Chapter 2
There had been no going-away party for Lena. In fact, she hadn’t even bothered telling her parents that Henios had accepted her application, just showed up at the transpo center with her single suitcase and left Earth.
You’ll be back soon, just like Greg said. You’ll never make it. They’re all going to see right through you.
Very likely true, though she had tried to focus on enjoying the view of Alliance space instead of fighting the black cloud of anxiety hovering over her head. She’d bought a one-way ticket, but it would only take a few months of working to afford a ride back to Earth.
This didn’t have to be permanent if she didn’t want it to be. She was sure Greg would take her back, though the thought of returning to the sleaziest bar in Westlip made her stomach turn.
Arrival on Henios had been a whirlwind, one that had almost made her forget all the anxious thoughts dancing around her head. She’d gone through security and been fitted with her neural implant by a kind human doctor in the med bay.
Though the tingling sensation of the anesthetic mist enveloping her scalp had been strange, she hadn’t even felt when the micro-injector deployed the neural filament into the base of her skull, embedding it seamlessly into her cerebral cortex.
After a few minutes of internal calibration, the procedure had been completed, just as short and painless as the doctor had said.
The implant would allow her to understand all programmed alien languages and give her access to her quarters, a small but serviceable space to which a station employee had escorted her after the procedure.
There were all the usual things—a bed, a small desk and chairs, an attached bathroom with an efficient shower—though everything had that shiny, brand-new, chrome quality to it, so different from the dusty obsolescence of Earth.
The wildest part was the spectacular view of Botune, the planet nearest to Henios, an Earth-like world with glittering gold dust encasing it like cloud cover.
Now that she was relatively settled, she considered what to do. She didn’t have to meet her new boss until tomorrow—the station ran on twenty-six hour days to mirror Botune’s daily cycle—but she supposed stopping by to check the bar out today wouldn’t hurt.
Lena dug through her suitcase, pulling out a casual black cropped shirt and matching pants, a relaxed fit that was similar to what she’d seen others wearing around the station. She didn’t want to stand out, preferring to blend into the crowd while she wasn’t on the clock and trying to make money.
With a deep breath, she left her new room behind, following the signs to the central hub of Henios as she made her way down the maze of corridors. A cool breeze tickled her skin, recycled air wafting from the vents just as it had done on the long shuttlecraft journey.
After a few minutes of walking, she exited into a large space with an enormous transparent dome, which provided a stunning view of the galaxy beyond. She’d been rushed through earlier by the station employee, but now she stood in awe, just trying to take it all in.
A swarming mass crisscrossed through the enormous space, each person in their own little world. Shops and restaurants lined the hallways in all directions, and directly in front of her was the place she was looking for.
Ochin’s Bar.
She observed the chaos from the edge, knowing enough to stay off to the side and out of everyone’s way. She witnessed numerous reunions, and even what appeared to be an argument. Though she obviously knew about different alien species, her hometown on Earth was not very diverse.
Very few non-humans had made their way to Westlip, and certainly no non-humanoids. The space station was a whole new world. There were all sorts of species she had only seen on television programs or learned about in school, though there were plenty of humans as well.
They were on the edge of Alliance space, so all manner of ally, neutral, and potentially hostile entities made their way through the military-run station at some point or another.
After bumping her way through the crowd, she stepped into her new workplace. It was fairly empty, with only a couple of patrons at the bar and a small group seated at a table, mid-afternoon according to Station Standard Time.
Lena took a seat at the bar and waited for someone to appear.
The female sitting a few seats down seemed to examine her closely, but said nothing. She had a feline mouth and no prominent nose, but wasn’t a species Lena recognized.
Neon lights danced around the taps and bottles as quiet instrumental music played in the background.
There seemed to be something blocking out the noise from the central space and corridors; only a low din of conversation was audible from where she sat.
The lighting was quite moody, different from the stark illumination of the halls, making her feel both relaxed and energized at the same time.
The bar top itself was transparent, with sparkling lights winking at her from within. Hexagonal chains linked the backdrop of the bar, as large windows showcased a view of Botune. The stools had no backs, probably better to accommodate patrons with a variety of appendages.
She couldn’t believe she was actually here. What the hell was she thinking?
A knot clenched her chest, and she tried to relax, tapping her fingers against her thigh. What was she going to do on a space station where she didn’t know a single soul? She could hardly make friends on Earth, and all of those people had been human.
The alien at the other end of the bar didn’t seem eager to make conversation, so Lena tried to focus on her breathing exercises while she waited to be served.
After a few minutes, a woman appeared behind the bar, gliding over to Lena and looking her right in the eyes.
“Oh, wonderful! You must be my new bartender,” she hummed, her voice deep and sultry.
The woman had large eyes with no pupils or irises, just blank and the same color as her taupe skin.
She had long, pointed ears and intricate markings on her face, though the most unique feature was a jewel-like oval that was inlaid directly into her forehead, bright red and with a subtle glow.
Large tentacles protruded from the back of her head, like great strands of hair.
“Oh, uh, yes. I’m Lena.”
She was almost rendered speechless, taken aback by the alien’s beauty and peculiarity. God, she needed to get a grip if she was going to work at a place like this. She couldn’t act surprised anytime she had to interact with an extraterrestrial, gawking like a complete fool.
The woman laughed, and it had an echo-like quality to it, putting Lena oddly at ease.
“I’m Ochin. I own this bar, and I’m so very pleased to have you here.”
Her voice was like a cat’s purr, lids hooded over her unearthly eyes, and she extended a slender hand.
When Lena took it, Ochin’s tentacles whipped around and coiled along her arm, the little suckers latching onto her as she resisted the urge to jerk away. After a few moments, Ochin retracted her tentacles and smiled warmly.
“Welcome to Henios.”
She poured a bright blue liquid into two glasses and held one out. Lena grasped it nervously, then followed Ochin’s lead as she downed it in one gulp. The liquid burned only slightly, but tasted of lavender and honeysuckle, bringing a warm flush to Lena’s pale cheeks.
“Anzu Brandy,” Ochin said with a wink. “A delicacy on my homeworld.”
“It’s good,” Lena said as Ochin poured her another shot.
The female at the end of the bar tapped a lithe finger against the bar top, and Ochin refilled her glass with what appeared to be a fine Andrudian wine.
“Honur doesn’t communicate verbally, but this is all she drinks. She’ll let you know what she needs another glass,” Ochin explained, and Lena nodded, giving Honur a bright smile.
Honur nodded stoically, then held her newly filled glass in the air, a silent toast that Lena responded to in kind. She downed her second shot, a pleasant buzz filling her and some of her nerves dissipating.
“Hello there!” a booming voice said, before a four-foot-tall Galyian hopped onto the stool next to her. “You must be the new bartender Ochin’s been talking about. I’m Adrax!”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Lena,” she replied, smiling politely as Ochin mixed his drink.
Ochin set the glass in front of him, something clear and bubbly with a slice of lime.
“Vodka tonic,” Adrax explained, taking a long sip with a big grin on his face. “It’s my favorite. Can’t get enough of them.”
A vodka tonic. Of all the alien vices.
“I’ll make sure to remember that,” Lena said, already feeling more at home here than she had in all of her years at Greg’s shitty bar.
“Did you hear? The Threns are considering an Alliance peace treaty,” Adrax said, glancing between the three women with a glimmer in his eyes.
The Threns were the primary inhabitants of Botune, but had never had anything other than an informal agreement with the Alliance government.
Constructing Henios right next to their planet had been a clear sign that the Alliance expected the Threns to cooperate, but Lena had never heard of an official union until now.
“Of course,” Ochin said. “A treaty is a good thing. Peace is good for business.”
Lena supposed that was true when the business was drinking and merry-making.
“I just don’t know if the Threns can be trusted. They’re such xenophobes,” Adrax said.
Ochin smiled, glancing Lena’s way before speaking.
“I have it on good authority that some of them enjoy humans.”
Adrax grumbled, shaking his head with vehemence.
“A perversion is not the same as respecting another species.”
The thought of a perversion for humans seemed so farfetched, but she knew that some people felt the same way about aliens, desperate to sleep with one just so they could check it off their list.
“Well, perhaps an agreement with the Alliance will help them learn about respecting others,” Ochin said.
Adrax huffed, taking a long sip of his drink before speaking.
“I doubt it.”
Ochin chuckled, leaning in close to Lena, her blank eyes mesmerizing.
“You’ll get to know all kinds of people and species now that you’re here. The Threns really aren’t so bad, just a little grumpy sometimes.”
“Oh, yes,” Adrax agreed, patting her on the back. “Don’t worry about them. You’ll do great.”
Lena swallowed the knot in her throat, trying not to cry and make a fool of herself. Was it blind optimism? Or sarcasm? Adrax seemed friendly enough, and didn’t look like he was trying to make a joke.
Either way, she tried to control her emotions, to remember that everyone was just being nice because she was new. They didn’t want to scare her away before she’d even started her job.
The conversation turned to Adrax’s recent trip to Aronde 5 and Lena listened eagerly, enamored by his descriptions of the alien planet. He asked her about Earth as well, and seemed interested in her answers, though she couldn’t think of anything duller than talking about her boring life.
Her boring life, which might not be so boring anymore.
It was nice to sit and chat, Ochin chiming in here and there when she wasn’t serving customers, Honur smiling and nodding like she was following along with the conversation.
The bar had gotten busier as the night had progressed, the patrons ordering all sorts of interesting cocktails that Lena was eager to learn how to make.
An enormous fuzzy blue alien had stalked by, introducing himself as Zegrox and grunting a hello to Lena before finding a spot in the corner.
Ochin had explained that he was their main security and that she could rely on him if there were any issues, a fact which made her feel much safer.
So unlike the bar back home, where Greg never took her complaints about handsy patrons seriously.
It was a lovely evening, and as Lena headed back to her quarters, she tried to ignore the voice in her mind, the one that always seemed to crop up whether she was in a good head space or not.
They’re just being polite. They don’t really like you. They’re so desperate for workers here, they’d take anyone.
Even if it were true, it didn’t mean she couldn’t try to enjoy her time on Henios. Worst case, she could go back to Earth once she’d made enough money for another ticket. But really, being lonely here wouldn’t be any different from being lonely back home, would it?