Day Twenty Five

You hear music in the background

Interdimensional travel is a very odd experience. For most people, who travel using BIDA approved Gates, it is a perfectly safe way to get from world to world. Getting there, however, is only the beginning.

A new world-hopper should be warned about entering an active Gate: the first step is a doozy. Putting body parts into places that don’t exist on any plane of reality tends to be like that. Just continue walking until you reach the other side. Don’t worry about getting lost- it isn’t possible. Ignore the music you may hear in the background- it is nothing, and will only serve as a distraction. Falling inside a Gate is never a good idea, so you will be wanting to pay attention.

Chances are that you will be traveling through the Hub on your first trip, and likely on subsequent trips unless you have a reason and a pass to use other facilities or you are lucky enough to be one of the being that does not require a Gate to world-hop. If that is the case, why are you taking a Gate in the first place?

The five Gate floors of the Hub span a total of forty-seven acres by the human standard measurement. This does not include the aquatic Gates, which are contained within a series of large tanks set beneath the other floors. The Hub itself has a total of twelve floors that can be accessed by the general public, as well as eight more that are restricted. Travel between the public floors can be done under one’s own steam, by taking an elevator or the stairs, or by paying a small fee for the localized Gates that only open within the building. Travel across a floor can be accomplished by physical locomotion, by hitching a ride with a BIDA transport, on a moving sidewalk, or on one of the private contractors operating on that floor.

Aside from the Gate levels, there are two other floors within the Hub that are of great importance for the new traveler: Customs, and Concealment.

Customs is always busy, always noisy, and always smells funny. The first-time traveler is advised to use one of the standard customs booths, as the quick booths are only quick if you know how customs works. Be prepared to offer up produce for inspection, be scanned for illegal magics, tested for diseases, and to have your records checked in all three worlds. On a good day, a trip through the booth will have ten minutes, plus fifteen to twenty spent standing in line. On a bad day, you may be there for hours. To make the experience as pleasant as possible, look into what is or isn’t allowed in the world you are traveling to.

Concealment is only a necessary stop if your final destination is the Human world. A majority of the human population is unaware of the existence of other worlds, even of the other races sharing their world. Because of this, all non-human entities are required to conceal any features that marks them as something else whenever they are in the presence of humans. Concealment can be as simple as casting a glamour over oneself or as elaborate as wearing prosthetics, amulets, and fake skins. Travelers must pass inspection by a BIDA official before leaving the Hub.

First-time travelers are advised to make the most of their trip and to return safely.