glittering black of the void beyond.
"Me and Lan will share, the rest of you bunk up," Prez said. "I'm going to check some things out, so see you all later for dinner. And... mukkesh !"
The others saluted cheerfully and went into their quarters. Through the wall, Lan could hear them jumping on the beds and talking loudly in their compound language. He sat on the bed and rubbed his stomach, wondering why he still had that feeling -- it was almost like nausea, but not quite. Perhaps he was getting sick. He checked the InfoCon screen and discovered that there was a doctor on the third level of the trade area. He made an appointment for the following day and lay down on the bed, pondering what it was that Prez had to check out. The bedcovers looked inviting, and Lan threw off his robes and slipped in between them, rubbing his belly until he drifted off to sleep.
***
The restaurant was dimly lit inside, the metal walls adorned with Belaari trinkets and artwork. Triangular paintings, brightly colored and abstract. The tables were wooden like the snugs that surrounded them, giving the diners -- and there weren't many -- some privacy. There was a large jug of mukkesh waiting on the table and a card that read "Compliments of Kai".
Prez eased himself into the seat and looked at the display screen on the wall ahead. It was muted, showing some boring fashion show with bald-headed Andran females modeling the latest in swimwear. He rested his head against the partition and closed his eyes, listening to the piped music, a melancholy Belaari operatic aria -- the usual dreadful screeching.
There'd been no record of any Malaihans on the station for at least three months, so Flack would have to wait. He'd also looked up the sports facilities, but they were all built to fit the Belaari physique. He didn't fancy making a fool of himself in the gym again, getting flung off treadmills and struggling to lift weights that the Belaari could pick up with one hand. Then a name on the list of business had caught his eye -- Vartis' Massage Salon . He smiled to himself. Maybe that was the place to get some exercise instead.
Glitch, Kris and Vaxel arrived not long after. Judging by their glassy eyes and euphoric state, they had not waited for him to buy their first drinks. They sat down, talking all at once. Glitch had changed her hair from yellow to various stripes of blue and silver, and she smelled of summer fruit shampoo. "Like it?" she said, patting the spikes. "Kris did it for me, for Kiz-Mah ."
"A Citizen's haircut," Prez said, grinning, and poured four glasses of mukkesh . "First round is on Kai, apparently. Cheers."
They clinked the glasses together. "Cheers!" Kris said. "Man, I could get used to this Belaari hospitality. Makes a change from them treating us like shit."
"Indeed," Vaxel gulped at his drink and let out a hearty belch. "This is how the other half live, my friends."
"I doubt if the other half live quite like you do," Glitch said, fanning Vaxel's burp away from her face. "Where's Lan? I was looking forward to a chat, and I've got a ton of beads for him. He's a great listener, you know. Great guy."
Prez looked at his watch. "He said he was coming. Still, let's order. I'm starving."
The menu was the usual fusion Belaari dishes with an Andran twist with a grill that offered many types of exotic fish and meats ranging from bloody to burnt. There was a mouth-watering smell floating around, sweet and nutty. "I'll have whatever that smell is," Prez said to the sour-faced waitress, and the others followed suit. Then they polished off the mukkesh and ordered another jug. Lan had still not arrived and Prez felt slightly disappointed through the haze of alcohol that was starting to cloud his vision.
"So what's he like to work with?" Vaxel said.
"Lan? He's very competent."
"I think it's creepy the way their eyes move around separately," Kris said. "Like one's on you all the time."
Vaxel drained his glass and took the jug, topping
"Me and Lan will share, the rest of you bunk up," Prez said. "I'm going to check some things out, so see you all later for dinner. And... mukkesh !"
The others saluted cheerfully and went into their quarters. Through the wall, Lan could hear them jumping on the beds and talking loudly in their compound language. He sat on the bed and rubbed his stomach, wondering why he still had that feeling -- it was almost like nausea, but not quite. Perhaps he was getting sick. He checked the InfoCon screen and discovered that there was a doctor on the third level of the trade area. He made an appointment for the following day and lay down on the bed, pondering what it was that Prez had to check out. The bedcovers looked inviting, and Lan threw off his robes and slipped in between them, rubbing his belly until he drifted off to sleep.
***
The restaurant was dimly lit inside, the metal walls adorned with Belaari trinkets and artwork. Triangular paintings, brightly colored and abstract. The tables were wooden like the snugs that surrounded them, giving the diners -- and there weren't many -- some privacy. There was a large jug of mukkesh waiting on the table and a card that read "Compliments of Kai".
Prez eased himself into the seat and looked at the display screen on the wall ahead. It was muted, showing some boring fashion show with bald-headed Andran females modeling the latest in swimwear. He rested his head against the partition and closed his eyes, listening to the piped music, a melancholy Belaari operatic aria -- the usual dreadful screeching.
There'd been no record of any Malaihans on the station for at least three months, so Flack would have to wait. He'd also looked up the sports facilities, but they were all built to fit the Belaari physique. He didn't fancy making a fool of himself in the gym again, getting flung off treadmills and struggling to lift weights that the Belaari could pick up with one hand. Then a name on the list of business had caught his eye -- Vartis' Massage Salon . He smiled to himself. Maybe that was the place to get some exercise instead.
Glitch, Kris and Vaxel arrived not long after. Judging by their glassy eyes and euphoric state, they had not waited for him to buy their first drinks. They sat down, talking all at once. Glitch had changed her hair from yellow to various stripes of blue and silver, and she smelled of summer fruit shampoo. "Like it?" she said, patting the spikes. "Kris did it for me, for Kiz-Mah ."
"A Citizen's haircut," Prez said, grinning, and poured four glasses of mukkesh . "First round is on Kai, apparently. Cheers."
They clinked the glasses together. "Cheers!" Kris said. "Man, I could get used to this Belaari hospitality. Makes a change from them treating us like shit."
"Indeed," Vaxel gulped at his drink and let out a hearty belch. "This is how the other half live, my friends."
"I doubt if the other half live quite like you do," Glitch said, fanning Vaxel's burp away from her face. "Where's Lan? I was looking forward to a chat, and I've got a ton of beads for him. He's a great listener, you know. Great guy."
Prez looked at his watch. "He said he was coming. Still, let's order. I'm starving."
The menu was the usual fusion Belaari dishes with an Andran twist with a grill that offered many types of exotic fish and meats ranging from bloody to burnt. There was a mouth-watering smell floating around, sweet and nutty. "I'll have whatever that smell is," Prez said to the sour-faced waitress, and the others followed suit. Then they polished off the mukkesh and ordered another jug. Lan had still not arrived and Prez felt slightly disappointed through the haze of alcohol that was starting to cloud his vision.
"So what's he like to work with?" Vaxel said.
"Lan? He's very competent."
"I think it's creepy the way their eyes move around separately," Kris said. "Like one's on you all the time."
Vaxel drained his glass and took the jug, topping
Similar Books
