@Collecting Pool: Thanks! I've never really considered writing fiction as a career option. I do write technical documents for a living, but never thought of myself as anything in terms of serious fiction. I don't know if I've got the patience to work out a whole plot line. At this point, I'm just whipping up these little micro stories for the SG releases.

@bowpow: Thanks!

@ambihead: Indeed! It's hard to let go of a good rolling waltz. :)

@yellow.seven: I bet you say that to all the girls.

@Donald Gisbey: If you think that's freaky, you should have seen the after party!

@magmablood: Thanks!

Artist: Metaspace KrU (SG2 - a division of Spaceship Graveyard)

A food hydration system obtained from a recent salvage mission had been purchased by the New Caesars Palace orbital space resort and required immediate delivery. The resort would be hosting this year's Alien Space Ball and they were running behind schedule when their hydration unit suddenly imploded, leaving the caterers in something of a pickle. With no time to source, purchase and install a new unit, the nearest alternative was the SG salvaged unit which was being stored at a nearby warehouse station. A two member crew were dispatched to pick up the unit and deliver it to the resort. The crew were looking forward to checking out this new space resort as it had been widely promoted as the most elegant and well appointed facility in the sector. It had quickly become the "in" place for alien elite to gather and indulge. When the crew arrived, they took the opportunity to give themselves a brief self guided tour of the main public and social areas. The reputation the resort had gathered was certainly well earned. The main spaces were grand and extravagant, equipped with the latest materials and technologies. In the main ballroom, the crew could see alien dancers rehearsing. Their tentacles glided across the mirror finished floors while intricate lazier light effects skipped around the room, creating psychedelic patterns on every surface. Hovering projector drones shone strange and incredible images onto transparent moving screens which rotated in concentric circles above the dancers. After being mesmerized by this sight for a few minutes, the crew realized they'd better get back to the task at hand as they knew some very anxious staff were awaiting the replacement unit they had brought. Moving around to the aft section of the station, they entered into the service section and began working their way down into the galley. This part of the resort stood in stark contrast to the public areas. The galley area in particular was most oppressive of all with the heat and intense humidity being generated from the food preparation machinery. During the late 20th and early 21st centuries of Earth, people had felt great concern over globalized economies driving down work standards and wages due to competition from poor, third world countries. This was only a glimpse of what would happen once interstellar travel and contact with alien species became the norm. If humans were willing to work cheap, aliens were willing to do work for practically nothing and endure the most horrific of conditions. This drove down the working standards to virtual slave levels. It was not uncommon for serious injury and death to occur on a daily basis. Body disposal systems became a standard part of every industrial operation. Poorly trained workers were constantly subjected to repetitious instructional recordings while they performed their duties. The galley at the New Caesars was no exception. The crew made no delay in getting the replacement hydrator installed so they could get out of there as quickly as possible. Within the few minutes they were there, at least three aliens lost tentacles while tending various machinery. It is only fortunate that these aliens are able to regenerate limbs.