FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Richard takes off the headset and finds the other person staring at him intensely, a sort of data pad on the table in front of him. He puts the headset onto the table and it immediately starts to float away at a gesture from the other individual. Without a word spoken the data pad is pushed forward until it is right in front of him. Richard picks it up and takes a look at it. On it is a very generalized picture of a human with a bunch of bars filled up to various amounts. He can guess these are probably metrics of some sort, like what you may see if you took a personality test. But not only are the labels for each bar very short, but it's also in a language that he can't actually read. Richard stares at the pad confused, wondering why it would be handed to him if he couldn't read anything on it.

As if reading his mind, the kitsune across from him spins a finger in a circle and the information scrolls down towards the bottom. At the bottom of this list are a bunch of little figures that are animating in one fashion or another. Below each of these is a little bar that is mostly filled up. Based on how they look Richard can guess that they are likely job choices. That they are aware he can't read and so he has a bunch of little gifs of various jobs he can do on the station with a little bar underneath for how good a fit it'd be for his readings. One of which is just a person sitting and has no bar on it, probably indicating a choice to not work but rather simply sit idle and beg or something.

Richard considers his options rather carefully. He knows this isn't his own time, that the only way to get back is to earn enough to do so. Which means that to squat would mean giving up. On top of that would mean he shouldn't be picking any job that would require him to have intimate knowledge of everything in this time period as he'll just screw that up. And it has to pay more than enough to be more than just getting by.

"We're not stupid. You'd need training regardless of what you choose," the kitsune states. "There will also be a rather in-depth rehabilitation process to help acclimate you to our time period. As well as a few more assessments that we can't exactly perform here. TD14's are common enough that we know what we're doing around them. Doesn't change the fact that they do mean suddenly having a lot more work to deal with than a normal person would. Don't worry so much about the pay and the amount you'd need to learn. For now just focus on which of the job opportunities that are available for you seem to catch your eye and we'll go from there."

Richard looks down at his options. Even though there would be less training involved if he did ever get home and was able to tell people about it without creating a massive paradox or something the last thing he'd really want to tell them is that he went into the future and performed a job just as you could find back on his own time. If this isn't real and just a fantasy. Or even if it was real he wanted to really feel like he was living. And that does really help narrow down his options. The kitsune is just watching him with a small smile forming on his face as he's settling on his choice. Finally he decides on his choice to do the most exotic of them and puts his finger on the picture of what he assumes is a fighter pilot. The kitsune nods and takes the data pad and stands up, gesturing for Richard to do the same.

"Come, let me show you to where you will be staying," he says as he begins to walk out the door.

"Really? I half expected you to hand me off to yet another person or something."

"Eh, I'll be doing that in a bit. But until we get your apartment you're stuck with me. I have a few particular skills that makes acclimating someone far more manageable. As for paying for your stuff, that's what the chip in your eye is for. Don't ever remove it, it also serves as a locator and if you removed it we would have to arrest you. But it links to an account that is tied specifically to you. Anything you earn will be transferred immediately into that account and any purchase you make will take out from it. Course there are a few expenses that are already made on your behalf. A translator for starters. Can't have you go around requiring everyone else to translate everything for you. We'll also be providing you with a basic level digital watch, and a few other necessities. Beyond that it will be up to you to buy but do try and stay within your means. Get too far into debt and I'll have to start approving any purchase you make and that will not be pleasant."

The kitsune leads Richard down mostly unused areas with little traffic if any at all. One thing Richard notices is just how colorful all the walls seem to be. Based on what he's seen from his own science fiction shows and whatnot he expected the walls to be all uniform in color, practicality above all else. Instead these was all are painted varying colors. Most are simple pastel colors, ones designed to not particularly draw the attention but still be pleasing enough to look at. And between certain sections there are also murals that have been painted. Though most of them don't seem to be of any particular thing.

"People are less prone to going stir crazy if the place they are living in feels like a home, rather than a prison," the kitsune states after they pass the third mural. "This station isn't just some short-term assignment. Most of the people here will be here for years at a time. Though we do get regular enough traffic, it is still a much different story than to be able to just go down and walk through a forest or something. Space is big and empty and though we can't exactly do anything about that, a lot of time and energy has been spent since your time studying ways to minimize how much we feel that emptiness. Light settings, air quality and other changes. The painted walls. Sounds and smells. Anything and everything possible to make it so that one side of the station will feel like somewhere else compared to the other side of the station. They even create breezes in some parts of the station. Some of the marketplaces and restaurants will even simulate the presence of trees and grass and the warmth of the sun. All of those preconceived notions on what it's like to have to live in space you'll probably have to forget. Your room mate has been informed of your situation and once you've gotten a bit acclimated he'll likely take you to some locations where he thinks you'll enjoy. I will keep tabs on you every now and then, but I do have duties to perform beyond just dealing with TD14's."

"Roommate?" Richard asks.

"Well, yes. Standard policy. Actually, twice over, really. Generally there is so much of a culture shock for TD14's that you almost never want them to be left to their own devices any more than is really necessary. So, we always try and buddy them up with someone to help them with day to day life. I'll check up on you but again I have more duties than just you. And your given profession has a lot of turnover and frequently you don't exactly make much money for us on your own. So naturally the bigwigs feel it's best to consolidate funds and have most pilots bunked together with another. Course it does also serve another purpose. This station represents the combined presence of a bunch of different independent empires. You will be tasked with defending all of these empires if given the instruction to do so. And you'll be expected to be able to work with members of other races on a fairly regular basis. So it was decided to be a good idea if the ones we need to work together the best would live with each other on a fairly regular basis, to get to know each other so that it isn't as much of a us versus them scenario. There'll be a lot of stuff he'll need to show you how to use to be able to function and for that good luck. If you need anything you can just go to any comm station and ask for me and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If you get lost and forget where you live you can also just find any access panel and it'll draw you a map."

The two of them walk in silence for a few minutes, letting Richard truly appreciate just how large the station is. They do pass a few others and the kitsune nods slightly in their direction but doesn't make any other motion regarding them. Finally, the end up in what is clearly more of a residential area. Whereas for the rest of the station doors were far more spread apart with a listing in a language Richard can't understand, suddenly not only are all the doors a lot closer together and at regular intervals but each one has a number on top of it, though Richard doesn't recognize the symbols. Eventually the kitsune stops at a particular door.

"Well, here's your stop. I'll let you get acclimated and then check up on you after you've gotten your next immunization and see how well you're coping for the time being."

"So how do I open it? Do I just knock or something?" Richard asks, noting how there doesn't seem to be any sign of a door handle anywhere on the door.

"Oh, your eye has been chipped, correct? There is a camera near the door. Just stare into it for a second and the door will open of its own accord. Anyway, have a nice day and hopefully your life goes better after being kicked out of your own time."