CONTENTS

FIRST NIGHTER
Karen Haber

THE ROOM KEY
Terry Kepner

TELLING HUMAN STORIES
Margaret Ball

THE SMALL PENANCE OF IADY DISDAIN
Michael Coney

RHUUM SERVICE
Brad Feiguson

SOFT IN THE WORLD. AND BRIGHT
M. Shayne Bell

TO CARESS THE FACE OF GOD
Dove Wolverfon

GLASS WALLS
Krfsfine Kafhryn Rusch

FACE TIME
Janet Kagan

IT'S A GIFT
Esther M. FriQsner

THE HAPPY HOOKERMORPH
Kevin J. Anderson

VOLATILE MIX
Jerry Off/on

FIRST NIGHTER

Karen Haber

Lekvich Tor was excited, perhaps'even a bit overly excited.
But why not? he told himself. Tonight was going to be a
big night. The biggest.

He stared at his image in the holomirror and saw exactly
the same thing that he had seen when he had looked at him-
self not two minutes before: a short, stocky young man of
eighteen, with pale purple skin, red hair cut into fashionable
swirls, and amber-colored eyes. wearing a blue uniform with
the logo of the Hotel Andromeda set in golden glowstitch
against the right shoulder.

Proudly, Lekvich Tor shot his glowstitched cuffs. He
looked fine, even if he did say so himself. It was his first
night on full duty at the Hotel Andromeda concierge desk and
he couldn't quite believe that he was actually working for
such a wonderful place. He, Lekvich Tor, fifth son of Velia
Tor, bom and raised on the fringes of the galaxy on the col-
ony world of Vladimir's Folly, beginning his career at the

2 Karen Haber

biggest orbital hotel complex in the sector. Not just a hotel, he
reminded himself, but a space terminal and stopping point for
every liner passing through the area! He took one last approv-
ing look at himself, then turned and hurried to his new post
in the main lobby of the hotel-

The grand lobby of the Hotel Andromeda was a huge cir-
cular affair, well lit and alive with people, noise, and move-
ment. Its circumference was lined by curving service desks
above which hung holosigns indicating their different func-
tions: reception, cashier, messages, concierge. Robot dollies
hovered inches above the deep blue carpeting, ferrying bag-
gage to and from the hotel's main portals. Public announce-
ments in every known language in the galaxy resounded from
multiple speakers.

The din would have overwhelmed a smaller space but
somehow the great arcing gold-flecked dome of the lobby
managed to contain and reduce the noise until it was a con-
stant buzz, unobtrusive but electrifying.

Enormous viewing bays were set into the north and south
poles of me lobby, providing tantalizing glimpses of distant
stars, nebulas, and passing asteroids. The constant flow of
space traffic could be seen as well: liners docking, modules
uncoupling and chugging toward the hotel terminal while oth-
ers returned to their mother ships. There was an endless
changing show taking place just outside those windows and
many guests had assembled in the viewing lounges to take a
better, more leisurely look.

Lekvich Tor forced his eyes away from outer space and
gazed around the lobby in ever greater excitement The vast
hanging chandeliers with their yellow glow globes moving up
and down! The people hurrying to and fro in every manner of
dress imaginable! The sense of urgency, of important business
being transacted just inches away, was palpable and intoxicat-
ing. He was dazzled by the sophistication of the decor, the
cosmopolitan mix of people. Every shape, every size, every
color. He couldn't help staring in fascination. Perhaps some-
day he would become accustomed to all of this, possibly even
take it for granted. He smiled at the thought of that distant,
sophisticated Lekvich Tor, then shook his head. How could he
ever take all this wonder for granted? Impossible. There was
too much to see: everything was new and amazing.

FIRST NIGHTER 3

His supervisor. Ranee Franklin, was monitoring the con-
cierge board. She was a middle-aged woman with green eyes,
white hair, and a cool, professional demeanor, which he en-
vied. She greeted him with a nod. "You're early, Lekvich.
Good."

Lekvich Tor smiled. He felt dazed and suddenly tongue-
tied.

"Nervous?" Ranee asked.

"Nervous? Who, me?" He shook his head too many times.
"Ranee, do you think that tonight I will see a great many
aliens?" he blurted, barely able to contain himself.

"Of course." She looked at him in surprise and said
sharply, "Is that going to be a problem?"