Ar'Tok - Alana Khan Page 0,39

plate in search of one more morsel to shove into your mouth. Got it?”

We all nod.

“Okay.” He raises his voice to announce, “Let me introduce to you the one, the only, Jorgan from Carden II, the Peripatetic Epicure!”

We all clap, Maddie puts her fingers in her mouth and whistles so loudly it makes my ears ring. Ar’Tok dips his mouth to my ear and says, “Before this day is over she’s got to teach me how to do that.”

Really? Twenty-five years in prison and his big dream is to learn how to whistle? He’s adorable.

“Welcome, welcome,” Jorgan says. “I have a delicious menu planned today.”

He drones on, talking about foods I’m not familiar with. I glance around and notice everyone at the table has a glazed look in their eyes. All except for Maddie. She’s leaning forward, hanging on every word.

“Now,” he says, “let’s see who’s at our VIP table. I’m told you all came in together from parts unknown. Where are you from?” He sticks the microphone in my face.

“We’re from all over. Us females are all from Morgana,” Maddie says, grabbing Jorgan’s wrist and pulling the mic toward her. “Most recently we’re from Aeon II.”

Almost every single person on both ships is an escaped slave. This vid is going to play all over the galaxy for years to come. Maddie came up with a cover story. Smart female. I’m told that Morganians look just like humans. Shadow is one, and except for his bionic parts, he’d look right at home on Earth. He even forged us all official Morganian papers.

“Here on business?” Jorgan presses.

“The business of pleasure,” Maddie jokes with him. “This is a Pleasure Planet after all. And we all love your show.”

“Well thank you,” he says, stepping away. “Let’s get cooking.”

Half an hour later, the huge hangar is filled with the smells of six things simmering, baking, and roasting. We get our first tastes, and I wonder why the announcer made such a big deal out of telling us to enjoy our food.

He did not have to direct me to roll my eyes in appreciation, or to ooh and aah. In fact, I can’t hide my moan of pleasure as I enjoy the taste of the Alaman Rean that is our first appetizer.

“Now, if you can’t find any ektal at your neighborhood grocer, you can substitute . . .” he drones on.

I notice that Ar’Tok’s muscles are stiff beneath me. When I glance back at him, his eyes are blank and unfocused. After setting my plate on the table, I grab his hand and entwine our fingers. Our blue and yellow nails look so good together.

I can’t talk to him without interrupting the recording and being rude, so I turn in my seat, scoop the last bite of Alaman Rean off his plate, cup my other hand under my utensil, and fork it into Ar’Tok’s mouth.

That little moment of connection brings him back to the present, and he rewards me with an upward tilt of his lips.

“Delish?” I ask, playing to the camera that has dollied closer.

“Amazing,” he answers, the molten look in his eyes an eloquent statement that I’m far more amazing than the Alaman Rean.

As soon as we’re back on the hover, I’m going to find out what made him fade out like that.

“Someone told me we have a chef in the house,” Jorgan announces with a smile toward the end of the show. “Maddie?”

The camera pans to her and surprise lights her face, eyes wide, lips parted.

“Care to help me bake dessert?”

I’m so new to all these people I don’t know anyone well, but this makes me wish I knew them all better. Watching Maddie, so excited, in her element, I can’t help but be thrilled for her.

Jorgan instructs her on the preparations and lets her bake the cake from start to finish. When we finally get a chance to eat it, I’m not lying when I blurt, “This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my entire life!”

The camera got a good shot of that, and the audience broke out in laughter at my unabashed enthusiasm.

Emboldened, I say, “I might just have to learn how to cook when we get home.” This earns me more approving laughter and a smattering of applause.

After the taping ends, Maddie wholeheartedly thanks Jorgan, and we all stand to leave. Even though we only got tastes of all today’s dishes, I’m so full I feel like someone should roll me out of the hangar.

“I have to