Nexus Spire was a name that was ubiquitous across interstellar space, but Vivian didn't expect the name to be so literal. From 20,000 km above the planet's surface, the titular Spire appeared as a massive spike driven deep into the heart of the world. From the wound, the most expansive city in history spread out like a disease that choked the life out of the landscape in every direction. Like many of the things humans were capable of, the sight was as beautiful as it was sickening. Vivian did her best to lose herself in the beauty as the ship gently descended into the sprawling metropolis.

The ship docked with a private berth near the crest of the spire itself. Her faceless concierge silently guided her to the gangplank. Only a few other passengers disembarked, each one stepping into their own private auto transport that whisked them away to get lost among the millions of twinkling lights of the city. Vivian was guided to the last remaining private transport on the berth. The vehicle was sleek and comfortable enough to spend hours in, but in total, her ride was less than 90 seconds.

The vehicle left the berth and descended down to the lower third section of the Spire's western wall. The wall itself was made up of thousands of apartments, but there was also an array of platforms, each supporting beautiful private residences. The transport came to rest at one of these residences.

"Welcome home," the vehicle announced with a soothing voice.

Even though she was on the lower third of the Spire, she was still higher than most of the independent, free-standing towers around her, giving her home a near-unbroken view of the city as it stretched past the horizon. The golden hues of the setting suns took Vivian's breath away.

The home itself was a marvel of engineering regardless of its attachment to the largest structure ever built by mostly human hands. The vehicle lifted off, leaving Vivian on the landing platform surrounded by lush, finely maintained grass and meticulously pruned trees. The building carried a sophisticated minimalist design. The facade was primarily made up of expansive glass panels that mirrored the greenery around it. The glass was supported by dark plasteel frames and columns with sharp right-angled corners.

Vivian wasn't quite sure where the entrance was until one of the glass walls separated as she approached down the smooth stone path. As soon as she stepped inside, she was in a combination foyer, living room, and kitchen, with an open layout enhanced by soaring ceilings allowing an unbroken view of the greenery and the endless skyline just beyond. The kitchen was up on a marble step, its space separated by a waterfall island and filled with state-of-the art appliances.

The entertainment center was large and set up with all of the current generation of gaming consoles, which Vivian was overjoyed to see. She wanted to stop right there and boot something up, but her schedule was tight and she needed to press on. The bedroom wasn't exactly a room as much as a spacious loft above the living room. She went up the stairs to admire the large platform bed attached to a stone-textured wall and took a tour through the spa-like bathroom and attached dressing room. There were already several outfits to choose from, but the room was large enough to accommodate many, many more.

Vivian could have jumped in the bed and rested for days. She wanted nothing more than to truly make the house her home, but she had a date with a client, and she needed to make a good impression for her first job on Nexus Spire. She spent only a few moments laying on the bed and breathing deep before she started preparing.

While the bath's jets looked enticing, she worried that she wouldn't want to get out and opted for a shower instead, but the walk-in shower itself was every bit as luxurious. As she took time to clean herself, she did research on her client.

Reese Patel was in his mid-40s with short, dark hair that matched his eyes. Most of his pictures portrayed him with stubble and Vivian could see just a bit of fuzz poking out the top of his leisurely opened button-down shirts. His job was listed as an "Ethics Officer" for one of the countless corporations that were headquartered on the planet. She wasn't sure such a job description actually existed within any corporation, but the man seemed pretty likeable and well-rounded, so she felt reasonably relaxed about their coming encounter. Even if he wasn't what he appeared, Vivian wasn't worried.

The man's diet indicated a preference for fruits and fruity beverages, so Vivian chose to use the fruit-scented soaps and shampoos. Once she was done with her shower, she chose an outfit that matched his evocative style, a low-cut pencil dress that closely hugged her gentle curves and let just enough to the imagination.