Surprisingly, considering the local tech level, the computer manages to link to a (somewhat primitive) local network in a little under three minutes. It doesn't look promising.
There is a directory of local services, including a map to the nearest library (paper books!), a news page and weather reports.
The news seems to consist of three main stories:
- SPACE PIRATES RAID SHIPPING AGAIN. Page 453
- HEIRARCH DECLARES BOUNTY ON PIRATES. Page 455
- DESALLO ICE BEARS CAN SNATCH LEAGUE TONIGHT. Page 457
"The name's Horvachi, Captain, Byrel Horvachi, and it's nice to deal with a man who can make a quick decision. The buyer is a company called Dalzer Brothers. I'll place a call to them in a mo, and they'll be in contact about collectin' the goods. They're inside the city limits, so it shouldn't take long."
He copies the figure to another slip of paper, this one more official-looking, signs it himself, stamps it, and hands the top two copies to Jago, before filing the other two in two different folders.
"Anythin' else I can help you with today?"
"Damn Perivan and his cheap tickets." another passenger wakes to find that low passage is not as pleasant as he might have been led to imagine. Sure... you get to sleep away the boring journey, but you wake up cold, disoriented, and occasionally with a mild headache.
Still... it could be much worse...