet there are a few that have more complex routines. Ah! There we go...”

She pointed at the entrance to a casino, across the street.

“You want to go in there?” he asked.

“Well, we’re in a space casino, aren’t we?”

“I thought you didn’t like to gamble?”

“I don’t! I’m just curious.”

He walked up to a nearby credis terminal. “Well, I’m not.”

She looked at him. “What?”

He shrugged as he tapped on the display. “I appreciate your help, but I can fend for myself now that I’m back in a civilized place.” The dispenser poured out credits, which he turned to give Val. “Here you go, the amount we agreed upon. With my thanks.”

She blinked, then nodded. “I guess that’s fair. You sure you know where to go?”

He grinned. “Not really, but neither do you.”

She laughed. “Fair point.”

“I’ll figure something out, as I’m sure you will. You’re a smart woman. I’m glad I met you. I’ll see you around.”

She watched as he stepped away, hurrying back toward the Concourse.