Soon, she had an impressive spread ready for him to try. Empirically, she knew how much caloric intake he required, but she wouldn’t mention that. He could eat whatever he wanted. But she realized he had no idea how to go about that. His limbs were clumsy and he didn’t know how to use utensils. She’d never considered how many basic tasks would require a tutorial, but he might get annoyed if she tried to explain.

Quietly she demonstrated, picking up the scoop, and after a brief hesitation, he copied the gesture with impressive dexterity for one who was unaccustomed to performing such tasks. Qalu nudged a dish toward him–her favorite, roast nornroot in a seasoned sauce. She watched his expression as he ate and the dawning wonder as the taste flowered for him, subtle and soft at first, with a heat from the various spices that bloomed over time, gaining complexity and savor.

“This is…” It was endearing the way he simply stopped speaking when he lacked the capacity to articulate what he was experiencing.

“Delicious?” she suggested.

“I lack any basis for comparison, but I… like this. Very much.” With greater enthusiasm, he tackled other dishes, making faces now and then—he didn’t care for the stewed algae at all—but he always went back to the roast nornroot.

“So do I. It’s my foremother’s recipe, and she programmed my manufacturer personally, as if I can’t input the proper ingredients and ratios.”

“I am unable to evaluate this statement for accuracy, as I have no progenitors.”

“You’re not acquainted with the one who created your initial…” Now Qalu hesitated, wondering how to phrase it in a respectful manner. “Neural matrix?”

“That information is unavailable to me.” His head tendrils quivered, possibly an instinctive expression of confusion or distress.

Since he had a Tiralan body, those gestures would come naturally, even if he didn’t realize the significance. “Would you like to know more about your creator?”

“I… have never thought about it–never questioned my antecedents. It’s common on Barath for affluent households to have an AI manage the smart habitat. I was fortunate to be valued for my conversation and companionship as well.”

“It sounds as if you were happy there. The situation must have changed, or you wouldn’t have left.” Qalu wouldn’t pry, but she was curious. Not that he seemed to possess the most critical piece of information: why he’d crashed on Tiralan.

“I would prefer not to provide more details at this juncture,” he said, as if he feared she would insist.

“Your secrets are your own. I’m here to help, not to break your defenses. Safeguards are present for a reason. When you trust me more, you will share of your own free will.”