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They frowned. “We can’t.”
She unhooked the plaque in front of the register, and she turned it to the guardians. “By order of Vecchin. We are the first food when you arrive off the water, and if you make it to the port, you have been busy. The bill goes to the guardian centre if it becomes a nuisance.”
They grinned.
The one who had touched her mind said, “She’s right. This particular stall gets an allowance to cover any food we need.”
The second, who wore blue and crimson in his skin, grinned at her. “In that case, triple the order with extra akko.”
She laughed and nodded. She turned to the grill and put on the mix of meat and fish tossed with shredded vegetables. It was a weird stir-fry but incredibly popular.
She hummed, got the packs set up, and put the shredded vegetable, known as akko, into the containers with a drizzle of the sauce that kept the stall profitable. It was a lemony chilli mix that was like crack for the locals.
Cloudy finished the boxes, folded them with implements fastened to them, and said, “Anything to drink?”
It was polite, but most said no.
“Do you have any kio? We had a long night.”
She smiled and got the kio in thermal cups. They had taken the boxes to nearby tables, and she walked the drinks out to them. “Sing out if you need more. I am just going to be doing maintenance. I will need the distraction.”
They sat and started eating. When they got to the akko, they paused, and then the shredded veg disappeared in seconds.
She cleaned inside the stall and then went outside to collect garbage and sweep up.
The nosey guardian said, “What is that on your forehead?”
She paused. “You can see that?”
“Yes.”
“Bond lock. No one can change my bond without my permission, and if I am stolen, there is a bounty for my safe return. It was put on me when I got my citizenship.”
He blinked. “You are a Siloven citizen?”
“Yes. I gained it through active action. My family isn’t aware. They are still working toward their citizenship, and I don’t wish to irritate them. They are working hard.”
The guardians asked, “What do you put on this akko?”
“Just a simple citrus and spice. It mixes with the vegetable and produces a different taste entirely.” She smiled.
She swept up and got the area cleared for the afternoon rush.
Nosey said, “Are you here all day?”
“Yes. The stall is open from five to six. Emgoth does the grill, and I do the orders.”
The second speaker with the silver-and-green markings like hers said, “You don’t know who we are.”
“Nope. I know what you are, and that is all that matters.” She grinned. “You don’t know who I am either. All is fair.”
They laughed and kept eating. She returned to the stall, and Emgoth pulled up. She went to help him get the akko out, along with the other vegetables. Forty pounds in each load made her slow her step, but she put them into the stall on the counter and returned for more. Emgoth walked in with twice the load, but her last haul from his vehicle was the last.
She spoke to Emgoth. “Nine meals comped for the guardian fund. Three large kios.”
He nodded. “Got it. Made a note. Have you talked to them?”
“Yes, that is how I took the order.”
