Chapter 2: Shinrin-Yoku

“My name is Hana by the way! I’m a teamaker and I’m opening a Chashitsu for this outpost!” Hana proclaimed as she faced LeBlanche.

He smirked a confused grin and looked at her stone teapot.

“Interesting. Never had tea before,” he responded anticlimactically.

“Nani?” was all Hana could mutter.

LeBlanche chuckled to himself and shifted his duffle bag over his shoulder.

“It’s like coffee isn’t it? Hot water with stuff in it?”

Hana’s eyebrow twitched. She took a brief moment to gather her thoughts before responding.

“It’s a little more than that. There are varieties of leaves, and temperatures, and the entire experience is a ceremony.”

The rail drifted into another station and glided to a halt. Enormous pylons rose above them and buttressed a single gargantuan skyscraper.

“Sector Two. Business District” signaled the robotic voice from the rail’s speakers.

Hana observed the skyscaper’s tower, which stretched up to near the ceiling of the dome.Thousands of windows lined the building’s massive exterior. For a moment, she almost forgot about LeBlanche’s tea-less palette. Almost.

“Well, once I’m set up, I expect you to come by and have tea with me. I’d be truly honored to serve you your first cup.” she said.

He smiled a boyish smile that caused the lines along his eyes to squint. She noticed his salt and pepper beard for the first time.

“The honor would be mine, ma’am.”

Turns and elevation changes blended together as the rail zipped across the rocky surface of the asteroid. Blinking caution lights strobed beside them as the carts moved from station to station.

In time, they reached Sector Six. LeBlanche was resting against the wall, one knee bent and foot pressed behind him, eyes closed. Before even hearing the station alert, his eyes opened and he gathered himself. Once more he looked to Hana.

“Sector Seven then. I’ll come see you one day. What’s your shop’s name then?” he asked.

“Shinrin-Yoku Chashitsu,” she replied with a proud smile.

“I’m gonna need you to spell that one for me,” he laughed.

“Well, I imagine I’ll be the only tea shop on this colony. No, I KNOW I’m the only teashop on this colony. So I won’t be hard to find,” she laughed back to him.

Days of presenting her case for opening the first colony chashitsu were distant memories now, though it was only months ago. Memories of rapid change. Memories she wanted to move forward from and forget.

LeBlanche faced her and bowed as the rail doors opened, revealing the narrow roads of multi-story worker housing behind him. With that, he exited and disappeared from her sight.

“He was… nice actually,” Hana said to herself.

Power hummed and the rail tram accelerated. Sector Seven was next. As the tram drifted along, Hana soaked it all in for the first time. Conversation had been pleasant and helped her integrate into the immediate change of environment, but quiet moments alone now allowed her to feel the feelings fluttering through her essence. Feelings of joy, nervousness, sleepiness, restlessness, uncertainty, wonder, isolation, loneliness, happiness, and hunger all drifted through her being in equal measure. She welcomed every feeling and let them stay until they were ready to depart. Nervousness and wonder were the most prevalent guests to remain as the speaker activated again to announce the tram’s arrival at the sector that would now be her home for the next twenty-five years.

“Sector Seven: Goods and Services” announced that automated system.

She had made it. After months of pitching her vision, awaiting bureaucratic approval, securing travel visas, receiving proper immunotherapy, ordering supplies, designing space, and traveling across the stars, she had made it. The doors opened and she stepped out.

Workers and merchants walked along the narrow street that met the edge of the station. Neon projections peered out over storefronts and service kiosks. Three-dimensional holograms of looping animations fought for her attention as she walked along her way. Music drifted from open doorways. Trash collection automatons hoisted barrels of materials to be hauled to disposal cannons and recycling compactors.Hana was enthralled. Even across the void of space, the energy of people ignited a sensational joy for existence within her that she was afraid was going to be stuck in Kyoto. Yet there it was, pulsing in her chest as adrenaline circulated with every breath and new sight.

She turned down a few more streets and there was the culinary district, where she was to be stationed. Planning and Implementation Ordinances designated that each terrestrial colony should have sectors divided by worker responsibilities, for ease of mass production. Within each section, certain occupants were expected and consistent across all colonies, such as medical stations, engineers, service automatons, education institutions and more. But the culinary districts varied based on availability. Every colony had a standard food hall with key restaurants designed to replicate numerous demographic and ethnic backgrounds. Manufactured ingredients were created in the factories of Sector Four, and hydroponic labs grew fresh produce.

Remaining vacancies were open to merchants willing to sign long term contracts. Twenty-five years, just like the workers. On Earth, those who agreed to give up the comfort of terran existence in favor of rockside life in the colonies were awarded and treated as honorable servants of humanity. Class and income divides no longer existed. All basic needs were met across the world without exploitation. Those that went rockside gained special privileges beyond that, such as expanded meal credits for their families for three generations, abolished criminal records, and premium home locations. Hana simply wanted a new adventure beyond the world she knew. So she pitched her idea of a chashitsu in space. When vacant space appeared on the newly built Colony Outpost 1117 and offered her an opening, she accepted immediately.

And now she was here walking towards the storefront that would become hers. The fluttering in her chest increased, and wondrous excitement became all that she felt. Suite 394. Her suite. She closed her eyes and shimmied her shoulders once more with glee. Steps became skips as she reached the service automatons that were unloading her supply requisition. Hana looked up at the metal exterior of her suite. Vertical panels of brushed nickel ran along the sides, harnessed to steel walls of modular unit bases. Junction boxes were open for her display and marketing parts to be connected. The cedar sign she’d requested had already been mounted.

This Chashitsu wasn’t like the standalone, stone-path sites she was used to on Earth, but within the confines of her limitations, she was satisfied with her vision. She reached the automatons and one of them approached her. It was tall, lean with utilitarian workcraft design, yet still humanoid in its design. Two vision cameras were mounted like eyes in the head and glowed frost blue. Speaker holes perforated the lower jaw where lips would be. Its exterior casing was polished steel. Hydraulic pistons fluctuated along its shoulders and elbows as it walked towards her with intention.

“Hana-sama, I am Requisition Automaton 71. You may call me RAM-71. I am the foreman for your buildout.” the automaton said as it bowed.

Its voice was simultaneously masculine and feminine, with a purr of digital synthesizing backing each word.

“Oh, thank you RAM-71. I’ve never worked with an automaton before. Thank you for doing this. I am grateful to you for your help.”

“It is my purpose, and I am grateful to meet you. I am most intrigued by your opening. I scanned memory consensus records within my kind and you are only the fourth tea shop of any time to open within the colonies. I find that very interesting.”

“Well, thank you! Hopefully the workers find it interesting as well!” she said, hoping to sound calm as she addressed the semi-sentient android.

“I cannot speak to human interests or social behavior patterns, but my understanding of the values of connection, hydration, mental reflection, and stress relief for your kind implies that your venture is of great value. We shall do our best to help you create your vision. Please make your way inside.”

RAM-71 bowed and extended its arm towards the door. Hana inhaled deeply and walked forward. She reached the threshold and held her palm to the locking sensor. It unlocked. She closed her eyes and whispered a prayer of gratitude, then stepped into Shinrin-Yoku and the future that awaited her.