Page 13 of Whoops-A-Mate From Outer Space
“I’ll introduce you to the rest of the team then.” He pushed open the door and held it for me.
The lab was on the smaller side, but as he described. Long, low tables made two rows in the middle of the room, computer workstations running into each other. Gray counters lined the walls, filled with printers and assorted other items. On the far end, a glass partition separated the space from a wet lab filled with gleaming new equipment and glassware.
“Gentlemen,” Floyd’s voice boomed as he stepped in behind me. “Allow me to introduce Doctor Eugene Wallace.”
Several men turned, stood from their workstations, and started to approach.
“Doctor Wallace,” came a smooth and lilting voice to my left. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”
I turned to shake the man’s hand, and froze.
“I am Eashai,” said a man who was most definitely pale blue.
Chapter 3
Blue.
He was blue—with brown eyes and salt-and-pepper hair.
And he was holding his hand out, waiting for me.
He frowned and reached up to rub behind an ear. “Is my translator not functioning?”
“B-blue…” I finally stammered.
Eashai blinked at me several times. “Yes. I am blue.”
“Apologies, Eashai,” Floyd jumped in. “I wasn’t expecting you back until tomorrow. Doctor Wallace just arrived this morning, and I hadn’t briefed him on what to expect with your physical appearance.”
Eashai studied me for a moment, then laughed. “What is that phrase you taught me?” he paused. “No time like the present?”
“That’s right,” Floyd responded.
Eashai nodded. “Then, no time like the present.” He extended his hand to me once again. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Doctor. I am Eashai, and indeed, I am blue.”
My brain started working again, and I finally remembered basic manners. I shook his hand. “Nice to meet you.” I swallowed. “Are… are all of you…”
He blinked, then laughed again. “Blue? Some of us. We have a range of skin pigmentation. What did I hear?...” he paused, a contemplative expression on his face. “Ah, yes. I believe somebody said that we look like a box of sidewalk chalk.”
“What?”
He cocked his head to one side. “I also do not know what sidewalk chalk is.”
I gaped, then started laughing. “No, I know what sidewalk chalk is. I’m just unsure of the comparison. They’re usually thick chalk sticks in pastel colors. Kids use it to make art on sidewalks.”
“Ah,” he replied. “I understand now. Given that information, the comparison seems correct. Our skin pigmentation does include a range of colors and shades that you could consider pastel.”
My inner scientist reared its head. “Does geographic location play a role in color determination?”
His brown eyes brightened and a smile spread across his face. “No, but given Earth’s evolutionary history, the question is well-founded.”
“So what determines…” I started.
“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Floyd interrupted. “Before you get too deep into discussion, I need to ask Eashai some questions.”
Eashai turned. “You may ask.”
“Did something happen to make you come back early?”
