Inside were more colorful hanging lanterns so densely packed on the ceiling that one could no longer see the metal, with rich orange stone walls covered in hanging purple vines that swept to the blue tile floors. Perfectly arranged tables with opaque glass in varying colors filled the space, with Neldre’s crowded around them in low backed chairs, enjoying their meals with eyes now studiously avoiding looking at them.
“Wow. This is cool. I didn’t think there would be restaurants on alien planets.”
He weaved them through the tables to an empty one on the other side of the room, next to a large open window looking out over the gardens.
He pulled the chair out for her, pushing it in after she sat.
“I’m glad to surprise you,” he said, taking his own seat.
A clear glass orb sat in the middle of the table and Rema touched it with a single finger.
A cheerful holographic Neldre with green wings rose from the orb.
“Hello! I am Coris! What can I serve you this rising?”
Patty leaned forward as pictures and descriptions of menu items flashed on the glass top of the table.
“There aren’t any bugs on this menu, are there?” she asked, stopping a picture here and there with a tap.
“No, I don’t believe so. The pastries you like are called Enhnas. You will be happy to know they are bug free.”
She laughed, tapping away. “Good to know. I think I’ll definitely have those, and maybe this?”
He leaned forward to see what she was looking at.
“Ah, that is a traditional Neldre rising meal. You will like it, as there are no strange meats to worry about. Just eggs, bread, and fruit.”
He told Coris what they wanted, being sure to add Patty’s coffee.
Once he was done, Patty leaned back in her seat, her eyes taking in the room with wonder. “It really is pretty here. Do you like the capital city?”
He shrugged, mimicking her posture. “I like it well enough. Do you?”
She raised her eyebrow at him. “That was as neutral an answer as you’ve ever given me, Rema. We’ve never discussed what we want to do after the war, have we?”
His heart sped up. “No we haven’t. Do you have something in mind?”
She leaned forward, placing her arms on the table. “No, not really. We don’t have to plan out every little thing you know. We can take things as they come, too.”
His shoulders relaxed and he dropped an elbow on the table to rest his jaw in his hand. “That is an excellent plan. Perhaps we could travel for a while? See the universe and all it has to offer.”
“Good enough for me.”
Their meal arrived on an automated oval platter, and Rema made sure to snatch her coffee off the floating tray and prepare it for her before handing it over.
They ate, chatted about the city and travel. Patty ordered a second serving of the Enhnas before she even finished her first cup of coffee, her fingers coated in the sweet glaze.
It was an intimate, normal thing to eat a meal with her at a nice eatery. And it struck him that this could qualify as their first ‘date’ as the Earth females called it.
He hoped this was the start of many, many more.
Chapter 19
Patty
Rema flew us overto the zoo, landing just outside the open doors. The dome rose above us, looking like a massive greenhouse, and spread out for miles and miles in either direction. This zoo was going to be bigger than any zoo on Earth, and I couldn’t freaking wait to get inside. There were gardens all around us, the air smelling fresher, like flowers and cool water. Next to my time on the Solus, this was also the most aliens I’d ever been around. Though, they were all Neldre’s, unlike theplethora of species on the Solus, which I found that I missed. Most of them were staring at me likeIwas the zoo exhibit. Rema’s low growl had many quickly looking away. I bumped my shoulder against him with a laugh, shaking my head.
He held my hand as we entered the dome, the smell of musky animals hitting me in the face as soon as we cleared the door. There were massive glass enclosures starting to my left in a line that spiraled downwards underground, with a wide pale stone walkway in front of them. There were no railings to protect you from falling off the end as you descended down the spiral, just open space in the middle.
