A glass of some sort of soft drink was set beside him.

" They're in there discussing official stuff, but left you out, huh?"

A human girl smiled at him.

" Ah, well, my older brother is far more important politically than I am," Prima explained, jumping a bit. He had been concentrated on a magazine. " He's the principal ambassador, as it stands."

She sat down next to him.

" So you're just along for the ride?" she asked.

" It's not like that... I like being in the fleet, we get to travel to a bunch of different places... And I get a lot more personal freedom, too."

She melted down in her seat.

" That sounds nice. Things are always so boring around here."

He looked over at her.

" You think? It's really pretty, outside."

" Nothing ever changes, and barely anyone ever comes by," she complained. " This thing with the grain is the first big upset that's ever happened in my life."

A moment.

" I mean, wouldn't you be frustrated by that, too?" she continued.

" ... I guess so."

" What's it like where you're from?"

" Oh, everyone's always fighting and being mean to one another, and my mother runs the place like a prison," Prima said. " I was so relieved to get away from that."

She laughed a little.

" ... I think it's a little like that around here, too."

" What's your name?" he asked.

" Oh, I didn't introduce myself, did I? I'm Kou. Kou Morey."