Lunch Outside the Solar System

Seven

With all that was happening to Ariel felt something rising to her conscious self, a feeling she hadn't had in a long time, a sense of extreme curiosity for the unknown mixed with a desire of getting to where no one has ever gone before, she realized that she had accomplished something unbelievable, travel through time and space to places unknown, finding other civilizations and perhaps, experiencing things not even in her wildest dreams she could ever imagine.

Ariel noticed how Layla listened with care and attention to every single word she said, it was the first time in a long time since she felt she's been heard by someone, and that felt good, actually, the kind of life she had back on Planet Earth was the life of a loner, just herself and her mind in some space station or some floating bunker around Earth, always doing some research, analyzing data, making reports, and always wondering what was out there.

Layla and Ariel stayed at the Diner talking, and talking, and talking, one cup of coffee after another, Ariel questioning, Layla answering, sometimes deviating from the subject into some anecdote from Ariel's childhood comparing it with Layla as, member of the race known as Alulim, a race from the planet Eridu, one of the first civilizations that traveled in space responsible for many first encounters with many races around the Universe but strangely not with the humans.

The Alulim developed an engine very similar to the one invented by Dr. Adamar called Upper Light Engine (ULE) also capable of traveling In The Light, by the time humans contacted other races the Ark Engine got unified with several others like the ULE into one generic model with its own tweaking and tuning from the engineering space nerds getting into the agreement of calling it Ark Engine in honor of the Earthlings as the last ones to discover this technology.

Ariel preferred listening to Layla than learning new stuff from the SentiCube, she might reserve it for some more technical issues, but for all the amazing and spectacular things, she will hear it from the mouth of Layla. Ariel was amazed by the names and explanations from her new Alien friend, actually, she felt hyped for having a real conversation with her getting a little bit interested in knowing more about some of the races at the Diner.

Layla tried not to be very obvious describing attitudes or unique features from the clientele, she whispered Ariel explaining the Malsumians right next to the door, resembling some kind of anthropomorphized Earth Killer Ants, a race with an extraordinary sense of hearing but a bad sense of humor, most of them were kind of douches, so it's better to whisper around them to avoid problems. (Leveling here with you, this race fitted perfectly with the cliché conceptualization from some Earth Sci-Fi movies of the insect-shaped alien. Let's remember that it is highly probable that somewhere in the Universe there could exist a race of beings kind of similar to a cockroach or a beetle, but more cosmic, if you know what I mean).

Ariel also asked Layla about the Rombians near the Jukebox at the back, with their many tentacles and a shape resembling hairy fat squids with a severe weakness to hear repetitive scratched music. Paying at the counter there were a couple of Uberians, all hairy and fluffy with bright colors with just the right amount of "cuddliness" making them practically irresistible not to think another thing but extreme cuteness for them, a very useful skill when engaging some mano-a-mano combat; you can't hurt someone thaaaat cute right?

For Ariel's amazement, also in some tables, there were some that appeared humans, Layla explained to her that they have modified genetics for adding, removing, or tuning up his body parts, hair, voice, and skin, making nowadays one of the most versatile and varied species, you could find any human with any appearance; that's why Ariel was so unique at the Diner, she was an original human model, and that kind of "Look" was hard to find in the Universe, only but a few places preserve a traditional human appearance, some of those places are the whole staff of Rita's Diner and the main office of the Universal Congruence Agency, a highly bureaucratized and grayish building.

They were talking about the difference between making an omelet and scrambled eggs in zero gravity, when Layla noticed on a wristband of hers a little light, kind of a silent alarm, she looked through the window and her big eyes open a little bit blinking twice with her four sets of eyelids, she started to get a little bit nervous not paying attention to what Ariel was talking about so she interrupted her.

- Sorry to interrupt you, but I need to ask you something. –Layla said rubbing her hands.

- Sure, no problem, what's up?

- Well, the thing is... —Layla looked quickly again through the window and turned back to see Ariel—, you told me your ship has an Ark Engine right?

- So far as I can remember, yes, maybe a little bit rustic for the standards of today, but yeah, it has an Ark Engine, why asking?

- Hmmm, mine is in a garage not very far, and I just remember that I need to go pick it up but I got stranded here, so if it's not too much to ask, maybe you could give me a ride and I can speak to the owner who happens to be my friend, maybe he could tweak your ship and make it more up to date, what do you say? –Layla asked Ariel hiding her nervousness.

- Sure thing, no problem, —Ariel responded –although I only need to update the database with some information about coordinates and technical stuff, but I think I have enough fuel... —Ariel scratched her head looking to no specific place, making mental notes while speaking—, ...and maybe the coding for the authorizations, but yeah, fine by me. The only thing is that, I don't have any kind of currency so maybe I can trade you the ride for the meal? –Ariel blinked her eye and smiling blushing Layla a little bit.

- Yes, no problem, I have a Tab with Rita so no problem at all –Layla stood up from the table approaching Rita.

Layla asked Rita to add both meals to her tab receiving a "You need to pay me your tab giiirl" kind of look, but Rita agreed after all. Ariel asked Layla to wait for her while she went to the washroom before leaving. When they got into the ship, Ariel used the SentiCube to update some necessary information on the navigational system as well as the languages both spoken and programming, she inputted the coordinates provided by Layla disconnecting the ship from the crystal tube. Layla stared at the window looking at her wristband moving her feet with impatience, she closed her eyes zooming outside finding a ship coming out from the Cosmoway heading their way at the exact moment when Ariel activated the phase jump entering the Light Roads.