She rolled her eyes. "I look like any other human around here." She gestured to some humanoids walking by. Terran Empire residents by their clothing, he guessed.
"Not quite that fancy," she muttered, her voice deepening like she was bitter about it. "But I'm similarly built."
"Why do you compare yourself to others?" he asked.
"Wait, what do you mean? I just meant I was the same as them. So I could help you."
"Why?"
"Why wouldn't I help you? We're mates right? Doesn't that mean we're stuck together?"
She had a point.
Not the one he was looking for, but she was correct in her assertion.
"What's this all about, anyway?" she asked, though she didn't look at him. Instead, she remained focused on the eatery across the way where the others were sitting.
“I have a task to complete.”
“Excuse me, you cannot just stand there like that,” came over a humanoid, the owner of the shop, Olmed guessed.
He looked over the shop and realized that several employees were staring, huddled together in a corner, watching them.
Tori turned. “We’re looking for friends. Just don’t want to be out in the traffic,” she said, gesturing outside.
“You’re scaring our patrons,” the owner said.
Tori turned and glanced around. “What patrons?”
“The ones we would have if he wasn’t in here,” he said. “We don’t serve your kind in here.” His gaze ran over Olmed.
Olmed’s temper roared.
Tori put her hand on Olmed’s arm, then turned to the shop owner. “What kind is that? Because right now, it doesn’t look like you’re serving anyone. The place is empty!”
“You need to leave!”
Tori stepped toward the shopkeeper. “With that attitude, I doubt anyone would want to come to your shop! I sure wouldn’t want to give you any of my money.”
“What?”
“Funds,” she said.
“Credits,” Olmed whispered.
“Credits!” She turned to Olmed. “Let’s go. I wouldn’t want anything in here, anyway.” She made a big dramatic turn toward the door and began to walk out.
Olmed followed her but glanced back at the store owner for a moment.
The owner backed up.
Olmed felt satisfied and he followed Tori out of the store.
“The nerve,” Tori snapped. “What was that all about?”
“Some humanoids don’t like big red aliens in their stores,” he said.
They started walking through the hallway. He didn’t want to get too far from the establishment where the other Kantenans were, though.
