It was four hours before dinnertime when Nathaniel arrived back at the Rovad's ranch, and after a short shower and a change of clothes he found himself working again, this time explaining more words and terms to Vinsra, whose inquisitive mind rivaled the greatest scholar. She learned quickly, more hindered by her ribbon tongue that was unaccustomed to making certain sounds than by her impressive memory.

Ganz came in a few hours later, and listened in a bit, but he wasn't half the student his wife was.

As dinnertime grew near, Vinsra vanished into her bedroom to adorn appropriate attire, while Ganz went into the kitchen to prepare the meal.

The smell of sizzling meat wafted into the air as a light tapping sounded at the front door. Before anyone could answer it, the golden handle turned and in stepped Leeza, her reddish scales now accentuated by a bright red dress which flowed around like a tent over her slender form.

"Nate, resk itsk vraut Vinsra," she said, closing the door behind her.

"Vinsra's getting ready," Nathaniel replied, pointing at the bedroom door. "Won't you sit down?" he said, motioning toward a chair by the fireplace.

Leeza hissed something in response and sat down where he directed.

They both sat quietly by the fire, Nathaniel poking it occasionally and adding wood as needed. The heat was a little uncomfortable to him, but the dancing flames were an entertaining sight, which awoke in him primal sensations akin to those of his ancestors. For thousands of years, humans had sat in front of fires like this, comforted by the glow of the chemical reaction.

Leeza seemed equally enamored with the fire, watching it shift and burn, eased by the added warmth which her cold blood craved.

After quite a while, Vinsra appeared from her chambers, dressed up in a blouse of gray and gold stripes, and a long skirt of black which shimmered in the firelight. Her shirt completely covered the spiny ridge along her shoulders, which was something Nathaniel had not seen in Lesher fashion before.

“My, Leeza, you didn’t have to dress up,” Vinsra mentioned, sitting down beside Nate on the couch.

“What, this?” Leeza replied humbly, stroking out a few wrinkles in the red fabric.

With a loud hiss, Ganz appeared from the kitchen, carrying several large plates full of food. Setting them down on the square table in the center of the room, he disappeared again to retrieve plates and flatware.

Moving away from their seats at the fireplace, everyone found a place at the table. Nathaniel sat with his back to the fireplace, and Leeza found a seat at his side, while Vinsra sat across from them.

"Nate, tonight, I like us to talk," Vinsra said in slurred English.

"How so?" Nathaniel asked.

"I know enough now. You talk, I explain. Leeza talk, I explain," she said motioning back and forth between the two.

"You want to be a translator?" Nathaniel mentioned. "Well, you have virtually doubled your vocabulary this afternoon. We could give it a shot."

"Shot?!?" Vinsra asked, seeming a bit shocked.

"Just an expression. It means we should try it."

Vinsra hissed in relief.

As Ganz returned and handed out the plates, Leeza began to talk, aiming her gaze at the young human. "Tell me, how long have you been a visitor to our world?"

After Vinsra translated, Nathaniel replied. "Twenty days, roughly."

"Then you were only here a few days before Vinsra and Ganz found you," Leeza commented.

"Yes, I traveled from the hills, about thirty miles northwest of here."

"And why have you come?" Leeza asked, stabbing a piece of meat with a golden serving fork.

"My craft was damaged, so I was forced to land."

"Your craft flew through the sky?"

"Yes," Nathaniel said simply.

"Why did you come this way after your landing?" Leeza persisted.

"I was following a locator beacon, from a scientific research team. The source is about a hundred miles further southeast of here."

"There are others like you on Leshik?" Leeza asked with surprise.

"I guess there must be," Nathaniel said.

Everyone took a few moments to sample the food, the raucous clacking of knives and forks against the metal plates a new sensation for the young Lieutenant. He'd never seen the shiny plates before today, having used purely wooden ones during his stay. This was "the good china." He hoped the Lead content was minimal.

"Tell me about your home," Leeza asked, Vinsra translating with a hunk of meat still in her teeth.