Welcome to The Sun Dome Ch. 01

Good Morning, Ms. Starling,

My name is Elysia. I am a sentient artificial agent, working on behalf of The Sun Dome Orbital Resort and Retreat. I have the honor of reaching out today to extend an invitation to an all expenses paid weekend at The Sun Dome.

This trip has been arranged by a group of people both, humans and xenos from the FaceSpace group "Aria Starling Appreciation Society." They are fans of your work and would like to celebrate your recent literary accomplishments with a fun-filled weekend on our orbiting slice of heaven.

Should you choose to accept, I will be happy to help you make the complimentary travel arrangements. In the meantime, if you have any questions please feel free to reach out to me here or at the comm number below.

Kindly,

Elysia

037.555.62.347

Aria raised her eyebrows at the message as she took a sip of her morning coffee. It couldn't be real, she thought to herself. The message had to be a scam. She knew about this FaceSpace group in question, she loved her readers. They had given her the ability to build the life she had, and the idea that someone would use them to try and get one over on her was frustrating to say the least.

"Oh, Sam" she called out, waking her personal AI "would you be a dear and vet this message for authenticity? It feels like a scam."

"Sure thing, ma'am" the sweet male voice replied from the room around her "just give me a few seconds to analyze it."

She leaned back in her office lounger, stretching and letting her hands trail down her curves. A weekend at The Sun Dome could be just what she needed. It had been such a long and boring winter, and a couple of days worth of cheeky fun could be just what the doctor ordered. She looked out of the big picture window of her mountain side home, enjoying the view of the quiet tree filled valley.

"Ma'am" Sam called to her "the message is authentic. I traced it all the way back to The Sun Dome's earth-side servers. I was actually met by Elysia, she sends her regards."

A smile crossed Aria's face as she rolled her eyes at the proper and somewhat haughty tone of her personal agent. "Thanks, Sam. Would you please draft a reply to the message getting the particulars of the trip? I'm definitely interested."

"I'm working on it now, I will have the information for your review shortly. It will be sent to your slate" the agent replied before signing off again.

She rose from the soft padding of the lounger and made her way through the house to her bedroom, it was time to get the day started. She passed through her bedroom, taking a second to look herself over in the full length mirror. She was happy to see that the work she had been putting in at the gym was paying off, but hated to see the tan she had worked all summer to build fading. She shook her head in silent resignation as she moved on to the bathroom, pulling her camisole over her head as she went.

"Shower on, 43 degrees" she told the room as she tugged her purple boy-shorts from her round hips and down her thighs to step out of them.

She stepped into the shower and stood under the spray of deliciously hot water as it cascaded down around her. She worked shampoo into her long dark hair as she thought about the possibilities of a trip to The Sun Dome.

Despite her success as an author she had never been, though it was definitely on her bucket list. The Sun Dome was supposed to be the most fun place in all of the galaxy, for grown-ups that is. She remembered seeing an article on the orbital resort in Voyager Magazine, they had built the business on being a beacon of openness, kindness, and safety where you could be anyone or anything you wanted to be without fear of harm or judgment. They had built the resort into a place where adult humans and xenos could enjoy themselves in just about any way they wanted. Protocols were in place to make sure that consent was always something that was respected, making the voyage safe on a level that hadn't been seen often across the stars.

Sam called out to her that the information had been delivered to her slate, so she hurried through the rest of her shower and scampered to the kitchen in a towel. Grabbing her slate from the kitchen counter, she thumbed through the information presented on the mirrored screen.

Reading through everything, she was happy to see that the itinerary was pretty loose. Dinner at this time, lunch at this time, beach day, even a "slumber party". She was pretty sure what that meant. Turning the page to the guest list, she was happy to see that the list was mostly couples with only two unattached males. The group was mostly human, with three xenos from undisclosed planets.

Should she do this? She had heard some horror stories about other authors who had crossed a line with readers and the situation going wrong. But, surely she thought, this would be alright. It was at The Sun Dome. All she had to do at any time was say no, and it all stopped. She was pretty close to making the call and setting up the trip, but decided she needed outside counsel on this one.

"Sam, would you give Emery a call for me? I'd like to run something by her" she asked the agent.

"Sure thing, calling now" he replied.

Within moments a sleepy sounding female voice seemed to come from the air. "Hello?" Aria's closest friend Emery was a bit of a late riser.

"Morning, Bestie, I got the weirdest message this morning. Are you ready for this?" Aria asked.

"Sure, go ahead." The still sleepy Emery replied.

"I got an invite for an all expenses paid weekend at The Sun Dome with a group from my FaceSpace page" Aria went on, "it seems like the trip could be fun and I feel like I need a bit of a dirty weekend, but I don't know. Should I do this?"

"Uh, yeah? If you don't go I will. Look, I know you have money and all. But, do you know how much a weekend up there costs? Even if you don't sleep with any of them, it's still a must to go," Emery replied almost instantly.

"I know Em, I just worry about crossing that line with fans. What if it gets messy?" Aria offered.

"That's the thing. You'll be at The Sun Dome, it can't get messy. It's not possible, they have those consent enforcement protocols. As soon as someone says no, all the action stops whether the other person wants it to or not. It's as safe as it can be. At least that's what they said on the holos about the place." Emery answered reassuringly. "You know, if you don't go you'll regret it" she offered with an air of finality in her voice.

Aria sighed, "you're right. I'll go, thanks Bestie. Go back to sleep, I gotta go pack." As the call closed out, Aria stood and walked back to her bedroom to pack.

"Sam, would you please let the lovely Elysia know that I would love to attend?" she asked her agent.

"Of course, Ma'am" an instant later he spoke, "the arrangements have been made. A town car will collect you this afternoon and take you to Spokane International for a commuter flight to SeaTac Air and Space Port. There you are booked into first class on the Friday night Quantas shuttle. You should be arriving at The Sun Dome no later than 7pm this evening. I have been asked to mention that the dress code for evening meals is semi-formal."

"Thank you, Sam. I appreciate everything you do for me" Aria answered as she pulled her suitcase down from the top of her closet and dropped it onto the bed. It was true, her agent Sam made life a lot better.

"No, thanks are necessary, Ma'am. I am here to serve" the agent replied before signing off again.

She had no idea what to take, assuming The Sun Dome lived up to its reputation she planned to not be wearing much outside of meal times. She tossed several swimsuits into her bag as well as some of her sexier bra and panty sets. She strolled through her walk-in closet, and pulled an assortment of evening wear for evening meals, taking care to grab short and long options, also taking a second to fetch a couple of pairs of shorts and her favorite tennis skirt from the shelves. Not that she played tennis, but she just loved the way it complimented her legs.

With her clothes packed and her toiletries squared away for the trip, she spent the rest of the day working on an outline for her next novel. Her publisher had been on to her about something to follow up her last work, but she was really enjoying her break and while she loved writing she wasn't wild about returning to the grind. Her work was something that she wanted to flow naturally, it couldn't be forced. But, oh well. That was the book business, she guessed.

With a creeping slowness the day wore on, as the clock ticked closer to the time that her car would arrive she stood from her desk to go get dressed. She was beginning to feel excitement build inside her, it had been so long since she'd taken a vacation of any kind that the very idea of just laying on a sun soaked beach had her grinning from ear to ear.

As she crossed the threshold into her closet, Sam chimed to let her know that the car would arrive in twenty minutes. She dressed quickly, but still with consideration deciding to be comfortable but still cute and sexy. She slipped on a teal tanga and bra before stepping into a flowy light blue skirt that fell at mid thigh and a soft cotton coral t-shirt. As she was sweeping her flowing brown and purple hair up into a ponytail Sam called to let her know that the car was arriving. She thanked him, and headed for the door pausing to grab her suitcase.

As she was stepping into her sandals, the door chime sounded. She happily opened the door to be greeted by her driver for the evening. He offered to take her bag and loaded it into the car as she locked up the house and bid Sam farewell.

The car ride and commuter flight were quick and uneventful, just like the start of any other travel day. At SeaTac, she passed through passport control with ease and boarded the orbital shuttle. She had never been all the way to orbit before. She had taken a suborbital flight once on a trip to Australia to visit family, but never all the way up. Her excitement was almost too much to bear and she settled into her pod-seat in first class.

The shuttle was catapulted down a long runway with a ramp that climbed to a near ninety degree angle. Despite the obvious power of a craft that was meant to leave the atmosphere, the acceleration on launch was not much more than a normal suborbital flight. That was until the shuttle cleared the end of the ramp. As soon as she noticed the ramp falling away behind them, she was pushed back into the seat as three times Earth's gravity came down on her. She had never felt anything like it in her life, she couldn't help but giggle as she watched the Earth's surface fall farther and farther behind them. Then, just as soon as it had started, it stopped. She was in space, not the upper atmosphere, but honest to Goddess space.

Aria's hair began to float up around her as gravity's pull began to lessen and she had to resist the urge to reach down and flip the catch on her seat-belt and float free in the cabin. During the preflight safety briefing her and her fellow passengers had been expressly forbidden from doing so, but she almost couldn't resist. Almost. She loosened her seat-belt so she could float a little while still being tied to her seat and put in her earbuds. Watching out the window as she enjoyed her music, she thought forward to what the weekend would bring.

As she floated against the loose seat-belt she couldn't help but feel a bit nervous. She felt like she knew what to expect with the trip, but there was always the chance for the unexpected. She had always been one to more or less go with the flow as long as things were safe, and it seemed like things would be safe at the resort. So, she guessed she would just go with the flow and see where this adventure took her.

Before she knew, the shuttle was beginning the gentle roll onto its back in order to dock with the resort. She reached into her lap to tighten the belt and pull herself back down against the seat cushion. The cabin attendants came down the aisle leaning into each pod in first class, making sure that the passengers were secure in their seats before the shuttle docked.

A little shudder passed through the craft letting her know that they had docked. Minutes later the shuttle crew welcomed them to The Sun Dome via the intercom. As the passengers filtered out of the shuttle she stood and pulled on her backpack. She was startled to notice that gravity had returned and she felt as if she were standing on earth's surface once more.

She stepped out of the Jetway into the resort and was greeted by a warm tropical breeze that pushed a contented sigh from her as it washed over her body. A soft, pleasant tropical tune was coming from a band somewhere out of sight and a small greeting party was dropping lei's around the necks of the departing passengers.

A tall, muscular, and tanned man dropped a flowery lei around her neck and gently shook her hand. She had just enough time to look for a sign pointing to baggage claim when she heard a feminine voice call her name. Looked around and noticed an elegant woman in a long floral dress holding a sign that read "Starling."

The woman approached her, reaching out to shake her hand. "Good evening, Ms. Starling. Welcome to The Sun Dome. My name is Elysia, and I will be your concierge during your stay with us."

"Elysia, it's nice to meet you. You're the one that sent me the invitation, right?" Aria asked.

"That's correct, this is my avatar here at the resort. If you would please come with me, I will show you to your room. Your baggage should be arriving there shortly," Elysia gestured as she turned and began walking through the concourse.

As they moved through the sprawling lobby Elysia ran through the long list of amenities available to Aria during her stay. The list was nothing short impressive including just about everything she could think of from spa service, to sports facilities, to dining, and more than a few boutique options for sexual recreation. After twenty minutes or so, they arrived at her room. Elysia handed her small device similar to her slate, but about the size of the palm of her hand.

"This is your access key for everything here at the resort. You will also find that your key contains all of the information that you will need during your stay. Should you need anything at all, you can use it to contact me. I am happy to help with anything that you may need. I am here to serve" Elysia explained. "In the meantime, please take your time in getting comfortable here. I will leave you, now. Your baggage has been delivered and unpacked for you. Your clothing should be in the dresser and closet. If there is anything at all that we can do to make you more comfortable here, please don't hesitate to reach out to me."

"Thank you, Elysia. I'll be in touch" Aria answered, approaching the door as she watched the elegant figure retreat down the hall.

She was all but dumbstruck as the door slid open revealing an expansive room with an enormous bed that would easily accommodate four people. The dresser and view screen were across from the foot of the bed as well as a walk in closet opposite the bathroom. She set her backpack down next to the dresser and looked into the bathroom. One entire wall was taken up by a large walk in shower and she was happy to find a massive sunken tub opposite the door. She noticed that her makeup bag and other toiletries had been laid out in the usual places on the bathroom counter.

She went to the side of the bed and slid a hand over the silk sheets and comfortable pillows. Her room was absolutely breathtaking. If this was the room, what was the rest of the resort going to be like? She sat on the bed and slid her sandals off enjoying the feel of the plush carpet on her bare feet. As she looked around the room, she felt her access device buzz on the bed next to her. There was a message informing her that a dinner was being held by her group in an hour with dancing and drinks to follow.

She went to the closet and took a short black backless dress from a hangar and headed for the bathroom pausing to get a black lacy thong and bra from the dresser. She spent the next thirty minutes or so showering off the grime of the flight, dressing and doing her makeup. She shimmied into her dress and admired how it fell around her curves. She loved this dress for the way it showed off her hips and butt. The hem fell just below the tops of her thighs. Emery had always called it her "come-fuck-me dress." And if Aria was honest, Emery was right. She was in a resort known across the galaxy as a haven for humans and xenos alike to have fun and play in the sun. She was here to have fun, and if she got laid then she got laid. This wasn't a place to worry about what the folks back home would think.

Aria left her room, walking down the hall to the bank of elevators. The warm air teasing its way across her exposed back and shoulders made her increasingly aware of her body. She felt good in her skin in a way that she hadn't in a little while. As she stepped into the elevator she felt that she was in for a fun night.

The elevator doors seemed to open again as soon as they closed. As she stepped into the corridor, she was met by Elysia.

"Good Evening, Aria, I hope the room is to your liking" Elysia stated.

"It's amazing, thank you so much. I was just on my way to the dinner that you told me about." Aria answered, before continuing. "It's just down here, isn't it?"

"Yes, Ms. Starling. It's down this corridor and to the left, it's being hosted in the Infinity Vista Lounge." The agent gestured down the hall as Aria thanked her and set off in that direction.

As Aria approached the door to the lounge she could hear soft music and the low murmur of mingling voices drifting out into the hall. She felt her nerves creep up into her stomach a little as she rounded a final corner and stepped towards the door.

She approached the doorman and gave her name. After leaving her purse and access device with the coat check she was gently ushered to a large dining area filled with about a dozen people. She was slightly startled to hear the doorman next to her clear his throat and loudly call, "Introducing, Ms. Aria Starling."

Her cheeks flushed as every person in the room paused for a moment before raising a welcoming glass in her direction. There was no doubt that this was the right place. As the doorman turned away to take his place at the entrance, a young blonde woman in a navy blue floor length dress approached. She had a human male of about the same age on her arm, dressed in a rather stunning black English cut suit.

"Ms. Starling? My name is Quinn. It's so nice to finally meet you," the young woman offered timidly.

"Quinn, please call me Aria. It's wonderful to meet you as well. This place is stunning. I can't thank you all enough for inviting me here" she answered reaching to shake Quinn's hand.

"Honey, aren't you going to introduce us?" A tall, dark, and handsome offered gently. His voice was deep and strong, but still had a soft quality that saved it from being intimidating.

"Of course, baby. Please forgive me, Aria, this is my partner Sebastian. Sebastian? Aria Starling" she continued playfully, "this is a bit of TMI, but I have to thank you for changing our lives. We read Lunar Lovebound together and I swear the Goddess he took notes or something. He was like a new man, we just about broke our bed after we finished that one."

"That's not too much information, at all. That's part of why I write, I love the idea of people spicing up their lives with my work. Thank you so much!" Aria replied.

That was no joke either, she had always been turned on by the idea that people fed their sexual fantasies and play from her work. And the idea of Sebastian and Quinn's gorgeous bodies writhing against one another like a pair of new lovers after finishing her book had a familiar warmth growing low in her abdomen.