The upper command sections had been clean, metallic, and Kharov in design, all harsh angles and heavy doors.
The lower levels were warmer, more humid, and filled with machinery that looked older than the occupation itself.
Water channels ran beneath grated floors, carrying filtered seawater through cooling systems connected to the ocean industries below.
The Vaelari workers gathered in one of the cleared cargo halls.
There were hundreds of them, maybe more in the corridors beyond. Some stood in small family groups, some wore labor harnesses, and others had the blank look of people who had learned not to react too quickly to anything.
When Aurelian entered, the hall quieted.
They passed through several security doors and entered the lower logistics levels. The difference was immediate.
The upper command sections had been clean, metallic, and Kharov in design, all harsh angles and heavy doors.
