continued. But Sira sent Piki off with Bangler to the captain's tiny ready room so they could concentrate.
"So... you want me to help you figure out how to... to look?” Bangler asked, confused. “Why?"
"Because I do not know what is considered attractive to humans,” Piki explained, her English improving every hour. “And I know I am... ugly... to them, right now. I want to be like Sira and be pretty to humans. I do not wish to frighten them, or to be... be caught... again...” Her voice trailed off.
"You're not ugly,” Bangler found himself protesting, “just... different. Why don't you ask Sira? I'm not... I'm not good at stuff like this."
"Sira says she only knows what she finds attractive in a male, now she is female. And John is biased, he says, because he loves Sira. Dr. Forcula is married; Nunez is female. So Sira suggested you, since you are,” Piki shrugged, “I think the word is... unpartial?"
"Impartial,” Bangler corrected automatically. “Listen, John didn't have anything to do with this, did he?"
"No,” Piki cocked her head in puzzlement. “It was all Sira's idea. John did not know what to suggest."
Bangler let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. “Okay, I guess so. What do you want to work on first?"
"I think face shape,” Piki decided. “Here are some face shapes I found in my computer.” She hit a button, then toggled through several images on the small screen, holding it so Bangler could see it.
"Mm... lessee...” Bangler muttered to himself as he studied the facial structures. “Oh. Look here. This lady has really pretty bone structure.” He pointed to a particular photograph.
Piki studied the image. “Wide, high cheekbones, a high forehead, and firm jaw,” she noted. “She looks strong, this woman. I am not certain I am so strong, Bang-bang."
Bangler stared at her. “You not only survived a rape and beating, but you rendered your attacker incapable of attacking again, then healed yourself? Piki, that's nothing to put down."
Piki looked up at him doubtfully. “You... you think I am... strong?"
"Very.” He nodded vehemently.
She considered a few moments, then nodded her agreement. “All right. Strong face shape.” Piki hit a button on her palm computer. “Now hair color. Dark or light?"
Bangler shrugged. “I tend to like pale blondes, myself. Other men, obviously, have different opinions. Can you change it once you do it, if you decide you don't like it?"
"Oh yes,” Piki said. “I can... be... any woman I wish."
Bangler wondered if he had imagined that orange bifurcated eyes could give him a seductive glance. He shook off the thought, then suggested, “Well, try blonde for a start, and we can always change it if you don't like it."
"Blonde,” she hit a button, and different shades of blonde hair came onscreen. “Which one?"
Wordlessly, Bangler pointed at the platinum shade. Piki entered confirmation.
They went through lips, nose, and ears the same way, Piki offering options from the computer, and Bangler helping her choose. But when they got to her eyes, Piki got a surprise.
"I... I dunno,” Bangler confessed. “I... can't seem to see you with any other color than the one you've got."
"Orange?” Piki wondered. “I thought humans did not have orange eyes."
"Well, not true orange,” he admitted. “But you can get some really interesting shades of brown and hazel that are fairly close.” He shrugged. “Make them human shaped, with round pupils, then maybe darken the orange shade a bit. That oughta work, and you'll still look like... you."
Piki blinked. “But I will not look like this at all, Bang-bang,” she pointed out, sweeping a hand down her body. “How can I look like... me?"
Bangler flushed slightly. “One of our poets—dam- er, dang if I know which one, said something about the eyes being the windows of the soul,” he explained. “I'd like to be able to see the Piki I know right now in your eyes, even after you've
"So... you want me to help you figure out how to... to look?” Bangler asked, confused. “Why?"
"Because I do not know what is considered attractive to humans,” Piki explained, her English improving every hour. “And I know I am... ugly... to them, right now. I want to be like Sira and be pretty to humans. I do not wish to frighten them, or to be... be caught... again...” Her voice trailed off.
"You're not ugly,” Bangler found himself protesting, “just... different. Why don't you ask Sira? I'm not... I'm not good at stuff like this."
"Sira says she only knows what she finds attractive in a male, now she is female. And John is biased, he says, because he loves Sira. Dr. Forcula is married; Nunez is female. So Sira suggested you, since you are,” Piki shrugged, “I think the word is... unpartial?"
"Impartial,” Bangler corrected automatically. “Listen, John didn't have anything to do with this, did he?"
"No,” Piki cocked her head in puzzlement. “It was all Sira's idea. John did not know what to suggest."
Bangler let out a breath he didn't even know he'd been holding. “Okay, I guess so. What do you want to work on first?"
"I think face shape,” Piki decided. “Here are some face shapes I found in my computer.” She hit a button, then toggled through several images on the small screen, holding it so Bangler could see it.
"Mm... lessee...” Bangler muttered to himself as he studied the facial structures. “Oh. Look here. This lady has really pretty bone structure.” He pointed to a particular photograph.
Piki studied the image. “Wide, high cheekbones, a high forehead, and firm jaw,” she noted. “She looks strong, this woman. I am not certain I am so strong, Bang-bang."
Bangler stared at her. “You not only survived a rape and beating, but you rendered your attacker incapable of attacking again, then healed yourself? Piki, that's nothing to put down."
Piki looked up at him doubtfully. “You... you think I am... strong?"
"Very.” He nodded vehemently.
She considered a few moments, then nodded her agreement. “All right. Strong face shape.” Piki hit a button on her palm computer. “Now hair color. Dark or light?"
Bangler shrugged. “I tend to like pale blondes, myself. Other men, obviously, have different opinions. Can you change it once you do it, if you decide you don't like it?"
"Oh yes,” Piki said. “I can... be... any woman I wish."
Bangler wondered if he had imagined that orange bifurcated eyes could give him a seductive glance. He shook off the thought, then suggested, “Well, try blonde for a start, and we can always change it if you don't like it."
"Blonde,” she hit a button, and different shades of blonde hair came onscreen. “Which one?"
Wordlessly, Bangler pointed at the platinum shade. Piki entered confirmation.
They went through lips, nose, and ears the same way, Piki offering options from the computer, and Bangler helping her choose. But when they got to her eyes, Piki got a surprise.
"I... I dunno,” Bangler confessed. “I... can't seem to see you with any other color than the one you've got."
"Orange?” Piki wondered. “I thought humans did not have orange eyes."
"Well, not true orange,” he admitted. “But you can get some really interesting shades of brown and hazel that are fairly close.” He shrugged. “Make them human shaped, with round pupils, then maybe darken the orange shade a bit. That oughta work, and you'll still look like... you."
Piki blinked. “But I will not look like this at all, Bang-bang,” she pointed out, sweeping a hand down her body. “How can I look like... me?"
Bangler flushed slightly. “One of our poets—dam- er, dang if I know which one, said something about the eyes being the windows of the soul,” he explained. “I'd like to be able to see the Piki I know right now in your eyes, even after you've
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