Page 35 of Zalis
“If you lost track of time, did you remember to eat?” she asked. There. Deflection achieved.
He dipped his head down and ran a hand over his horns in a bashful gesture. “My body has not yet adjusted toJudgment’sschedule. Have you eaten?”
Her stomach rumbled at the mention of food. “Yes, please. I’m starving and I skipped lunch. We need to have a big, serious conversation but it can wait until we eat.”
Zalis grew serious. His hands twitched, as if he wanted to reach out and grab her. “Do not skip a meal. Your body is healing. You need the energy. You were also given orders to keep off your feet.”
Nice way to turn it back on her with no mention of the big, serious conversation. He was as good at deflection as she was.
Gemma moved the motorized chair into the cabin. “I wanted a nap. And do you not see this chair? I’m off my feet.”
Zalis went to the refrigeration unit built into the wall and rummaged inside. “A meal first, and then we will discuss you returning to Earth.”
“You sound reasonable. How do I know this isn’t a trap?”
“Food. Hunger is making you nonsensical.”
Gemma chuckled as she pushed herself to her feet, leaving the chair at the entrance. “You’re sassy. No one told me you were sassy.”
The cabin could be described generously as cozy.
Cluttered would be more accurate. Designed for one, it was a narrow space with a bed built into the wall that could also double as a sofa, a desk on the opposite wall, and a table wedged into a corner near the kitchenette. Every surface was gray. Gray carpet. Gray walls. Gray bedding. Clearly function was more important than form.
At least it was clean, if you ignored the clutter. Clothing and duffle bags covered the bed and spilled onto the floor, as if Zalis had been packing before she interrupted. Maneuvering between the piles with the boot on her foot was tricky.
A spot of iridescent color caught her eye. The desk functioned as a work table, littered with tools, circuits, machine parts, and tiny pieces of electronic equipment that Gemma could not describe.
“So this is where you’ve been hiding,” she said, picking up a small… thingy. The body was minuscule, no larger than a peanut, but it had massively disproportionate wings. She tried to picture the device flying like an insect but in no reality was it aerodynamic.
Zalis magically appeared at her side and removed the item from her hand.
“That drone is delicate,” he said, sitting it down carefully. “Do you like noodles?”
“Noodles are great.” She followed him to the table where he cleared a box from a chair, setting it on the bed.
Zalis brought four plates of noodles to the table, somehow all steaming hot. She really needed to figure out the appliances, especially if they worked that quickly.
“I was unsure what flavor you would prefer. Spicy. Seafood. Poultry. Fermented,” he said, pointing to each dish.
“I like food. There’s not much I don’t like and I’m always willing to try something new and interesting,” she said, grabbing a long-handled fork. “Is there a particular way to use this?”
Zalis demonstrated, twirling the noodles around the fork. So no, there was no particular way of using it. He served a portion from each plate, informing her that she would try them all.
“Good thing I brought my appetite.”
The seafood was fishy. Hardly surprising, but the flavor profile wasn’t familiar. Saltier. “This is good.”
Poultry was bland. Spicy was going to be a favorite. She could tell.
“The fermented noodles are interesting,” she said, chewing thoughtfully. “A little sour and yeasty.”
“It is my favorite,” Zalis said. And yeah, the way he bogarted the plate told her that. “It is an acquired taste.”
“You gonna spill the deets on why you keep a medley of noodles on hand?” she asked. She really wanted to know why he vanished last night and why he stayed away, but noodles seemed safer.
He flushed again, dipping his head down as if to hide his face. “I thought you would be hungry after your shower.”
“That shower was an entire day ago.” Not quite. A good eighteen hours ago, though.
