A Study of Hummus

The Direct Human Studies group seemed to have plenty to do even as  Alice refused to come out of her room - every time one of the scientist  proposed otherwise, Lainyng loudly denied.

This was a reasonable reaction.

It  seemed a little showy, but despite how Counsellor Grerbe had treated  her earlier - she appreciated the sentiment. Honestly, it was more than  she would have expected from her parents.

Her mind eventually  wandered from her anger. A tree. There were goo aliens pretending to be  trees not too far from where she lay this moment. That would get really  boring, wouldn't it? Would they rustle their own leaves in a wind that  wasn't there? Were they trying to eat dirt? Did they not have trees on  their home planet? Was each goo alien a single blade of grass, or the  whole parks' worth?

The labs' lights went out... the shift was  over. Alice turned on the nightlight - then, after a moment's thought,  slipped out of her room, and out of the lab.

~

The main hall  of the ship didn't seem as brightly lit as before. Fewer of the aliens  wandering around. The food court was busy... people stopped talking,  stared as she walked by. She walked faster.

She took a few moments  to windows-shop at some of the stores - people were still working in  them, though Alice had to admit to herself that she couldn't really tell  if they were the same people from earlier in the day. Little trinket on  display - many of which looked like they could be from a souvenir shop  in an amusement park, or the card store at the mall. Only some stuff  looked dusty - there must be some pattern - her business mind started to  process, but was finding nothing.

There was nothing that looked  like a price tag. But if it was all essentially company credits... Well,  honestly, was there any reason to think she wouldn't want to use Alien  money?

Hot Topic stuck out like a sore thumb. That was sort of the point - but none of the other stores had identifiable signs, either, just windows displays.

Curious what it was actually made of, she reached out to to feel a dusty cut up crop top-

"Wazzaup toots?"

Alice  hadn't thought to figure just what jumping in fright looked like when  you were made of slime, a this instance gave her nothing to ponder  later, besides the possibility that you may stick to ceilings.

"WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?" Did Alice mean to shout? No. Did it feel good to shout? Yes.

"I  WAS IN THE FRIKKIN CORNER." This one, with the white torn up clothes  she remembered, "Here - just - please don't stain my ceiling." Blue arms  stretched out to grab what remained of pink ones, and slowly peeled her  off the spot she had firmly stuck to. After a few moments, the pink  mass dropped to the ground - quickly reforming to the human dimensions she was  used to.

Alice shook nervous tension form her arms "Sorry - i'm. still getting used to this."

"No worries. Really, though, if ya weren't wandering around naked it wouldn't have been nearly the problem."

"Naked..." Oh. So the clothes weren't just part of the pretend-we're-humans bit.

"You  must be guzzling water. In fact,' the alien pressed a hand up to  Alice's- naked chest. Oh. Her skintight attempt at clothes hadn't come  back. "You should probably top off after that. And get a drink. But come  back after, I might have somthing you'll like."

Alice dutifully took a good swig at the hose of the 'drinking fountain'. That did feel better.... wow, it was easy to dry out.

A  moment later she was waved to the back of the store, where a set of  capris and a long star-speckled tank top waited for her. "These are the  closest I have in stock - they look your size. You got plenty of credits  if they aren't."

"Ah, thanks... sorry, I'm not good with names."

"Ken'di"

"Thanks Kennedy. I'm Alice, by the way."

"No, no. Ken'di.  Like-" she started to draw out somthing on a pad in that pokemon  script, then cleared it off, writing 'Ken'di" in English script.

"Wait, what's the long version then?"

"Long version?"

"You have an APOSTROPHE in your name. What secrets does it hide?"

"I  take the time to learn your language TO BE NICE and you're telling me I  can't spell my own name? THAT. It a word stress. You put stress on the  Dha. Got it?"

Alice didn't.

"Put the clothes on. Like normal. Like a human would."

Alice did, one leg at a time.

"Hmm. Hmmmmm. No, the zipper still doesn't make sense. But do they pinch anywhere?"

Alice had to concentrate... trying to relax just enough to still stay in human form. "The legs are a little tight."

"Like, take it out another centimeter?"

"Wait, are you space Europeans?"

"Huh?"

"Half an inch"

Alice couldn't tell if what she said was registering.

She shook it off, "Yeah, half a meter or whatever."

"Sure, I'll just need a minute. And your shorts."

They came back off... and now, actually, Alice was feeling naked. Darn psychology.

Ken'di  got a machine off a shelf that looked pretty similar to a vacuum  sealer, "I'm thinking, pre-stressed on the outsides. That ok with you?"

"I guess. You're the space clothing expert."

"Actually,  I was hired on as a systems expert - but ONE sleep pod malfunction and  and boom. You aren't fit for duty," She sighed, "Well, more free time  for me." What had looked like denim moments before obviously wasn't, as  her eyes glanced back and forth between her work and Alice's thighs.  "Come to think of it... These clothes were your idea, ok? Last thing I  need is a demotion to a sleep pod for the rest of the mission."

"That sounds like... blackmail material."

"Oh  does it? Well, I could just not give you shorts that weren't your idea.  and you can go back to you little lab room with your crotch hanging  out."

"You're disgusting."

"Says the nudist."

"Hey, Disgusting, would you please give me a pair of shorts already altered to fit my ass?"

"I suppose I can do that."

"Also,"

"I'm taking your credits, you are aware."

"A kiss"

Ken'di  was apparently practiced enough to take the shorts from the machine before gagging, "What?"

"If  there's not GUYS on this ship, and nobody's saying there are other  HUMANS, then my only option is ALIEN GIRLFRIEND. And you." Alice slammed  her hand on the counter, "Are hot enough to fit the bill."

"Hmm. I'll give you one chance. But your next personal question must be the most important question."

Alice thought for a moment. A little as she knew about the aliens, all Alice knew about Ken'di was right here in this store. What personal question would be importhat to her?

"You're wearing white in a Hot Topic. What gives?"