We'll let Captain Kay tell the story - she does it so well!!
Captain Kay waited anxiously for her commanders to arrive. She’d gone over-budget and taken weeks longer to build her ice rink than they’d allowed. But it wasn’t all her fault, the clones had spent too much time pawing over her to get much work done…. And, besides, Kay was still in the process of getting all the glitches worked out in her new residence in Gee’s Guest House.
But now the time had come and the building was done. She had contacted her commanders and told them to come for a guided tour, which they agreed to do. Now the day was here and Kay scurried the rest of the clones away from her as she saw two figures approaching. She straightened up and smiled at the two carefully, saluting them when they got close enough.
"General Spadershanks, Colonel Nepi," Kay nodded respectfully, "Welcome to ‘Kay’s Ice Palace’, hopefully the newest edition to our little gutter world. I know it’s taken a while but I’d be happy to take you on the tour of the completed building now, if that’s ok."
"Of course, lead away." Colonel Nepi extended her hand and Kay turned. She walked ahead as Nepi and General Spadershanks slowly followed behind, looking all around and listening as Kay described her creation.
"This building is actually quite large. It’s got 22 levels in total, with 6 different sections of seating."
Kay began pointing through the windows overlooking the rink. "The gold and green seats are the best obviously. And there’s a section up top for press, for whoever records and reports on the games. To the left is the restaurant, which we’ll get to soon. Please follow me."
The three of them walked through the fancy halls with high ceilings and elegantly decorated concession stands. Clones milled about, quietly watching them go by, and Nepi smiled at them before turning to look out over the rink again. The painted circles were blue with red dots in the middle. The ice surface was perfectly smooth, as if they had just ran a zambonie over it.
Kay led her commanders around the side and rode the elevator up a few floors. Once the elevator stopped, she brought them into the restaurant, which also looked over the ice surface so anybody could eat or drink while watching the games.
The restaurant was beautiful, with white clothes and napkins covering the tables. There were also candles and wine glasses near the center of each table. Clone waiters in tuxedos (some forgetting their shirts and just wearing the bowtie and black pants) walked around, making minor adjustments to make sure everything was perfect.
"We’ve got all the best food here, whatever you want." Kay announced proudly. "We’re still looking for a head chef, but the kitchen is ready and fully staffed. People can sit and eat up here while the game is going on or even afterwards if they want. It’s a good place to bring a party."
Nepi looked at General Spadershanks and they nodded at each other. After looking around the large restaurant for a while, Kay led them back out into the hallway. As they walke,d Kay told them a few more minor points about the building, which was seeming more and more spectacular to the two commanders.
"The ice surface doesn’t just have to be for hockey," Kay explained, "If we don’t paint the ice it becomes great for just normal public skating so anybody can come and skate around when there are not games on. It also can be used for figure skating if that’s what’s desired. That’s why I’m calling it "Kay’s Ice Palace" and not Kay’s hockey rink. Although it will probably mostly be used for the teams, it has a number of functions for everyone here in the Gutter."
Kay brought Nepi and the General up another floor in the massive complex and showed them over to a row of three doors.
"These are the three specialty boxes people can reserve and just relax in while watching the action." she explained, motioning to all of the doors. She walked to the first door and pulled it open, letting her two commanders walk in first.
This room was small, about half the size of the restaurant, but impressive nonetheless. One wall was completely taken up by a spectacular bar that shone with new polish. On the hardwood floors were high tables with stools where people could sit and drink. Beside that was a living room set of blue furniture and a table. Plants decorated the room and flowers in a vase sat in the middle of the table. The wall beside all of this was made up entirely of glass so anybody in this box could just turn their head, whether reading, talking, relaxing or drinking, and see what was going on on the ice surface at any time.
"This box is for people who want a more ‘homey’ feel when they watch the games," Kay explained as she showed them around. "They can sit in the living room and talk or sit at the tables or whatever they want."
"Very impressive," Nepi commented, "Now what about the other boxes?"
Kay smiled and walked back out into the hallway, aware that her commanders were following close behind. She went to the second door and pulled it open, this time walking in first. Nepi and General Spadershanks talked alone for a minute in the hall before following her into the second box.
This box definitely didn’t have the quiet feel that the first box did. It was more of a club setting, with many pool tables and activities to play. The floors were covered with a blue carpet. Another bar lined one of the walls, like the first bar, but this one had comfy chairs instead of stools and was made of wood. It didn’t sparkle like the first one, it was made for people who just wanted to drink and play pool while they watched the games. Again, one of the walls was a window to see anything that was going on down on the ice surface below.
"This second box is my personal favorite," Kay smiled again, "It’s the play room. You can enjoy a few good games as you watch the ice surface, or you can even come up here and just hang out when there’s nothing going on, or before or after an event. It’s open 24 hours a day and is the perfect place to have some ‘social’ time with your clones…. If that’s what you want."
Nepi took a few minutes to look around then turned back to Captain Kay. "I like it. What about the last box?"
Again, the three GGC officers went out into the hall. Kay pulled the door to the second box closed behind her and led them down and around another corner. The General and Nepi spoke quietly to themselves as they walked but abruptly stopped when Kay paused in front of another blue door. She waited for them then led them inside the third and final box that had been completed.
This box was smaller than the others and longer. It had a more ‘gentlemen’s club’ feel to it, as the room was dark brown and had a beige carpet with a decorative rug over it. There was a computerised service terminal where you could order food or drinks from concession stands or the restaurant for delivery, but there was no formal bar like in the other two. Stools lined the window where you could look out over the ice surface, and also along the adjoining wall. There were TVs all around the ceiling for those who didn’t want to look out the window and watch what was doing on, or for those who missed something.
"This is just another small box for the overflow of people I know we’re going to get in here," Kay explained, "It’s less-sophisticated but fun and very comfortable. You can get food and stuff delivered here. And the TVs are a great addition in case you’re too . . . busy . . . to watch the entire game, or if you wanted to flip to something else during intermissions and things like that. The clones like this box."
"It’s cute," Nepi walked to the back of the room and hopped up on one of the bar stools, "I like it. Now maybe we can talk about some of the details about how the hockey teams are going to work."
General Spadershanks obediently walked up and sat beside the Colonel on the next bar stool. Kay chose to stand in front of them and waited as her two commanders discussed some things to themselves before addressing her.
Captain Kay explained the workings of the Ice Palace Gutter Hockey League while her commanders listened intently.
"Ok. And the other events take place when the games aren’t going on I take it?" Nepi wondered when the discussion was done, and Kay nodded.
"That’s what I’m hoping."
"Then I think everything is in order. It looks like this place is ready to be officially presented." Nepi began smiling again.
"I agree." Kay nodded. "You can present it to the rest of the staff in any way you like, I hope this tour has been enough help for you. If you have any further suggestions I’d be glad to work them in."
"I may have some suggestions later but for now this is good." Both Nepi and the General stood and shook Kay’s hand. "This is great Captain. I look forward to putting this all together and hosting the party with you."
"Thank you Colonel, thank you General. I’m looking forward to the big party too." Kay shook both of their hands and couldn’t stop smiling with relief. After a little more chatter, Kay showed both of them back to the front door and they left while discussing the final details.