"I beg your pardon," he began. "I'm afraid...."
For a moment she looked startled, then her full, red lips parted in another bright smile.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed. "I didn't realize ... I just asked, Sir, whether you had been sleeping."
She spoke with the mechanical, stilted perfection he had first noted when transferring from the Aldebaran liner at the shuttleport. He had wondered, briefly, about the source of the accent, but had been too polite to ask.
The stewardess put a small pillow in his lap, then placed a tray on it. The recessed compartments of the tray held a cup of steaming black coffee, a piece of pastry that reminded Walther of apfelstrudel, and a paper-covered booklet entitled: "Easy Earth Dictionary and Orientation Manual". Stamped on the cover, in the manner of an official seal, were the words: "Prepared under the authorization of Happy Time, Ltd."
"Thank you," said Walther, then he grinned buoyantly, eager to share these moments of excitement at being so close to Earth. "But I don't think I'll need the dictionary!"
Tiny frown lines appeared between the stewardess's carefully arched eyebrows.
"Hg su'v rthsr?" she inquired uncertainly.
"I don't understand...."
The stewardess managed a professional smile that was edged with just the faintest touch of impatience.