A drone delivered plates, bowls, and other containers with no conventional names to the table. A black man wearing a plastic cap stood nearby, visibly moved. With the candidness of a child, Ada spontaneously asked:
"Are you okay, sir?"
"Ah… I'm fine."
His hands trembled, but he gave them an odd tug and regained his composure.
"Let's move on to the presentation of the dishes. Thank you for being our guests today."
He cleared his throat, straightened his posture, and began:
"Human Society has conquered many worlds and encountered many Xeno brethren. Few civilizations, however, have developed a culinary culture like humanity's. Not that they lack gastronomy, but their traditions are different. Many Xeno dishes are bland or unpleasant to our palates, sometimes toxic, or based on molecules that our bodies cannot digest—like those with the wrong chirality."
"Chirality?"
"It means they're reversed. But I assure you, all the dishes in our restaurant contain molecules that go in the right direction. Here's a selection of dishes."
He gestured toward a bowl seemingly carved from black stone with wide edges, filled to the brim with steaming soup. Rings of what looked like onion floated to the surface, encircling mushroom "planets."
"This is Star Soup, to be tasted first. It's a dish from the moon Iridium of Lennox-3. This moon is dense and luminous, with such strong gravity that one typically cannot stay there for more than six years. Star Soup is a local tradition—the floating elements represent the Lennox solar system. The soup is poured to the brim because the gravity is so strong that it never spills. Be careful, dear guests—a single drop spilled represents six years of bad luck."
Next, he indicated a shiny orb encased in a golden mesh.
"Next, try catching an Orb of Orion Prime, the space station orbiting Francisco-1, the fragmented planet. It's very light, and you'll need to approach it gently to avoid it being pushed away by the movement of air. It's a salty biscuit that fizzes on the last bite."
He pointed to a large drop of golden liquid served on a wide leaf, accompanied by a straw.
"This is Xeno mangrove sap, extracted from the moon Valentine, orbiting in the shadow of the gas giant Verone-1. Valentine is a marshy place filled with ruins. It has been declared a Protected Natural Park by the Transients, with all existing mangroves originating from a single cutting. A civilization once thrived on Valentine before transcending. They used tree genetics to store their information, so this is sweet—but it's like eating a book."
He showed a flared bowl adorned with patterns, emitting a delightful coriander aroma. Floating within were meatballs and large pieces of pasta.
"The main course comes from the Mythical Earth. Earth has many dishes, but the most common one throughout the universe is pizza."
"Have you ever had pizza?" Solstice asked telepathically.
"No…" Ada thought, disoriented.
"It's delicious. Try it sometime."
But Ada's mind spiraled into panic and anger: Sol can read my thoughts. I'm not safe. I have to be careful and act.
The chef continued:
"A renowned food critic who visited every restaurant once said, 'I've dined at the most expensive and prestigious places. I've tasted food both sophisticated and simple. But I must say, the best dish I ever had was on Earth, on a street in Bangkok—a simple bowl of noodles.' Perhaps he's changed his mind, but that statement deeply resonated with us at Food from This World and Others, inspiring us to recreate that bowl of noodles."
He went on to present more dishes: baklavas that moved unnervingly in response to alpha brain waves (a specialty of Fang, a remote HS world); Gothica, a vantablack whipped cream that absorbed light, created to commemorate a historical trial known as the Lodovico Affair; diluted raspberry-flavored liqueur derived from nebulae; pure water from Europa's icy oceans (a moon of Jupiter in the Mythical Earth solar system); and finally, a sweet-and-sour soufflé made with sugar found on a Calchas comet and yellow salt from Calchas-3, aged before the miner rebellion, filled with wisps of Murmurers—a special neutral atmosphere inhabited by sentient creatures exclusive to gas giants.
"And as for my emotion," he concluded, "I sincerely love cooking. Thalers or no thalers, I am happy to serve humans and Xenos alike. I deeply love my craft and am honored to let you, young lady, taste these dishes for the first time. You are giving me the gift of choosing me. Not everything here will please you, but this table reflects life: not every moment is delightful, but each one is unique. Enjoy your meal."
He departed, leaving Ada to dive into the Star Soup, spilling a bit on the table.
"Six years of bad luck," Sol smiled. "Don't worry—it's just a superstition, like religion."
Had the six years of misfortune begun? A toddler, no older than three, waddled over to Ada's table, pointing at Léon, the plush toy attached to her belt, and crying out.
Under Sol's watchful gaze, Ada grabbed her toy and held it tightly. This only made the child sadder, silent tears streaming down his face. Finally, Ada unhooked Léon from its chain and gently handed it to the child. He hugged Léon and kissed it.
For a moment, Ada seemed concerned but not particularly upset. Was she wondering who she truly was? At last, the child returned Léon to Ada, who reattached it to her chain. A drone escorted the child back to his family. When Ada looked up, she saw Sol smiling mysteriously.
Aside from this incident, the meal turned out to be one of Ada's best childhood experiences. She felt enriched. Not everything was tasty, but, as the chef had said, everything was interesting. She even felt the urge to thank him, asking the EV on the table to send him a message of gratitude.
"I know religion fascinates you," Sol said, breaking the icy silence since the telepathy incident. "We're above the Temple District—perhaps you'd like to learn more?"