"How does it smell?" Earl asked after a while. "Good?"
"Strange," Nadine said. "Not entirely strange. Some of the smells are familiar."
"Would you like a cocktail?" Earl said. He didn't wait for her answer. He was acutely conscious of playing the host. "This is my favorite drink. A dash of rum, a little vodka, lime juice, powdered sugar, ice cubes and seltzer. There." He handed her one of the two glasses. "How do you like it?"
Nadine sipped the drink cautiously. "Good," she said. "I was thirsty too."
"What is the Cyberene?" Earl said, dishing steaming food into a plate set precariously on the edge of the stove.
"The—the Cyberene," Nadine said as though that explained it. "How do you eat that food without getting dirty? And there's such an enormous amount of it. I'm used to capsules, with lots of water to help digest them."
"Oh. Dehydrated foods," Earl said. "Damn! I wish I didn't have to go to that dinner. Stay in here while I change my clothes."
"Earl," Nadine said as he was about to leave the room.
"Yes?" he said, turning to look at her questioningly.
"What does damn mean? I can't get the sense of it."