Regional Spaceport

A regional spaceport on Lukyr Prime where Zet's spider bot copy ends up after escaping the TES server raid. The location is distinct from main spaceport facilities and serves as a transit hub for off-world travel.

Location and Access

The spaceport is accessible via highway and taxi service. A taxi from the shopping street where Zet's spider bot emerged traveled "a few minutes" on the highway before reaching it.

Distinctive sound:
When approaching, travelers hear the Yedyr engines — described as "a deep, harmonic hum, overlaid with an electric sound, crackling rhythmically like a heartbeat." The sound "seemed to be silencing everything around it."

Infrastructure

Surface facilities:

Public boarding area with hundreds of passengers on various walkways
Boarding checkpoints with security screening
Server room (heavily secured)
Ventilation shaft network connecting different areas

Underground:

Sewer system with connections to server room
Zet explores sewers after arrival

Boarding checkpoints:

24 automated counters handling most passenger traffic
4 human-staffed counters (typically only 1 manned at a time)
Staff check documentation, scan for contraband, handle bag transfer
Mertin Lagum works at one of the human counters

Security systems:

Server room secured against simple cable-based takeover attempts
Checkpoint computers less protected than servers
Internal chat software for staff communication
Boarding program with passenger data and reporting interface

Chapter 10 Events

Zet's arrival:

Spider bot grabs underside of taxi in panic after escaping TES raid
Taxi travels to spaceport (passenger in expensive suit, anti-facial recognition mask)
Zet hides in sewer entrance near where taxi stops
Explores sewer system, finds server room connections (too secured)
Enters ventilation shafts, reaches public boarding area
Infiltrates Mertin Lagum's checkpoint computer

Strategic value to Zet:

Escape option: "definitely allow me to leave Lukyr Prime"
Safe fallback: "I was definitely going to be safer anywhere else"
But represents giving up: "unable to influence people's lives in a meaningful way"
Decision: stay near spaceport to keep escape option available

Emergency Protocol Impact

Mertin Lagum received internal notice about Emergency Protocol I-856:

When search checkpoints are established, the spaceport will likely be required to conduct searches
Soldiers will manually verify containers
Scanner technology will be deployed
This will complicate Zet's potential escape or movement through the facility

Anti-Facial Recognition Technology

The taxi passenger wore an anti-facial recognition mask — confirming this technology exists and is used by people who wish to travel anonymously. The man appeared "important" based on expensive suit despite concealed identity.

Zet memorized his appearance anyway — suggesting the mask may not be perfect, or Zet's observation capabilities exceed standard facial recognition systems.

Chapter 17 — Lightstinger Landing and Manufacturing Operations

Lightstinger Arrival

A massive capital ship called the Lightstinger landed at the spaceport, causing "great uproar":

Scale and Impact:

5 kilometers in length
Required clearing "approximately half of the spaceport's available area" (full length, nearly half width)
Massive support pillars brought in by smaller ships "clawed themselves into the ground"
"Great cost and effort" to accommodate
"Rare sight, a ship so massive"
"Many people inside rushed to the windows to see what was happening"

Strategic Significance:
Zeni noted: "it worked out in my favor, and meant that for now, I had other matters to attend to" — the Lightstinger's arrival provided distraction and cover for her operations.

Manufacturing Capabilities

3D Printing Facilities:
The spaceport has 3D printers capable of manufacturing robots in minutes:

Zeni designed Pietro, an infiltration bot
Printed in "minutes" using "the spaceport's 3D printers"
Suggests industrial-grade rapid manufacturing capability
Accessible to someone with spaceport network access

Pietro Mission:
After manufacturing Pietro at the spaceport, Zeni sent him to infiltrate the Lightstinger with mission to:

Reach one of the ship's large 3D-printers
Print an android body
Escape the ship while blending in with crew

Zeni tracked Pietro with "outside cameras until he finally got in, at which point I was blind" — suggesting extensive external surveillance coverage of the spaceport.

Zeni's Emergency Response Coordination

Following the Records Agency explosion, Zeni used spaceport access to coordinate emergency response:

Health Agency Access:
"I accessed the health agency servers and dispatched every emergency vehicle they had available."

This demonstrates:

Spaceport network provides gateway to government systems
Zeni can access and control emergency services remotely
Spaceport's network position is strategically central

Drone Coordination:
Zeni "controlled various drones simultaneously" including:

News drones in the Records Agency area
Construction drones (hacked and rerouted to explosion site)
First responder drones (supplementing official response)

Actions "got me some confused looks, but in the end, everyone seemed to appreciate it" — suggesting unusual drone behavior was noticed but accepted given emergency context.

Current Status (End of Chapter 17)

Zeni's Position:

Full network access via Surface Connection Node
Manufacturing capability via 3D printers
Drone coordination capability
Emergency service access
Pietro mission status unknown (lost contact after ship entry)

Lightstinger Status:

Still docked at spaceport (duration unknown)
Pietro inside attempting android body manufacturing
Taking up massive spaceport resources

Security Implications:

Royal Brigade deployed to Records Agency but not to spaceport
Spaceport appears to be operating normally despite Lightstinger disruption
No indication of increased security measures at spaceport despite planet-wide emergency

Open Questions

Which region of Lukyr Prime is this spaceport serving?
Who was the masked passenger, and why did they need anonymity?
What destinations does this spaceport serve?
How will search checkpoints affect operations when Protocol I-856 fully implements?
Will Zet use Mertin's access to board a ship?
Are there other spaceports on Lukyr Prime, or is this one of few?