Page 27
He grinned. “That would not work. Why am I animated?”
“Because that action occurs in cartoons.”
“Come. We are going to breakfast.”
“I have to pick shoes.”
He paused. “Well?”
She turned and found the shoes that matched the dress. They were sandals with little stones in the straps. She wiggled her toes, and the dress slid to cover them. No running in that outfit. She had to have a calm day.
Devran offered his hand, and she took it, walking with him through the ship. They entered the commissary, and she went to get her food while he got her beverages.
She was eating, and he asked, “Did you have any recreational occupations?”
“Hobbies?”
“Yes.”
“I gardened, volunteered, and when the family got together, I played the fiddle.”
“What is that?”
“Stringed instrument, played with more enthusiasm than skill. It generally produces music you can dance to.” She smiled and worked on her salad.
“If you can show me one, we may be able to replicate it.” He cocked his head. “What is it called again?”
“Fiddle. A violin is close.” She spelled them both, and he nodded and typed on the tablet that appeared from nowhere.
He tapped and lifted the tablet toward her. “Like this?”
She stared. Her father’s fiddle was right there. It had survived, somewhere. She looked at the electric version and said, “This is suitable and easier to rig into a speaker system.”
He nodded. “You looked at the other.”
“It was my father’s, and his father’s before him. It gave me a rush of memories.” She smiled. “The other is a fresh start. All the music would be new. No tangles or weeping while I play. Just music from my soul.”
“What does that sound like?”
“Sad or psychotic, depending on my mood.”
He chuckled, his bright eyes sparkling. “The bow is required?”
“Yes, with the hair or other fibres to create vibrational tension. Rosin or a hard resin is required as well, or the sound isn’t right.”
“What does it do?”
“Binds the hairs together so they move as one.”
“Interesting. I have sent the specs to the fabricator. It should be ready in a few hours. If that doesn’t work, we will ask the ship’s engineers. I believe they would enjoy the challenge.”
She smiled and kept eating. “You can be the deciding vote on what is a pleasant sound.”
His eyes crinkled. “I accept the challenge.”
“So this is all you want? You just want to socialize me?”
He chuckled. “Yes. From my research, your species is intensely social. It drives your moods and behaviours. I wish you to be happy and healthy.”
