Sreshec’s work room hung suspended over Gentle Expanse, the blue-green world hanging like a chandelier in the glass observatory. She liked to work at the “bottom” of the station-resort she owned, partly because the views were usually uncluttered, partly because the “top” had the same views but you could charge 10x to put a client there, and partly because no one was going to to sneak through both maintenance and security to get to her quarters anyway.

She hummed to herself as she looked at the simple circular table, bathed in a soft white light, as she attempted to figure out her next steps: color. It is incredibly important to note that colors mean different things to different people, cultures and species. Blue might be the color of the sky, but it’s also the color of blood - if you’re a Dorarizin. Purple is royalty, but it’s also the color of bruising. Green can be grass and ripened fruit, but it can also be the color of mud. It was incredibly important, at an establishment like Sreshec’s, that these things were taken into account for the little details, not just the big “we have the wrong chair for your species” or “this appetizer is a literal poison to your people” ones. Was red lucky, or evil? Was orange a symbol of abundance, or a color of war?

Sreshec sighed as she pulled out a pure, white strip of linen from her worktable. The warmcuddles were incredibly simple - well, that may have been too harsh; they were simple in their tastes, and a lot of what was good in one culture was good for another. White seemed to symbolize purity, and with the research Sreshec had performed before attempting to put together a dining experience for the new species, she was confident she could get it close in one try. Not perfect, but close enough. She draped the tablecloth over the relatively small table, letting it hang. The edges were embroidered in a silver thread that was also tastefully and randomly woven into the fabric itself, causing the cloth to sparkle ever so slightly. Sreshec leaned back and crossed her arms, pacing around the innocent arrangement like a detective about to strike at an unsuspecting suspect.

‘’ She thought, seeing the angled edges of the cloth square dip to the floor. ‘’

She slithered back to her work table, leaning over the side to get a standard prop chair. This she was at least confident in; the humans were not shy in sharing the design schematics for simple furniture as a way to “help with the exchange of cultures”, so the simple flat plane with a straight back would work. It may not be comfortable, but this was all prototyping anyway, so it didn’t matter. She slid the chair under the table, slightly, and imagined a warmcuddle sitting there.

‘’ Sreshec thought, leaning down and adjusting her pince-nez glasses to ride a bit lower on her muzzle. As she was doing so, a soft chime echoed through the silent room, and Sreshec stood up, adjusting her tailored vest and waist sash before letting the call through. Sreshec turned fluidly to face the screen, dipping her head slightly in greeting to the other assembled members of her team.

“” Sreshec said, greeting everyone warmly as the interstellar group settled in for a call. “”

“[Oh!]” A greying Dorarizin female said, chuckling. “[We’re already getting to the pleasantries? That either means great news or terrible news.]”

“” Sreshec replied, smiling softly. “”

Gkrusk leaned in conspiratorially towards Sreshec, which since this was a conference call she did that to everyone, grinning wide. “[Now now, don’t tell them that! I have to keep my iron bitch persona intact!]” This exclamation was met with cascading cries of bullshit, a couple other playful jokes, and a few muted mics in general. Sreshec smiled a bit wider; the rest of her executive team were in high spirits, which was good - she had a lot rope, and a lot of pull. She snapped her tail against her floor as a call to attention, and eventually the rest of the team focused forward.

“” Sreshec said, before an indicator ping popped up on-screen. Sreshec tapped an invisible indicator to all but herself, and her cybernetics muted herself and let the boardmember speak.

“[How is the traffic on site?]” Kqi’pi said, smoothing out his crest as he looked off-screen.

“” Sreshec replied, pulling up and sending reports off to the rest of her team. “”

“[So the dinner call has been crowed, literally.]” Kqi’pi replied, smirking. “[Well, this pivot was already a success, if only to capture that traffic and information; well done.]”

“” Sreshec shrugged. “”

Sreshec muted Kqi’pi as the information was shared with the board, and as they studied the reports Sreshec started her lecture. “”

Sreshec turned from the camera and began to pace around the circular table that stood, defiantly, under the cool spotlight. “” Sreshec said, motioning to the lone table between the board and herself, “”

There was another indicator on the screen, and a second Karnakian - I’krii’t - cleared her throat. “[With the mass appeal of warmcuddle media, I have to ask: why is this taking so long?]”

“” Sreshec said, waving back at I’krii’t who rolled her eyes. “” Sreshec looked up, and held back a chuckle. “”

I’krii’t laughed, very unladylike, and immediately muted herself as she let it all out; the rest of the management team was on mute, and Sreshec laughed at the silent laughter of her colleagues.

“” Sreshec said, snapping her tail once more to punctuate her request. “” Another ping, another question.

“[So why can’t we just buy and build? There has to be regulations already in place.]” Gkrusk rumbled, brow furrowed in thought. “[Or are we trying to make a statement?]”

“” Sreshec said, coyly. “” Sreshec rattled off with ease, as she picked at an errant but not yet loose scale on her temple. “”

“[What about walkthroughs? We acquired that one cafe a few weeks ago, right?]” Gkrusk interrupted, looking down her nose at the camera not in disdain but in an attempt to get the data to focus on her screen. “[I thought we had some great success coming from that program.]”

Sreshec grimaced a bit, slowly shimming her body as she spoke. “”

“[But that’s why revenue dipped last month.]” Gkrusk muttered. “[That must’ve been an expensive one.]”

“” Sreshec said, patting the warmcuddle table. “”

Sreshec sighed, adjusting the tablecloth as she spoke. “”

Sreshec ran her hands over the top of the table, gently smoothing out the fabric. “” Sreshec looked up at her team with an inscrutable expression. “”

The reaction on-screen of a dozen or so high-value, incredibly important businesspeople all lose their train of thought at once was a scene that Sreshec would remember until her dying day. “”

Kqi’pi pinged to talk, but then removed his ping, desperately trying on-screen to keep it together enough to ask his question. “[S-sorry, but.]” Kqi’pi closed his eyes to focus himself. “[Is there any way we can have warmcuddles as part of the dining experience, maybe as staff? Would that. Mitigate. I’m sorry I just - they turn green?!]”

Sreshec raised her hands in defeat. “” Sreshec stepped back from the table and went to her workbench, picking up a nondescript crystal vase. “”

“[Stay exotic, but known. Only approved foods, be daring but not stupid.]” Kqi’pi recovered, nodding to himself. “[Chef’s menu changes based on location, season and brand… that’d be a nightmare.]”

“” Sreshec said, smiling. “”

“[Well take a bow, my dear.]” Kqi’pi said, grinning widely. “[You very much are the right person for this job… and at least our competition isn’t getting ahead of us.]”

Sreshec dipped her head once more. “”