Lunch

© 2019 by Walter Reimer


Thumbnail art by  rabbi-tom



Varan had not been on shift when the Kith docked at Station NZh-2233. She had been asleep at the time. Nevertheless, she was awake and eating breakfast when Kiran came in. “Good morning,” he said, pouring himself a glass of fruit juice.

“Sleep well?”

“Very well, thank you,” the vir replied. “Standard leave schedule?”

The kam gestured affirmatively before swallowing his mouthful of juice. “Yes.” He picked up a slice of rupma’ and went to take a bite, but paused and his tailspur tapped at her padd. “You have a message.”

“Aka?” Her lips lifted in disapproval. “I switched off the audible alarm,” she grumbled as she unfolded the device and accessed the message. It had been sent from a public terminal on the Terran side of the station.

Aanā gash, lir demef. Male lō ne’ ‘Jōz’ chāfag ne’ kersh niret, rērth? Meredidh.

Varan’s ears went straight up and she looked at the padd’s horolog.

Kiran noted her reaction. “Not bad news, I trust?”

“No,” the vir replied. “Meredith is on the station, and is inviting me to meet her.” She looked at her breakfast, then looked up at Kiran. “What are you doing?”

The kam was on the opposite side of the room. “I have no wish to be shoved into a wall or ridden over by a vir who in haste to meet her lover,” he replied, laughing.

Varan took a final bite of her rupma’ and washed it down with fruit juice. “Jealous?”

“You’ve asked that before.”

She smiled and stood up, patting his shoulder as she moved past him toward the garderobe. “Kami tend to be a bit more possessive than viri, I know.”

Kiran returned her smile, taking her hand and twining his fingers with hers as their tails wound about each other. “I don’t mind sharing you with Meredith. Go and meet with her.” He grinned as she shed her robe and went to get cleaned up.

Stepping through the interface between Imperial-normal and Terran-normal gravity was as awkward as she remembered it. It took an effort to keep her tail from dragging on the floor before she regained her bearings and headed for the eatery. A few Terrans, likely station personnel, moved around her as she walked slowly.

Varan had managed to start walking normally by the time she reached the Terran-side forest area, and paused to catch her breath. Ulnt, this place smelled as strongly as she recalled it, almost strong enough to make her eyes water. A few moments to shake it off and she started toward Joe’s –

And paused again, seeing the palomino mare seated by herself a few tables away from where they’d had lunch. That table now had two Terrans seated at it, a lapine and a canine.

Meredith was wearing a light tan jumpsuit that matched her fur color so closely she looked as if she was naked, and the mare was looking around as she sipped at a drink. Looking for her, of course, and Varan felt her tail twitch slightly.

Memories pressed on her; Meredith’s scent, the feel of her fur, her body heat, even her taste, and she felt herself yearning for that again. The vir stepped out onto the path that led to the restaurant, and smiled as the mare’s ears perked and she grinned happily as she stood up to greet the shlan.

And then they were embracing, the shorter Terran nestling against her, holding her close and tight as the vir’s tail wrapped around both of them.

“Lir demef.”

“Lir demef,” Varan whispered. “Aane meschfikin 'i?”

“Now I am.”

“I’m very happy that you are,” the vir said. Feline eyes glanced about furtively before she lightly nibbled one of Meredith’s ears and the palomino shivered delicately. “Shall we sit and eat? We can talk, and maybe scandalize a few intolerant koripi.”

The mare giggled. “Sounds like a good idea.”