Quote Originally Posted by Ramil
3

For the third time during this day Kay went to sleep. Curtis Van Curtis assured/made sure that the recreational premises of aThan weren’t equipped with surveillance systems. Nevertheless Kay sprawled on the floor and had been giving thanks for his salvation to the One Will for half an hour. Then he was explaining for several minutes to the dozing/nodding off/the sleepy Arthur that what had happened was a valuable lesson of life. Only then he allowed himself and Arthur to sleep their fill/to their heart's content.
It was morning according to clocks but the windows were shielded by a force field. Kay searched for a switch without success and went to the bathroom. He scraped off his bristle with a one-off/single use razor and took a shower. Then he drove/told/directed Arthur to wash.
They were served a breakfast: two sausages with mashed potatoes, a salad, a couple of toasts, jam in tiny cans and coffee. They ate in silence – the comedy had finished and the work began.
“There’s something wrong…” said Arhtur while finishing his coffee. Kay looked at him strictly and Arthur went silent.
At the aThan’s store that was two levels below their recreation room, they bought normal clothing. Smiling placidly Kay permitted his ‘son’ to buy expensive jeans and shoes but when business got down to shirts, socks and underwear he inclined/told/directed him to choose the cheapest ones. Kay was choosing his suit for nearly half an hour. He wasn’t satisfied with the price, the cut, the fabric, nor the planet where it had been manufactured…
“It’s cold outside and raining. It is autumn.” noted the assistant who had seen worse sorts of characters.
Kay gave up and bought Arthur a good jacket. For himself he chose a dark raincoat and a cap of local fashion. Then he smiled ingratiatingly:
“I sometimes smoke trab…”
“Are you a registered drug consumer?”
“Of course!” Mister/Mr. Ovald was exasperated/said Mr. Ovald exasperatedly.
“Then you have a twenty percent discount… Do you prefer the green or black sorts/kind?”
“Green.” Kay decided.
Arthur frowned.
“Well, and the weapons, of course…” Kay started towards the showcase he had taken a fancy to right from the start.
“Please choose only within the yellow sector.” warned the attendant. “Red is for imperial servicemen and professional bodyguards only.”
Kay froze, having had already taken an aim to/already reached for the ‘Bumblebee’ he had grown accustomed to. He completely forgot about this detail.
The yellow sector included low energy weapons that were only suitable for self-defense against street ruffians and not much else. There were about ten modifications of stunners that were differing essentially by design only/that differed essentialy only in design, needle pistols that were unable to pierce through any armor, gravity batons, ultrasonic shock grenades…
Arthur and Kay exchanged glances. Their mission was near failure. A professional could use any weapon but grew accustomed to two or three of his favorite models.
“I’m sorry, can you tell me which sector does the ‘Convoy’ belong to?” inquired Kay carefully.
‘Convoy’ was a low energy laser pistol. Its shot caused only a painful but shallow burn that could stop an enemy. The fact that this pistol had a substantial energy reserve and a high rate of fire was delicately ignored by the law. In automatic fire mode a series of laser impulses could burn a man through in two seconds.
“The ‘Convoy’?” the girl looked in the list. “The yellow sector.”
They bought two ‘Convoys’, additional magazines, several shock-grenades, a needle pistol for Arthur, and a gravity baton for Kay. For some reason, the attendant wasn’t surprised at this unexpected warlike/martial behavior.
Near the exit to the city they were caught up to by the young thanatologist.
“Wouldn’t you like to/Won't you renew your aThan?”
“Not yet, our finances…” Kay lifted his hands.
“You will get your documents and the facts about the planet from a security officer.” said the creature/the thanatologist coldly leaving them alone/who then coldly left them alone. “The languages on the planet are: Standard, Russian, German, and Korean. The aThan company wishes you good luck and good health.”
They took their documents and thin grey leaflets with the description of the planet. The guards opened the armor plated doors and Kay with Arthur entered a long dark corridor leading from the underground office of the company onto the surface. The dull sun could be seen somewhere ahead.
“I think I understood what’s been wrong” suddenly said Arthur/said Arthur suddenly. “The breakfast should have consisted of local food. Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“Unless it was dangerous.”
“Look in the leaflet.” Kay took out his “Convoy” and shifted the safety switch to the automatic fire mode. “I know nearly nothing of Incedius.”
“I know” Arthur stopped. “You should have asked me… daddy. There is a civil war that has been going on here for three months already. And they’ve been using biological weapons.”