Page 63 of Badass Alien Boss

“Those answers we have yet to discover. But, since I know what your infection level was when you saw Dr. Prymr and what it was when you arrived here, I can deduce you were reexposed sometime after you saw him. I need you to tell me everything you did from the moment you left his office. Where you went and who you saw. Don’t leave anything out, no matter how insignificant you think it is.”

Michaela met Ruyn’s gaze, trying to recall what they had done. Yesterday seemed like a long time ago. “It was late in the day by the time we left Dr. Prymr’s, so we went to eat at Mama Murta’s Café. We go there all the time.”

“Murta…” Dr. Kurur frowned. “Wasn’t there a defense minister by that name?”

“The same. She runs a café now,” Ruyn said.

“How did you get to the café?” the doctor asked.

“Hovercab,” she said. “We hailed one outside Prymr’s office.”

“Did you stop anywhere before arriving at the café?”

“No.”

“Did you have any encounters with anyone at the café?”

“Only Mama Murta and Chaumi, her daughter. Chaumi is a server. Mama does the cooking. She’s playing matchmaker, trying to set us up.”

“You’re not a couple?” Dr. Kurur arched his eyebrows.

“We are now. We weren’t at first.”

“So, then what happened?”

“The place was very busy—it was dinnertime. Chaumi seated us at a table in the back of the restaurant. Mama came out to say hello. Chaumi brought us drinks. Mama went to the kitchen to cook. Chaumi brought us the meal. We ate, and then we left.” She glanced at Ruyn to see if he had anything to add.

“That’s pretty much it,” he said.

“What did you drink?”

“I don’t know. Something fruity and bubbly, sweet. Mama told Chaumi to bring us drinks.”

“I’d never had the drink before,” Ruyn added. “The meal wassterwuzeial.”

“The planetary dish.” The doctor nodded.

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as a planetary dish,” she said.

“Mama’s version of it, anyway,” Ruyn said. “Everyone makes it a little different.”

“And you felt no effects after drinking, eating?” the doctor asked.

“No, I felt fine.”

He looked at Ruyn. “Didyousuffer any effects?”

“No. Not then, not ever. And we pretty much eat the same things.”

“I thought Dr. Prymr had ruled out food as the cause?” she said. Could it be the food after all? Some people developed sensitivities to foods they’d been eating for years. Could that be what had happened? Once-okay food wasn’t anymore? If she couldn’t eat the food, she’d be forced to return home. She hatedto leave a project undone, but health came first. Thankfully, Ruyn would go with her.

But what if he can’t eat Earth food? Great. Something else to worry about.

Dr. Kurur made a noncommittal noise and asked, “Then what happened?”

“We went home. We walked. Our apartment is close to the café.”

“Did you meet anyone along the way?”