their backs turned they looked familiar. The way the woman held herself...But the hair was wrong. When they turned she was sure and amused. It was the Alphonses and they were disguised, but did they really think they could fool her? April waved them over to join her.
They had been to Home before to get Life Extension Therapy and met April briefly. She had even taken them to dinner. But there had been stories in the news to indicate they'd let the retro virus get away from them when they returned home and infected both Spanish royalty and prominent churchmen. Something Earthies viewed as biological terrorism. They were wanted, in the criminal sense.
"James, Elena, I'm happy to see you. Why didn't you tell me you were coming up? I'd have made sure to set aside some time and been ready to entertain you."
James looked funny with the moustache. It made him look silly as far as April was concerned and his hair was cut differently. Elena was stunning no matter what her hair color. They approached her table, Elena with a neutral expression and James with a curious look. Close up it was obvious to her trained eye both were enjoying LET and it showed in their skin first, with even the minor wrinkles people got in their thirties disappearing.
"I'm sorry, I'm certain we have not met. Might I ask your name?" James inquired. He still had that formal, educated air about him.
"Oh...You're incognito. I can understand that. Ok we'll play it that way. Join me if you wish. I'm April Lewis. Welcome to Home. What are your names and are you still, uh, I mean, are you Spanish? Or where are you from, lately?"
Elena lifted an eyebrow, but took the invitation to sit with her. And James followed her lead. "Indeed we once lived in Spain. It was lovely. But we're from Italy most recently. I'm Helen, from Portugal and my husband Jesse was born in Monaco. We came over from ISSII two days ago. I think I've seen you on the news services, but I doubt you've seen anything about us. We're rather unremarkable. Jess is an actuary and I've been working with various PR and fund raising teams. We live a fairly quiet life. What do you do Miss Lewis?"
"Oh, you know, the usual things, piracy, international banking, club owner, shuttle pilot and I have an interest in a little greeting card and printing company. I have some partners. I've been neglecting my interests a few weeks though as I went with some friends for a Pacific holiday."
"That sounds interesting. I've had occasion to make use of a printer now and then myself. Though I hadn't expected Home to be a hotbed of the graphic arts."
"You'd be surprised at the breadth of business we are sustaining. Do you mean to stay on Home for awhile, or you just playing the tourist for a few days?"
"If we like the atmosphere and determine there is employment for us, we might very well stay indefinitely. Some of the things in the news recommended Home to us. The low taxation, the personal freedom and the assertion it is a place of opportunity. There isn't any place on Earth I'd nominate for those qualities without reserve."
"No, when we went to the Pacific on vacation we went to an uninhabited atoll where we could enjoy the sea and the sun. A day on Tonga was plenty of rubbing elbows with humanity. I have no desire at all to visit somewhere like New York or Paris. They encompass the Earth we usually refer to as the slum ball."
"A harsh assessment, but one I wouldn't challenge," Helen agreed.
"Have you started a job search then?"
"We were allowing ourselves a day or two to acclimate, but we've stood and examined the job postings in the window of the employment agency just down the corridor. There seems to be no shortage of unfilled positions. Of course a lot of them are rather technical and we won't have the skills for those."
"You might even consider starting something of your own," April suggested. "Your moving about suggests you are multi-lingual, you might do translation, or open your own PR firm, or even open a
They had been to Home before to get Life Extension Therapy and met April briefly. She had even taken them to dinner. But there had been stories in the news to indicate they'd let the retro virus get away from them when they returned home and infected both Spanish royalty and prominent churchmen. Something Earthies viewed as biological terrorism. They were wanted, in the criminal sense.
"James, Elena, I'm happy to see you. Why didn't you tell me you were coming up? I'd have made sure to set aside some time and been ready to entertain you."
James looked funny with the moustache. It made him look silly as far as April was concerned and his hair was cut differently. Elena was stunning no matter what her hair color. They approached her table, Elena with a neutral expression and James with a curious look. Close up it was obvious to her trained eye both were enjoying LET and it showed in their skin first, with even the minor wrinkles people got in their thirties disappearing.
"I'm sorry, I'm certain we have not met. Might I ask your name?" James inquired. He still had that formal, educated air about him.
"Oh...You're incognito. I can understand that. Ok we'll play it that way. Join me if you wish. I'm April Lewis. Welcome to Home. What are your names and are you still, uh, I mean, are you Spanish? Or where are you from, lately?"
Elena lifted an eyebrow, but took the invitation to sit with her. And James followed her lead. "Indeed we once lived in Spain. It was lovely. But we're from Italy most recently. I'm Helen, from Portugal and my husband Jesse was born in Monaco. We came over from ISSII two days ago. I think I've seen you on the news services, but I doubt you've seen anything about us. We're rather unremarkable. Jess is an actuary and I've been working with various PR and fund raising teams. We live a fairly quiet life. What do you do Miss Lewis?"
"Oh, you know, the usual things, piracy, international banking, club owner, shuttle pilot and I have an interest in a little greeting card and printing company. I have some partners. I've been neglecting my interests a few weeks though as I went with some friends for a Pacific holiday."
"That sounds interesting. I've had occasion to make use of a printer now and then myself. Though I hadn't expected Home to be a hotbed of the graphic arts."
"You'd be surprised at the breadth of business we are sustaining. Do you mean to stay on Home for awhile, or you just playing the tourist for a few days?"
"If we like the atmosphere and determine there is employment for us, we might very well stay indefinitely. Some of the things in the news recommended Home to us. The low taxation, the personal freedom and the assertion it is a place of opportunity. There isn't any place on Earth I'd nominate for those qualities without reserve."
"No, when we went to the Pacific on vacation we went to an uninhabited atoll where we could enjoy the sea and the sun. A day on Tonga was plenty of rubbing elbows with humanity. I have no desire at all to visit somewhere like New York or Paris. They encompass the Earth we usually refer to as the slum ball."
"A harsh assessment, but one I wouldn't challenge," Helen agreed.
"Have you started a job search then?"
"We were allowing ourselves a day or two to acclimate, but we've stood and examined the job postings in the window of the employment agency just down the corridor. There seems to be no shortage of unfilled positions. Of course a lot of them are rather technical and we won't have the skills for those."
"You might even consider starting something of your own," April suggested. "Your moving about suggests you are multi-lingual, you might do translation, or open your own PR firm, or even open a
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