An Alien's Love

Chapter 6

This chapter is brought to you by panicpointapril. I know you've been waiting a long while...

6

More Time

Christy

That evening Christy comm-linked Janice to meet her at a little fast food place around the corner from Bogosia where she lived. The little run-down, synth-plastic joint was a spec lodged between two high rising tech buildings, and served as a hotspot for underpaid workers who couldn't afford the more palatable yet credit-consuming Um Boire across the street.

This place was a regular for Christy and the misfits of Jude society, catering to species ranking low either on the looks, physical prowess, or the intelligence scale. You could tell which one humans fell under.

This was one of the few places on this planet Christy didn't have to worry about being judged because of what she was. Those who came here understood what it meant to not feel welcome so they weren't so quick to start anything, even if there wasn't a sign inside that threatened calling the authorities if anyone made trouble.

One glance at the interior and it became instantly apparent that this place lived up to its clientele. Low ceiling with everything in sight made of cheap, unbendable plastic, except for the unfamiliar appliances behind a long aluminum-looking counter where orders were taken.

A Selluxan with black hair and skin a shade lighter than Janice's stood taking a line of these orders and handing out prepaid menus— creatures of all shapes and forms waiting their turn. Were that tentacles she saw...? Wasn't unusual if you thought about it. Bogosia and the outskirts were a cesspool of weird-looking creatures.

Yes, this little joint was swanky at best, just the way Christy liked it.

     The entrance door opened and when she looked up she spied Janice coming through the sliding doors of Chum's — apparently, no matter where in the universe you went all minor fast food joints had ridiculous names like that— with Guvaan following close behind.

When she had asked Janice to come she had been hoping for an ear to privately vent her frustration into. She couldn't well do that with her fake fiance hanging to the side listening in. She didn't have anything against Guvaan but she wasn't about to start telling him her secrets and her worries like best buds anytime soon, despite her previous idea to try and get to know him in the name of credibility.

Christy suspected she had on her sour face the minute Janice spotted her at a table located at a street window. Her perfect smile slipped from her face and she turned to say something to Guvaan that Christy couldn't hear over the distance. Whatever it was, Christy noticed the Jude frown and said something before changing rout and headed in the direction of the bathroom to the side.

The chair scraped back as Janice took a seat, mumbling apologies for being late. Something about picking up a new part for her robot puppy.

"Why is Guvaan here? I didn't peg Chum's as his regular hangout spot. I'd know if it was, I come here a lot." Christy made little attempt to mask the irritation and mild sarcasm in her words.

Janice looked slightly apologetic, "I'm sorry Chris. I ran into him while out getting the new voice box for Robby—" Robby was her dog, "I met him outside the parts store and he wanted to know if I'd heard from you since the game. Said he tried holo-calling you a few times but your machine picked up."

Huh. She hadn't seen any missed calls from Guvaan. Not a surprise there since she didn't have his holo-address stored; the machine wouldn't have saved his messages nor the evidence of his missed calls. It was a little trick she'd picked up from her tech roommate back in college. It had saved Christy a few times from spam messages and a couple of court hearings for not paying her customary charitable dues— If you didn't get the message how were you to know they called, right? She wasn't sorry, she'd been in the system long enough to know the organizations weren't actually saving poor deprived souls with all that donated money– or credit, as it was known on Jude– anyway.