The Colors of Space

There were small shops and what looked like bars, and a glass-fronted

place with a sign lettered largely, in black letters, a Lhari phrase

meaning roughly HOME AWAY FROM HOME: MEALS SERVED, SPACEMEN WELCOME,

REASONABLE.

Behind him a voice said in Lhari, "Tell me, does that sign mean what it

says? Or is this one of those traps for separating the unwary spaceman

from his hard-earned credits? How's the food?"

Bart carefully took hold of himself.

"I was just wondering that myself." He turned as he spoke, finding

himself face to face with a young Lhari in the unadorned cloak of a

spaceman without official rank. He knew the Lhari was young because his

crest was still white.

The young Lhari extended his claws in the closed-fist, hidden-claw

gesture of Lhari greeting. "Shall we take a chance? Ringg son of Rahan

greets you."

"Bartol son of Berihun."

"I don't remember seeing you in the port, Bartol."

"I've mostly worked on the Polaris run."

"Way off there?" Ringg son of Rahan sounded startled and impressed. "You

really get around, don't you? Shall we sit here?"

They sat on triangular chairs at a three-cornered table. Bart waited for

Ringg to order, and ordered what he did. When it came, it was a sort of

egg-and-fish casserole which Bart found extremely tasty, and he dug into

it with pleasure. Allowing for the claws, Lhari table manners were not

so much different from human--and remember, their customs differ as

much as ours do. If you do something differently, they'll just think

you're from another planet with a different culture.

"Have you been here long?"

"A day or so. I'm off the Swiftwing."

Bart decided to hazard his luck. "I was told there's a vacancy on the

Swiftwing."

Ringg looked at him curiously. "There is," he said, "but I'd like to

know how you found it out. Captain Vorongil said that anyone who talked

about it would be sent to Kleeto for three cycles. But what happened to

you? Miss your ship?"

"No, I've just been laying off--traveling, sight-seeing, bumming

around," Bart said. "But I'm tired of it, and now I'd like to sign out

again."

"Well, we could use another man. This is the long run we're making, out

to Antares and then home, and if everybody has to work extra shifts,

it's no fun. But if old Vorongil knows that there's been talk in the

port about Klanerol jumping ship, or whatever happened to him, we'll all

have to walk wide of his temper."