8
“I know that Crystalith are harmless and all, but they still creep me out,” Ashley said.
They ate in the cafeteria in the middle of the dinner session. The picnic bench tables were full of survivors who were eating and talking. By Michiko’s guess there were at least a thousand people.
“Why do they creep you out so much?” Michiko asked.
“Aliens of any kind just freak me out,” Ashley said, spearing a green bean. Despite all the eating options in the cafeteria—steak, chicken, fish, vegetarian—her plate consisted of green beans, mashed potatoes, and a tiny chicken breast.
“The Crystaliths helped us get off Earth so many years ago,” Michiko said. “If anything, we owe them a great deal of debt. They were the first alien race that we made contact with. Considering the alternatives, I’d say
