Built years before by a contracting firm from Xmas Island, the large building resembled an aircraft hangar, except that it was located at the end of a long pier. Like many of the buildings in the port city of Son Tay, the Scream Hall was painted in garish hot orange. The dozen flags ringing its curved roof was of the same color, as was the bunting running all along its trim. These ornaments had been added just that morning, in preparation for the celebration scheduled at the large hall that night. Next to the orange building were two barges, each supporting a huge crane. These machines were in constant use, keeping the surrounding port area deep enough to carry the huge Asian Mercenary Cult battleships which called with increasing frequency these days. The cranes too were painted hot orange. Beside the crane barges was a strip of docks holding facilities large enough to handle up to 100 vessels. These docks were full. They were playing host to vessels of all shapes and sizes, from junks to seagoing luxury yachts.
