Holly beamed with pure satisfaction. This was going well. No, it was goingabsurdlywell. With no more customers at the moment, she wiped down the counter, checked the oven timer, and slipped out the lounge door into the square.
The square was alive.
Holly stood on the hotel steps and took it in. Dozens of visitors moved through the space, browsing, talking, sitting on the benches with food and drinks. The storefronts that had been dark and empty when she’d arrived were still dark and empty, but today they didn’tlookabandoned. They looked like potential. The Emporium’s door was propped open, and Holly could see people moving inside, drawn by whatever spectacular arrangement Orba and Sula had conjured. Harry’s shop glowed with its colored lights, and a small crowd had gathered outside the entrance, chatting excitedly about the fungi habitats inside.
Despite Alyce’s objections, the lampposts were strung with garlands Harry had made from mushroom caps that looked like small metallic bells when dried. They tinkled like bells, too, when the breeze moved them, and their shiny caps caught the light, throwing shifting patterns on the stone paths below. They also smelled, faintly, of earth. Holly had decided to trust Harry to keep his word about not introducing any fungi with mind-altering properties to their visitors. Their guests were happy because of the food and attractions. Surely there were no “happy” spores floating in the air.
Music drifted across the square from speakers Harry had placed near two of the lampposts. Pleasant, rhythmic melodies made the square feel alive, and lived in. These werenotCody’s contribution.
She spotted Alyce cutting across the square at a pace that suggested she was managing four things at once. Her d-pad was in one hand and her other hand was pressed to her ear, listening to something on her comm. Holly intercepted her.
“How are we doing?”
Alyce removed her comm from her ear and nodded. “We’re doing well. Better than I expected, honestly.” She glanced at her d-pad. “Twenty-eight new visitors so far,notcounting thetwenty-three hotel guests. Most came through Harry’s network. A few are walk-ins from ships that docked for maintenance.”
“Fifty-one.” Holly’s chest swelled. It was not a huge number by any standard, but for Moone’s Landing, it was enormous.
“The garden tour is going very well,” Alyce went on. “Mish is letting visitors pick a few berries each, which was a smart touch. People love that.” She tucked a braid behind her ear. “The forest walk has had steady traffic all day. Three groups so far, and one couple went through twice.”
“And the bench?”
“Very popular. People are sitting there for twenty, thirty minutes, just looking at the view.” Alyce’s lips curved. “Sam will be pleased about that.”
Holly laughed. “Dare I ask about Cody’s music?”
Alyce’s expression flattened. “He played for about twenty minutes.”
“And?”
“It was objectively terrible, Holly. I don’t know what that instrument was made of, but it produced sounds that I believe violated several acoustic principles.” Alyce’s tone was matter-of-fact. “Three visitors moved to the far side of the square. A Lokrian covered their auditory receptors. Harry’s sound system took over after Mish asked him to stop.”
“Did he stop willingly?”
“He stopped,” Alyce said, in a way that suggested the details were not worth revisiting. “I haven’t seen him since.”
Holly sighed. She would deal with Cody later. Today was not the day.
“Everything else is running smoothly,” Alyce continued, already moving. “I need to check on thezigrotation. Sam says the complaining one is making a new sound and he wants me to hear it.”
She was gone before Holly could respond, striding across the square with focused energy. But it wasgoodenergy. She could see the lightness in the other woman’s step.
Holly stood on the steps for another moment, watching the square. A child chased another child around the fountain. A group of travelers sat on a bench, sipping cups of Harry’s tea. Two figures emerged from The Emporium showing off bracelets that glinted in the light and a wide hat. Somewhere, a group of visitors laughed.
It was a bit messy, but it was working. The whole thing had the easy, slightly breathless atmosphere of a party that almost didn’t happen.
She went back inside to start a fresh batch of scones.
By evening, the station’s lighting had shifted to its darker cycle. The festival had mellowed, making it feel less like an event and more like an intimate gathering of friends. Some visitors had departed, but the few dozen who remained had congregated in the lounge.
Holly stood behind the counter, frosting cupcakes that were being bought and eaten almost as fast as she could finish them. A line had formed, which had never happened during her time at Moone’s Landing, and Holly worked through it with focused calm. She’d spent weeks preparing for this moment, after all.
“Is this made withbiologicalflour or processed carbohydrate powder?” A stout, tentacle-headed Gardran traveler pointed to a scone and examined it with the intensity of a jeweler appraising a stone.
“It’s biological,” Holly replied proudly. “Made from the ground seeds of the wheat plant. Imported from the planet Earth.”
“Interesting. How incredible to find such a gourmet option in a little place all the way out here.” The Gardran selected a cupcake, took a bite, and closed all four of his eyes. He made a sound of profound contentment. “This is extraordinary. I would like six more.”
Holly sold him the cupcakes, ran his currency chip over the reader, and glanced at Mish. She was having similar good luck after having closed the garden tour to move behind the bar. The spirit and wine order had been a good call, as Mish mixed drinks and poured wine with an easy smile and a sharp eye. Her orange hair was held in place with a half-dozen haphazard clips, but she was the picture of control and poise.
