He glanced at Marcin on one side and Soldan on the other.
Neither of them blended into their apparel, either.
Had something happened to that ability?
He gritted his teeth. Had the Terran scientists manage to take it away from them?
He would not be surprised if they did.
"Do you think it works?" the barber asked.
Kolvin nodded. "It is fine."
The barber nodded. "You can wait over there," he said, gesturing to the waiting area where a couple of other humanoids waited for their turn to be groomed.
He leaned back.
The chair was stiff. Not as comfortable as the one he'd been in.
Odd that he noticed the comfort of the chair. After all, he'd been in a cell for five years. No one cared about his amenities there. To think that something like that mattered to him seemed unusual. It was not that he felt any feelings about it--only that he recognized the variation as a piece of data in his head.
It brought him a sort of peace he had not experienced in some time. To be able to catalog something as simple as the feeling of a chair.
"Well, you look nice," the officer, Vinka, said. She sat next to him, her gaze darting around the shop, landing on Marcin and Solkan.
"It is a change," he said.
"Enjoy it," she said.
"Why are we here? Did we somehow get mates?"
Vinka nodded. "Seems to be, yeah."
"Are you and the other pilots well?"
"I'm fine. The other two are a little more banged up, but not bad. They'll be ready to head home soon."
"What about us?"
"We'll talk about it later," Vinka said.
"How much later?" Kolvin asked.
"You got a date?" she asked.
"According to the other lady, yes, I do."
She sighed. "Yeah. We need to talk about that."
"I am here."
"In private," she said. "There's been a mix-up."
"It would appear so."
About that time, Marcin came over to join them. He greeted Officer Vinka with appropriate pleasantries, and she returned them.
"I'm here to take you all to the apartment you have been assigned for the time being." She glanced across the barbershop. "When Solkan is done."
