Okay, a dozen units in the row. We’re third from the end; Faith and John are four down. Got it.
Exiting the residential neighborhood took all of a minute, and they entered the town crescent. Perhaps a dozen people moved around, entering and leaving the various buildings. She couldn’t help gawking at the diversity of aliens.
One head.
Two heads.
Red head.
Blue heads.
Red and blue described more than hair. There was a veritable rainbow of skin tones. She spotted aliens with multiple arms, antennae, horns, eyes like flies, and wings. Fortunately, there were no half-man, half-snake Nagarians.
“It looks like the mercantile is still open,” John said. A man resembling a giant stick bug entered the tiny store. “You want to stop in and see what they have for Rusty?”
“That’s a good idea!” Faith said.
“You two go—I’ll save us a table in the mess hall.” She eyed a group of little green men or perhaps women entering the dining facility.
“Thanks! We won’t be long!” Faith said, and they parted company.
Amity surveyed the town as she walked.My gosh this place is small!Work would occupy her days, but then what? Wouldshe and her taciturn husband sit in their cabin and glower at each other all night?That sounds like loads of fun.Again, she wondered what had set him off. They’d seemed to be having a nice conversation.
The mess hall resembled a cafeteria with a buffet line feeding into an open-seating area with long tables arranged in rows. A line snaked to the cashiering booth manned by a gray-scaled man with a jutting lower jaw.
“Amity!”
Startled, she let out a squeak, turning to see Marshall getting up from a bench.
“Oh, you’re here.” She pressed a hand to her chest.
“Seemed like the best place to meet.”
“Uh, yeah.”
“I needed some air,” he said.
We have air in the cabin.She stifled the waspish retort. Much as it would be justified, it wouldn’t help the situation. If the year was going to be bearable at all, they would have to find a way to get along.
“Bragg and Faith didn’t show up?” he asked.
“They did. I offered to get a table while they stopped in at the mercantile. They’re shopping for Rusty.”
“The cat? That’s a priority?”
“They need a litter box for him. Food, too, probably.” She scanned the room. “Looks like we have to go through the line, pay, and get our food before we can get a table.” She eyed the crowded dining room.
“Place is filling up fast. Maybe we should go through the line,” he echoed her thoughts.
“I hate to start eating without them, but that might be best,” she agreed reluctantly. Besides not wanting to be rude to her friends, she’d been counting on them to serve as a buffer between her and Marshall.
They joined the growing queue.
When they got up to the alien cashier, she handed over her card. “What’s on the menu?”
“Horniger for you.” He blinked at her card in his claw and then a beam of light shot out of his eyes. He handed back the card. “Enjoy your meal.” Did he just scan the card with his eyes?
She gawked as he read Marshall’s card the same way. “Did you see that?” she whispered as he joined her in the buffet line.
