Starfish

Four

Your review has been rescheduled for tomorrow – Ardus

Nina stared at the screen. "Huh?"

Athe leaned over her shoulder, reading. "He signed it this morning, so he's all right.He didn't get lost." The brown Dreen winked at her. "Nothing to worry about." He showed her a printout, a list of tasks about six bullet-points long. "I have my day planned, would you care to join me?"

"...Sure." Nina climbed down from her chair. She'd had just about enough of studying, she hadn't realized just how much she needed a break."Where are we going?"

"Just a few stops, nothing too long-winded. We'll be done by lunch."

֎

"Isn't it adorable?" Nina spread her arms and turned on her toes. Bright turquoise and seafoam swirled around her legs and cobalt wrapped around her chest, exposing brown shoulders and a bronze waist.

Athe gave her an odd smile."It is, but... Where did you find Dreen clothes your size?"

"Over there," Nina pointed over her shoulder at a shop decorated with bright colors and simple drawings.

Athe made a face. "Doctor, those are children's clothes."

"I know, but everything else is too big."

Athe shrugged. "I suppose they would be. Are you comfortable?"

"Oh yes, very." Nina ran her hands over the silky material. "It's so cool and light, perfect for the climate. I could wear this every day."

Athe watched her admire herself, twisting and turning and watching the sunlight play across the slight green iridescence of the cloth. "You look very pleased with yourself."

"I am! I can speak your language and eat your food, I should wear your clothes too." She smoothed the short tunic top, delighting in the subtle pattern and roomy cut. She could bend and twist and move so freely! And the colors were so rich, the fabric slightly stretchy and even though it was thick she could feel air moving across her skin. I love it.

"Doctor, if you're done shopping, we can get something to eat."

"Yes! Let's do that, I'm starving." She scurried to catch up to him as he headed off down the avenue. Dreen streets were paved with ancient stone slabs worn smooth by millions of large semi-webbed feet and gouged here and there from clawed toes. Generations after the Dreen industrial era,centuries before humans discovered coal-powered machines, they had long-since begun naturally beautifying their communities with native plants and thus walking along any street was more akin to taking a stroll along a meticulously verdant garden path. The native Dreenai flowers, some as large as serving plates, perfumed the air with unusual yet pleasant scents. The few vehicles Nina saw were small freight, carrying goods and manned by only one or two Dreen. 

Walking beside Athe, Nina drew some stares and curious glances but also the occasional smile when she greeted them in their language. She passed a few Dreen children, their skins lighter in shade and their bioluminescent pores much fainter than their mature neighbors, and waved when they pointed at her out of curiosity. She could spot those just coming into adolescence by the darkening of skin at the back of the neck and along the spine, their soft baby colors shading to more mature deep browns, greens, blues and blacks. Eventually the shadowy hues would spread around their bodies and continue to deepen, giving the Dreen their characteristic pattern of dark dorsal and light ventral sides. Along with the coloration, their glowing pores would also develop until they were bright enough to discern even by daylight. By the time they were adults, they would be as liberally dotted as the night sky.