By the time I faced the skanky teller, the choice had already been made, somewhere in the back of my head. I cashed in the pile of clothing, almost-new jeans and pretty, patterned T-shirts, then declared the turned-out, empty backpack as my picker’s choice for the night. I noted more than one glance sliding enviously over my good fortune. One item I’d missed was a pair of stiff leather wrist cuffs stuffed in an inside pocket. Didn’t exactly fit the girl’s image as I’d seen it, but who knew what she might be into? I handed them over with the rest. Even when the old crab shorted me a chit, I didn’t fuss. Sucking in my gut to hide the swell of my belly wallet, I just wanted out of there.

Now, if I could just act normal, not look rushed or too eager, stick to routine. Like getting something to eat. I considered my eight-chit handful. A fortune. Just one would buy a meal in the Mess but I’d have to sit down and chat.

Meanwhile, here’s Rubio chumming up beside me. He’d changed out of his wet streeties. His loose denim shirt hung like a sack on him, long sleeves rolled down to his wrists. Even in the daytime heat, he’d get chilled. He waved six chits like a trophy.

“You got that much?” Being pissed at him never lasted me long.

Even a half-smile on him was a rare sight. “Organic protein. Right up to date. Teller nearly creamed herself. Sorry you gave ’em up?” He nodded toward the mess hall as the red doors swung open, spitting out a clatter of voices and dishware. “C’mon, I’ll treat you.”

People were singing in there, boisterous, off-key. I wrinkled my nose. “Don’t think so.”

“What? Smells good to me.”

“Eat my share. I’m beat.” I had to get out of there. “I’ll grab take-out at the counter.”

He sighed and glanced away over the mob. For all his prickliness, he didn’t much like eating, or even being, alone.

I nudged him. “I heard there’s an extra beer ration.”

“So? You like beer.”

“Only when I’m awake.”

“It’d help you sleep.”

“I sleep fine. Hey, isn’t that Louka in there, on the harmony line? Buy her one.”

That did it. Rube was as dumb as the next guy when it came to girls, so we weren’t on each other’s sex radar. That left us free to be good pals, which was just as well, since my radar was in hiatus and touching still roused me to panic. So off he went. I felt bad for abandoning him, but I had business with my belly pack. Past time to see if the contents were worth the risk I was taking.

But still, we all gotta eat.