Sirius Mining Company

Shore Leave

  I stand at the airlock trying to decide if I really wanted to attempt to go onto the space station. I hadn't been off ship aside from mining since we left Sirius. Even with this one being run by Centarians, they might not like humans. Canis shoves me in the back, "what are you waiting on? You have permission to come onto this station. Captain checked before we stopped to make sure they weren't over their human limit and that they would even allow you." Canis gives me a sly look, "also Raska sent word ahead effectively telling them they had better allow you on board and that he could guarantee your behavior." I nod my head and I look at the airlock again, and I steel myself. Having been told my whole life that other species don't like humans makes it hard to know that people will be accepting of me.

I take a deep breath and I open the airlock and I get a face full of the spices I associate with Raska's bar. The Centarians like very spicy foods and the air was thick with the smell of earthy spices and smokey ones. Siriusaens while they find an occasional spicy meal is interesting those meals didn't sell well in his bar. From what I have heard though he never made any of his world's foods at full spiciness.

I walk down the walkway with Canis behind me I come around the corner and am surprised at the openness of the station. We had traveled to the orbital station, as children on a field trip. The Matron having to get special permission for me to go. That station was very closed in with no big open areas. This one had a large open market area just past the docking area.

There were bright colors everywhere, mostly in reds and purples. I wonder how much of the palette my ship mates could see. Canis waves to a guard standing near the door we just passed though. "Who else is docked here right now?" The guard looks over to me and I feel small, he looks back to Canis. "No one that'll give your friend trouble if that's what you're worried about." Canis nods his head, "we had a problem when we left our world to join the crew due to a group of Jenix that had shore leave. It was quite the bar brawl, and our captain was quiet amused." The guard chuckles, "yeah we don't let them bugs here as they constantly complain about our spice market. They don't like good food is all." The guard smiles and continues, "here boys go and check out the food at Hasten's grill. It has the best food on the station tell them guard Cretin sends you." Canis nods his head and we head into the market, Canis attempting to not sneeze over the amount of spice in the air.

I am amazed at all of the different earthy smelling spices, we pass by one open bin with a bright yellow spice. The man running the stall says, "a rare spice here it's called Tumeric. They grow it on Terra and we get a few hundred pounds of it a year to sell. It can even be used as a dye." I take in a deep breath trying to remember the smell of the spice. The more I learn about humans the better time I will have if I run into others of my kind.

The stall owner shows me another bin that has a dark colored spice in it that doesn't quite smell earthy. "This one is called cumin, it's also from Terra. Something humans grow, they use it in their spicy foods." I pause wondering if the turmeric would be good with vegetables, I ask the stall owner and he responds with. "Of course it would some of the best vegetable dishes are made with this, did you have something in mind?" I mention the orphanage on Sirius and the man comments, "oh yes those Matrons would probably enjoy this spice immensely. Did you want to ship a measure of it to them?" I buy a reasonable about with directions for the delivery and Canis chuckles at me, "still buying the Matron's gifts?" I nod my head, "why not if I can find something to make their lives more enjoyable. Then it's worth it to get it for them." Canis looks sheepish then as he nods in agreement, "you're right. Especially since they are going to remain there the rest of their lives afterwards." Yes because the world they come from is a heavy gravity world and after being off world for multiple years their bodies can't take the increased gravity.

We walk about the spice market for another twenty minutes enjoying the smells. Then we turn tot he next area which is an area that caters to other items. Since the main thing the Centarians are interested in are the spices the spice market is separate. I find a booth that sells intricate glass hangings that can catch the light if you are on planet. I could tell they were made from the refined crystals that we mine. I see one with a patterning of yellows and purples. The 'glass' was cut into small diamonds, and the center of the hanger was a bright yellow circle as if it were a sun. I let the stall owner know I was interested in the item and the agree to have it brought to the ship for me.

I spend over an hour looking at the different things that are made from the harvested crystals while Canis shops for trinkets for his younger siblings. While I was looking about I find a shop in a dirty corner of the shop area that holds a lot of old items that look like they might have been 'liberated' from hive infested worlds. I look trough the items that are on a few tables that are within the stall a very old looking Centaurian is standing in. More like sleeping on a chair in the middle of it. I notice that some of the items might be of human make when I find a book that had a language that I don't know and I hear Tersan speak in my ear. "That is a human language in that book, if you buy it I could get it translated for you."

I pick the book up debating the idea of buying it when the old man wakes up. "Hey there boy interested in that book? I have a few other items that came from the same location." I pause as the old man reaches under a table and he pulls out a box that he sets on the table. After he opens it I almost have a heart attack, as inside it is a quilt similar to the one my mother had made me. The colors were different but I could tell the work was the same. What else was in the box was a few bowls and spoons that looked like they were carved from wood.

I look in the box and I set the book inside it and close it, "I'll take the whole box. Please and I will carry it if that is alright with you." The old man nods his head and I pay a bit too much for the items, but if it's from my parent's world then the price is worth it.

Canis finds me as I complete my purchase, and he gives me a look and I shake my head as I pick up the box clutching it to my chest. We find our way to the restaurant district, and I say to Canis. "This box has another of my mother's quilts." Canis pauses and turns to me and touches my shoulder. "I understand now, I would have done the same in your position. So shall we find this place and try it out?" I nod and we look for Hasten's Grill and we find it halfway down the hallway.

It was toned down compared to the other locations we'd seen on the station, it was colored in oranges and deep reds. The colors worked well, and we step into the door. The tables were made from more of the crystal glass, in blue tones and the chairs were clear crystals. A Centarian walks up to us asking if we wished a seat and we nod our heads. The man leads us to a table halfway into the restaurant.

As we sit down Canis says, "guard Cretin said we should come here." The man nods his head, "we'll I shall have to thank him for that later. If you enjoy your meal please tell your shipmates." We both nod our heads and the man leaves us alone and Canis touches the menu displayed on the table. "These look very interesting, I also see that they suggest for people not use to the cuisine to request these drinks to help with the spiciness of the food." I glance at the menu and I see a good amount of dishes with lots of different types of meat. There are sides of vegetables that are also recommended for people not use to the cuisine. That tells me that they might get a few customers from ships as they come over.

We place our orders, with a full pitcher of the beverage that was suggested for someone not use to the food. After about twenty minutes the food items come out and when the man sets it down he notices my box. "Did you buy that from an old man?" I nod my head, "I think I know where the items in that box came from." The man pauses then responds, "very well. Know he gets into trouble for selling items without proper import papers. It won't cause you issues this time. However if you ever stop there and see another item get it double checked." I nod my head, and I start on my food.