Rue leaned back in the console chair, mentally kicking herself for what she was about to do.

“Have you ever been in love?” She asked aloud, hardly believing the words slipped from her mouth.

She pushed her glasses up to her face and looked down, fiddling with her blonde hair nervously.

“Love?” Siggy repeated, her brow furrowed in confusion. She didn’t look up from the controls as she rerouted her coordinates.

Rue couldn’t help the shy smile that escaped her lips as she admired the sight of Siggy, her wild brown hair obscuring part of her face while she remained focused on the screen in front of her.

“Yeah, you know, in love…” she continued on, briefly at a loss for words. “Someone you’ve cared deeply for? Someone that you thought you could live a normal life with?”

Her eyes flickered to Siggy’s face, watching as her expression darkened. If she didn’t know any better, Rue would have thought she was in pain.

“Can’t say that I have,” Siggy said after a moment, still fidgeting with the console controls. Her voice was low and quiet, almost as if she was revealing a long-held secret.

“Not something I’ve ever had the time for, traveling and all. My life is anything but normal, Rue.”

Rue sat back in thought. She didn’t want to push Siggy, however being a scientist, she couldn’t help but poke at what was left unsaid.

“Surely you’ve had to have felt something at some point, being hundreds of years old. I mean, you travel a lot, there must have been someone you’ve met along the way,” Rue continued on.

Siggy smiled softly, but her eyes looked so tired. It was hard for Rue to believe that this alien, who looked so very human, has beared centuries of pain and grief, and change, watching life pass by and knowing she was constant in it- never aging, never evolving. It was even harder to believe that she had spent all those years alone.

“Actually, there was someone, yes,” Siggy said distantly, as if she was transported back in time to a memory she tried very hard to lock away. “A very, very long time ago. Before I began traveling. On my home planet.”

Rue watched as her hands faltered briefly with the controls. Her jaw was clenched, and for a moment, she appeared lost as she stared down at the screen. She shook her head as if willing the memory away. When she snapped back to reality, she glanced over at Rue, quirking an eyebrow.

“Humans,” she scoffed, feigning annoyance. “You lot are always so nosy. Can’t keep anything private, can we?”

Rue smiled at that. As much as Siggy tried to hide parts of herself, Rue knew ways to find them.

“Oh, of course,” Rue agreed with a laugh. “Wouldn’t that be boring? Not knowing anything personal about each other? Besides, you are technically human! You said so yourself!”

“Yes, my race does have some lineage with humans. I said we are basically the human race from the future due to our advancements in technology. I remember quite well,” Siggy mused, leaning back against the console. She looked up in thought, rocking on her heels. “Still, very different than your race. Much more cerebral.”

Rue’s mouth fell open in shock as she laughed, enjoying the lighthearted banter.

“Are you calling us stupid?” Rue said playfully.

“Of course not! I-“

“I’m pretty sure you just called us stupid,” Rue repeated, laughing. “My apologies, Ms Superiority.”

Siggy rolled her eyes and smiled.

“Quite the opposite.”

They fell into a comfortable silence for a brief moment, neither of them willing to look away from each other. Rue could have sworn she saw Siggy’s eyes soften as she looked at her, and she briefly wondered if her heart was beating just as fast. They were both surprised to find that they were now standing closer together, closing the gap that was between them.

Siggy couldn’t help but glance from Rue’s warm, hazel eyes down to her parted lips, unconsciously memorizing her features in the dim lighting of the console room. The electricity in the air was all around them, traveling up her spine and giving her goosebumps. Siggy remembered this feeling quite well- a feeling she experienced only one other time, on her home planet, but she would never dare say it.

Yet, she was staring right at it. The reason she couldn’t return home. The reason she was exiled. Banished. The reason she was hunted, not allowed to exist as her own person. An “abomination”; coded as an “unnatural phenomenon”, ill-equipped for “laws of reproduction”. A punishment for being different…for loving differently.

She took a step back from Rue, breaking the close contact. She knew she couldn’t live a normal life. She was aware that she could not pursue this. She cleared her throat and looked away, not willing to meet Rue’s eyes.

“We should probably get going,” she said quietly, her hand fiddling back to the console controls. Rue blinked twice, confused by the sudden change.

“Right,” she agreed, smoothing out her shirt. “Maybe one day you could take me to visit your home planet,” Rue said, a mix of innocence and hopefulness in her voice. It broke Siggy’s heart. “Would be nice to see where you grew up.”

“Yeah,” Siggy nodded patiently, knowing that would never happen. “Maybe one day.”

The bar. My favorite place to relax after a long day. My particularly favorite spot is a lengthy table along an equally lengthy window, giving me a wonderful view of the city down below. Today one of my more aquaited colleagues joins me as we wind down for the day. We were enjoying the regular sounds day three of seven had normally brought about. That was until the sound of my felian friends voice broke our comfortable silence.

“Human, may I ask you to explain an earthling concept? I’ve never heard of such curious things such as ‘love’. My kind understand your reasons for unions or ‘marriage’ as you call it. But i am unfamiliar with this ‘love’.”

I smiled and looked at my colleagues, curious expression as they sat perched on their bar stool while resting their head on one hand as they absentmindedly stir their drink with their straw.

“What has you so curious Fel? Your species is hardcore against such ‘make-believe’ things. Hmmm?” I enjoyed teasing them and they did the same. Our species had many differences, but luckily, humour still tranlated. This colleagues species were called the Felians, we had no words for what it means exactly but as far as i understood it meant proud. Which they were a very proud race, as well as efficient and intelligent. They weren’t a very emotional bunch though. Very logical, literal and morally neutral. ‘Do what’s best for us, as well as those we come across’ kind of attitude. I related to it so i found them pleasant to be around.

“I do not appreciate your mockery. Just humour me for one moment. ‘Truce’ as you humans say. I’m truly curious, you know how my kind do things. Sometimes i find myself wondering what your human customs would be look like for us. You tell me of these ‘romantical’ stories and i wonder if we too can make such complex bonds with our chosen mates. If having these bonds truly make two individuals become truly complete. While my kind think they can simply use a union to benefit the socail standing of the pair and the families that are united.” They stopped and continued stirring their drink with a solemn look on their face.

“Uh, forgive me, you just took me by surprise as I’ve never heard of a Felian even entertaining the idea.” I took a second to sip my drink as i think of how to start.

“How do you know your feeling it? And what kind of feeling even is it?”

“Hmm, it looks and feels different for many who are lucky enough to experience it. But it all starts with a want.”

“A want? What does that mean? What kind of want?” They asked as they made a scrunched face and turned their head to look at me.

Taking a second to observe them I look at my own drink and start stirring slowly. Taking another sip before a start and savouring the taste as i swallow and lick my lip, reminiscing over a different time in my life.

“A want that starts small at first, in fact for some love has nothing to do with it at the start. Attraction maybe, but sometimes love itself take time to take root.”

“To take root? Is it a plant?”

sigh “That was a metaphor, my bad. It’s similar in concept. A tree for example. That first tiny, barely noticeable want is the seed. It’s gets buried in your heart.”

“Okay, then how does it grow? And my understanding is that trees take a long time to grow? Does it take that long if it didn’t already exist?”

“For some it does take a long time. For others it can be much faster. For reference, instead of a tree some experience it grow as quick a seasonal crop.”

“I see.” They look to be pondering tonight as the questions kept coming. “Have you ever felt it?”

We made eye contact as they asked. I held it for a few seconds contemplating if i wanted to share something so personal. Looking away to take another sip, i take a deep breath as i feel the warmth in my belly grow.

“Yes. Yes I have.” A soft smile came to my face as i remembered him fondly.

Adjusting themselves in their seat, i could feel their smile on me as they inquire more. “What was it like?”

I looked them in the eye and decided that i was ready to talk about him. I have always wanted my friend to consider the idea after all. They had an arranged union happening in one week and i could tell something was on their mind.

“It was pure satisfaction. We understood each other, our goals as well as expectations. I spent so long not even realizing that i needed him in my life before i met him.” Taking the last sip of my drink I cue the bartender to prepare me another as i finish speaking.

“How would you have known you needed him if you had not met him yet?” I could see them trying to understand but not quite getting there.

“I couldn’t have of course. He became such an important person to me. Someone i wanted to support in anyway i could. We started out as friends but i suppose i was attracted to him since the moment we met.”

“What’s this attraction you speak of? How is it different from love?”

“Attraction is mostly relevant to how appealing ones appearance is to another. It is more of a instinctual and physical desire. You can be attracted to someone and not actually love them. Love if more emotional, as you know. Do felians experience attraction?”

“In a way i suppose, we do have physiques and genetic traits we find more pleasant then others. The type one find appealing depends on what their families goals. A union is more for those who are looking to procreate, better their social standing or their business in some way. It is rarely heard of to create one for any other reason.”

“That explains a lot.” I say with a smile in an attempt to tease them a little again. Which got me a look that told me it worked. “Anyways love is, simply put, a strong and complex feeling that is hard to ignore once you become aware of it. It draws you to a person and sometimes you dont know why for a long time. Some become lovers or unionized soon after feeling are confessed. Some feel intimidated by it and wait, choosing to become friends before acting on it. Some even just start out as friends without feelings of love or attraction.” I paused to receive my drink from the waiter and take a sip before continuing.

“This sounds complicated and like a lot of unnecessary work. It sounds like feeling get in the way of something lovely if both parties dont feel the same way, does it not?” They asked as i put my glass down and started stirring my drink again to listen.

This question made me giggle a bit before i answered. “You’re absolutely right. But that’s why just like your unions, its important to be open about what you want. I know your species unions are not to be broken until death. Love is similar. It will stay with you until death. The stronger the love you feel, reciprocated or not, the impact on the heart stays for ever. Even if the memory gets tucked away as time passes. The heart never forgets one you have loved.”

“So do all humans experience love?” They ask starting out at the city below.

“At some point in their lives yes, they do. Whether it be family love or love from friends as well as a partner, almost everyone human experiances love at some point in their lives.” Thinking about it had me remembering all i have loved in the past as well as now. I have definitely experienced my fair share of love. Silently reminiscing had me feeling grateful for the life i have lived.

“Does it really make you do foolish things? I heard it can turn those with the sharpest wit to do things they normally would not.”

These questions kept bringing a smile to my face, this is so out of character for this friend of mine. They have been acting strange as of late which is why I wanted to arrange this hangout. Usually they are so straight forward but right now i cant tell what is really on their mind.

“Do you mind if i ask what brought on this sudden curiousity?”

“I do.” They said as they took a bigger swig of their drink. “I will allow it though.” They took a deep breath before finishing their drink and asking for another. “I have been experiancing things that i have never encountered before. Something that i believe is similar to this ‘love’ you humans have.”

My jaw dropped. Excitement exploded inside me as my curiosity and a twinge of something else had me almost gasping way too loud for the quite environment around us. They held there hand up to stop me from interrupting as they wanted to continue. I immediately shut my mouth and took a sip of my drink nodding at them to continue.

“I wasn’t sure at the start, as you know i have never believed in such… feelings. But this tiny want you speak of, i think i have felt it…. I admit with shame as to my understanding it should a feeling felt towards your betrothed. I fear that is not the case here.” They took a sip of their new drink and took another deep breath.

“Respectfully, may i ask who?” I’ve known them for six years now and not once have they ever shown a tiny bit of curiosity and now they are telling me they not only believe the feelings to be real, that they themselves are experianceing them… for another.

They didn’t answer for a second before nodding slowly still looking out the window. I didn’t want to rush them so i stayed quite while slowly and continuously taking tiny sips from my drink as i waited in anticipation not taking my eyes off them.

They brought their strong arms up and rested their elbows on the table while holding their head to rest in their hands. Rubbing their eyes and running their hands back through their hair, they drink their entire new drink before taking a couple more deep breaths while looking out the window, these ones i sensed were to deal with the burn of the strong liquor making its way down their throat.

We held eye contact and i saw their eyes soften as they continue staring and their raised hand was put on their knee. Normally this didn’t effect me in anyway but the alcohol and the surprise of this conversation as well as this unknown look on their face made me feel some things. They were fully facing me now. I’ve always been attracted to them, i enjoyed our banter. We were both straight forward, and despite being from different cultures, we have a lot in common. But i knew how they felt and what they believed so i am confident they became a good and true friend throughout the years.

“As you know i learn all i can of the new races that join the United Galaxies. It is a passion of mine and has been ever since i could remember. While my species usually find themselves to be of a higher means then others, i have never quite felt the same in that regard. But I still hold my cultures traditions and customs quite close to my heart. Learning about your culture made me learn something about myself that i didn’t know was possible. With much thought and consideration i think…. I love you.”

“It’s when you care about somebody deeply It’s a very complex emotion but is a deep emotion towards someone. Like a mother to her child or somebody to their spouse”. Says Abby

“Ohhhh is see, on our planet we don’t refer to it as love” says alien

“We actually don’t have a name for it But we all feel that we are this, love And it isn’t an emotion It’s who we are as beings Which is why I believe we don’t have a name for it We just refer to it as …. Us or we Everyone experiences this Everyone is love”

Abby sits down with a hopeless look on her face “Well here on earth there is always an opportunity to experience love but not everybody does Death is guaranteed but love isn’t Some people get caught up in patterns influenced by societal structure that inhibits them to experience it. Habits, addictions, unfulfilling jobs, But I haven’t given up on love I know I am capable of it And one day I will be able to love”

"It's caring. It's being able to do everthing for them. It's wanting to do everything for them. It's affection, it's wanting to spent the rest of your days and more with them! It's truly and deeply caring. It's being there for them no matter what. Listening, to guide, it means being able to give up on your career, giving up on your life, your family. True love is supposed to be everything for you." He looks at me, frowning. I can see in his green-hued face he doesn't agree. "Love... The concept of love is not a common topic of conversation where I come from, but from how I see it, love is understanding. It's knowing the limits of your partner, it's getting what they're feeling, it's security, safety, respect. Understanding each other's values, having faith in each other, making the effort to make your partner feel at ease and safe in your arms, in your company. That's how I view love." "I think we can both agree that love is commitment, spending time and passion." I cock my head and lift my brow. He smiles softly. "Oh, yes we can. Love is making the effort." I lean closer, stroke his cheek, feel his pulse on his neck. His breath hitches, but he looks at me like I'm the only girl he's ever seen. Which, technically, is true, as I'm the only human girl he's ever seen. "Love is also..." I lean even closer, but he preceeds me, and presses his lips on mine. "This.", he finishes for me. "This.", I agree.

“Love is hard.”

“It’s hard?”

“Yes it’s hard.”

“I don’t think so at all, I think it’s very simple actually.”

“Must be a cultural difference then.”

“Maybe it’s just a personal one.”

“Why do you say that?”

“I think love could be easy for you if you let it be.”

“I doubt it. I really really doubt it.”

“Well what makes it so hard then?”

“It requires so much work, and there is no guarantee it will ever be returned. You can be betrayed by someone you have known for years, at any moment, and then all those years of supposed ‘love’ will mean nothing.”

“Why would it mean nothing? You still experienced that love did you not? I think feeling love for any duration is lovely.”

“It’s not so lovely when it ends though is it?”

“Perhaps not, but isn’t it good to know that your heart can feel so full?”

“Only for it to be emptied once it shatters again.”

“But you can put those pieces back together can’t you? And fill it back up again while you’re at it. Perhaps it will even be better the second time.”

“After your heart is broken like that, there is no second time.”

“Are you saying you can only ever love one person? Can only ever love once? What about all the friendships you’ve made and all the people you’ve met?”

“Was that really love at all, or was it just a waste of time?”

“I think love can never be a waste. I think love is something that should never be regretted. It’s an indication of your capacity to feel and to give. It’s not a test of time or a measure of importance. I think love just is. I think love exists as itself and nothing else.”

“Well maybe we just need to agree to disagree.”

“Perhaps we will always disagree, but I have never regretted the love I have given. And just so you know, I’ve given quite a bit of my love to you as well. I’ll never regret loving you, even if one day you regret that I did.”

“Oh, well yes, I guess we will have to agree to disagree.”

Human says to alien love is yes meeting up chatting up £motional showing that you’re tough masculine that your jeans or genes are worthy to pass to the next generation with compliments getting emotional arousing her you know and beating the competition to death by you know getting abs going to gym eating healthy food drinking lots of water

Alien said oh this thing called love is so competitive so primitive so nasty full of games and mind games and and shit and we are the other hand have the best alternative. It’s just like this my little antenna tingles when I like somebody and we just get it on we built home together it’s totally non competitive. It’s like a psychic bond , it’s so easy and so simple not difficult and yet we are very peaceful loving Pwith advancement and technology and we are still tough.

“What is love?” the small alien asked, avoiding the sun as Heather was washing the dishes. Heather just smiled and replied, “something you feel, not eat” she said, wiping the plate dry with her towel. Then she paused and thought for a second as Kelly’s looked up, blinking her eyes. “Think of a tree” she said.
Kelly replied, “Why? Will they eat me?” Kelly asked, and Heather then grinned from ear to ear.
“Of course not, silly” Heather replied as she threw the towel over her shoulder and let the water drain from the sink. The sun was beaming through the small window, filling the house with warmth and no AC. Only a fan that Heather needed to fix.
Then she looked down at Kelly to finish her story. “If you plant a seed and take good care of it, the tree will grow to be strong with roots that never will move, even if the tree is cut down” she finished, watching to see Kelly’s response. “It will grow again to be tall and strong” she added, and watched Kelly’s eyes fill with curiosity. “That is true love, to survive the storm and still be tall” Heather said, as memories replayed through her broken soul. She felt like a rose with hundreds of thorns and just a few pedals left full of love. Nothing like a tree that had limbs and leaves full of beauty. Jay cut her down, roots and all.
Her hair was now thin, and her skin full of wrinkles from three plus years of fighting a fight she never wanted to join. And Kelly knew nothing about human souls, how painful they were for nothing but greed like vultures that fed on innocent prey.
Her eyes now moist, she walked away from the sink as Kelly then followed to see where she went. Heather walked upstairs and into the attic.
“Where are you going, Heather” the alien asked. “I saw a tree just outside the house. Do you want it?” Kelly asked, watching as Heather made noise in the attic.
Heather didn’t respond as she went through boxes and boxes of old photos she took. Her grandfather knew she had a good skill, and taught her everything that she knew. Even to climb mountains in their own back yard. She loved the outdoors and so did he. Together, she learned how to fend for herself.
Her grandmother said nothing when they came back exhausted from hiking out west. Colorado was home to Heather, even if her mother knew nothing was wrong.
A few minutes later, Heather came back downstairs holding a box as Kelly just watched. She sat the box down on the wooden floor, full of dust and one small crack. She pulled out a photo and inspected it close, then showed Kelly and said “See this tree?” Heather said somberly, kneeling down beside the torn box.
Kelly looked and saw an oak tree, tall with limbs and plenty of shade. Standing next to the tree was Jay with an ax, a look of pride as he was ready to swing and cut the tree down her father had grown. “He has no soul” Heather said softly, wishing she never knew who he was.
Kelly just watched and then replied “Why?”, as Heather’s eyes became mosit.
“His soul is broken, and so is mine” she said, putting the photo back in the box. The tree was gone and so was her love. Kelly was all she had left, an innocent creature so full of life.
Then Kelly replied “But you still love the tree?”

Everyone thinks I’m crazy because I have an imaginary friend. They think I’m even crazier because his name is Ed and he’s an alien. And to talk matters off, my boyfriend walked out and left me today. You know what I say? To hell with them. To hell with them all. They are the crazy ones because they can’t see him. I don’t know what’s wrong with their eyeballs, but he’s real in the flesh. Or… whatever you might call the gooey substance he’s made of. Anyway, that’s beside the point.

I sit on my loveseat, arms crossed dramatically, staring at Ed on the ottoman. I’m already pissed because he’s sitting there. He knows I don’t like that. He always leaves behind some sort of goop, and I always end up having to clean it up. Nevertheless, he stares back at me, not one of his five eyes blinking.

“I don’t understand how you can’t see why this affects me, Ed,” I say, clearly annoyed. “Damien and I were together for a long time. And he just left. Didn’t even tell me why!” I stop to wipe a tear from my eye before diverting my gaze to the floor. “Of course I’m upset.”

He stretches a long, gasoline tinted tentacle out to pat me on the shoulder. I recoil slightly. “Please don’t touch me. I don’t want to have to wash my shirt too.”

His tentacle retracts like a slinky. Finally, he blinks one eye. “I just don’t understand you humans and this love concept. Makes no sense to me.”

I huff. “Haven’t you ever cared for anything or anyone at all? Don’t you care about me?”

He blinks again, this time with a little more confusion. “I don’t know what that means.”

“Seriously? Not even a pet? A... uh, space dog? Space cat? A space slug?”

He looks offended. “Space slugs are disgusting. I wouldn't keep one even if it begged.”

I roll my eyes. “Okay, forget the space slug. But how can you not understand love? It’s like... it’s like feeling all warm and fuzzy inside when you’re with someone. Like when I see chocolate cake.”

Ed’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “You want to eat Damien?”

“What? No! Ugh, it’s not about eating. It’s about feelings!”

“Feelings like hunger?”

I slap my forehead. “No, Ed. Feelings from the heart. Feelings like... like wanting to be with someone because they make you happy. Like when you share your favorite things with them, or they just make you smile.”

He seems to ponder this, his five eyes darting in different directions, probably consulting the mothership or something. “So... love is like wanting to share my latest tentacle secretion with you?”

I gag a little. “No, Ed. Love is not sharing bodily fluids. It’s... it’s like... okay, imagine if you lost one of your eyes.”

His eyes widen—well, as much as gelatinous orbs can widen. “That sounds horrifying.”

“Exactly! You’d feel incomplete, right? You’d miss that eye.”

He nods slowly. “So, you miss Damien like you’d miss an eye?”

“Yes! Exactly!” I exclaim, relieved that we’re finally getting somewhere.

“But what if the eye was always causing problems? Like getting infected or falling out at inconvenient times?”

“Okay, now you’re overthinking it,” I sigh. “The point is, I loved Damien, and now he’s gone, and it hurts.”

Ed's eyes squint in what I hope is a thoughtful manner. “Maybe you humans should have detachable hearts. Like spare parts. Then you could just replace them when they break.”

I can’t help but laugh. “If only it were that easy, Ed. If only…”

Ed's tentacles twitch thoughtfully. "Have you ever considered the fact that Damien may have left you because you claim to have an imaginary alien friend named Ed?"

I sigh deeply. "Yes, Ed. I'm sure that probably has something to do with it."

He tilts his head, eyes blinking in unison. "Do you want me to go away forever so that you can have Damien back?"

I stare at him, my heart clenching. "Of course I don't want that."

All five of his eyes seem to light up, his body shimmering with excitement. "So... does that mean you love me?" he asks, tentacles wiggling happily.

I roll my eyes and smile. "Yes, Ed. That means I love you."

He reaches out a tentacle and wraps it around me, pulling me to his chest. His goop gets all over my shirt. "Yuck!" I cry, squirming out of his grasp. "I don't love you that much!"

Ed chuckles, a sound like bubbles popping. "I get the feeling this love thing is more complicated than I ever imagined."

Love Nothing more than friends Means so much more to us humans But why, emotions get in the way It’s better to be functional I mean we don’t worry We work, have fun and live We just don’t worry about such things Life is better without love Said my Martian friend. I don’t agree!

Tin stands in front of the door to his apartment. The apartment is tiny and dingy, like all of the apparemts in the future. Beside his door hangs a gas mask. He picks up the gas mask, switches on the ocular screen, and afixed the mask firmly on his face. Tin opens the door and steps out into the pale light of the city. As Tin walks down the street, ads begin to play in the ocular screen of the gas mask. Tin mutes them quickly and curses under his breath. It’s not that he can’t afford the $72 a month for ad blocker, he just never remembers to buy it until after he’s put on the mask. And he never wears it often, or for very long. In fact, the only time he leaves his house these days is to go to The Cafe. Tin is on his way to The Cafe now, in fact. The Cafe is old world-theme. The gimmick is that you can experience life like the ancients. The Cafe offers in-house seating and serves “coffee” with “milk,” things that the ancients used to grow before the climate crisis. Tin doesn’t know what the “coffee” and “milk” are actually made of, but he also does not know what they were made of in ancient times either. The most important gimmick, the one that got Tin hooked, it that you actually have to tell another being your what you want to get, and then that make it and hand it to you! At first, Tin was appalled by this archaic interaction. There was so much room for error, both on his part and the part of the order-taker. The first time Tin went to the counter, he was terrified. The best me could do was to show the order-taker a picture of what he wanted in his ocular lense. But the order-taker knew what to do. They put in an order for coffee with milk and sucrose substitute and told Tin to, “please have a seat.” And, that his order would be brought to him. Tin had sat down, his heart racing. His heart continued to race, and did not stop racing, even after he had left The Cafe. At first, he thought maybe it was the coffee- perhaps he was having an allergic reaction? However, a quick conversation with the AI doctor in his ocular lense made it seem unlikely. Was it the social interaction then? He had that many words spoke to him by another being in quite some time- at least not out loud and in the same room. As his heart rate slowed, Tin felt the crash. He know he had to go back. Tin had been coming to The Cafe every week since then. Slowly, he had learned to ask for his order, and to thank the order-taker. Once, he has remarked on the poor weather. He immediately regretted it and wanted to die. It took all his courage to go back the next week. After he placed his order, the being counter said, “Better weather this week, huh?” He could only nod. Today would be different. Today he knew what he was going to say, and he had even practiced it. As he waited in line, his heart started started beating quickly. He looked at the being behind the counter. The being was a cloud of dark purple corporeal gas floating about five feet in the air. Corporeal gasses do not have hands, and instead use electromagnetism to move and hold objects. The talk using vibrations, the same as humans. Tin wasn’t sure how they perceived light, but this corporeal gas work sunglasses. When he approached the counter the being began the familiar exchange, “Hi, what can I get you?” “Hi, can I get a coffee with milk and sucrose substitute?” Tin said, playing the part perfectly. “Absolutely,” the being hummed. “That will be $50.” “Thank you,” Tin said, tapping the side of his ocular lense to complete the payment. “I’ll have that right out.” Said the being. “Thank you,” Tin said. And then he said, “I love you.”