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Ariget snorted. “And now our kids are in university learning with no debt, and that pale little monster is responsible.”
Emgoth shrugged.
Hazor asked, “How?”
Emgoth sighed. “I was making ends meet, but she came in and discarded three-quarters of the menu. If customers wanted their favourites, she asked, ‘Do you want variety, or do you want good food? Pick one.’ That shut them up, and they put their efforts into critiquing the new menu in a helpful way. Now, we have a solid product that appeals to all our customers: the akko with sauce for something unique, and the frozen fruit ice for something sweet. Easy to shop for, easy to do.”
Hazor smiled. “She figured it out?”
“She said that the limits make it comforting, and because it was limited, we could put effort into seasoning. We did and... well... you three ate the result.”
Hazor nodded. “We certainly did. Why list the fruit ice if she can’t make it?”
“Because it has to remain a Siloven business. It makes them feel better that the little alien can’t do it all.”
Hazor nodded. “They don’t trust her.”
“They didn’t then; they do now. Her pigment change was dramatic, and it earned her a lot of respect. It showed she wanted to fit in. No one knew she had citizenship at that point. When she got the bond lock, it was met with approval. It showed she wasn’t leaving, and that got her even more respect.”
Hazor nodded. “So she’s on Siloven to make it a home?”
“Yeah.”
“Does she have any romantic interest?”
He looked at Hazor in surprise. “Um, no. She doesn’t even eye vegetables speculatively.”
Hazor felt a surge of relief.
Ariget stared, and he could see she understood. “She’s never been tested.”
“She will be. She’s not what I would have thought for me, but I am... intrigued.”
Emgoth blinked. “She’s my business partner. She works at the stall. She isn’t up for anything else.”
Hazor smiled. “If I take her, I will get you a replacement.”
Emgoth sighed. “On this whole world, in this whole system, there is no one like her.”
Hazor asked, “Does she have any other adaptations aside from increased strength?”
The injured man said, “No. Not that she has told me. You know about that?”
“She was impressing on me that she is sturdy and does not need my help.”
“But you want to help.”
“I definitely do. The fact that she is making herself a target is irritating to me.”
Ariget held her husband’s hand. “What does that mean?”
Hazor inhaled. “If she is under threat, she had better call.”
His buddies chuckled, and they finished getting the description of the thugs. They would cross-reference them with known criminals and have the case ready to snap the moment they stuck their heads out.
* * * *
Cloudy got up, stretched, showered, and pulled her hair into the thick braid that she wore daily. The food stall uniform had the name on the tunic and straight trousers. It was the least sexy and most favourite thing that she owned.
