Fast Food

This is a side-story of 'GNE' in the Xanadu setting. See Xanadu (setting) for details of the universe as a whole. By Dreamer

{{#if:Jigsaw green.png|}}

Icon	Xanadu story universe

Fast Food - Edited 24/Jul/10

This was not a happy vampire. GNE didn't approve of vampires, in the first place. One trying to charm, then physically attack her, was unlikely to help. Yes, she had stepped out of the way of his uncanny strikes. As if he wasn't moving so fast as to evade most human eyes. But, she objected to him not being polite, and asking for her assistance.

Jacques (it sounded better than 'Jack') continued to walk ahead of her, his arms and legs moving apparently naturally, but jacketed by a force he'd found he could not resist. Maybe if he understood his vampire powers better he'd have been able to take bat, or even mist form. But, he had a nasty suspicion that wouldn't have been enough.

A girl, a young woman, in a green dress. Walking alone, late in the evening. Unperfumed, without make-up, but her cute looks meant little to his need for blood. He wouldn't have killed her. He thought. Just taken enough for his needs. Licked the bite marks to make them go away. Told her to forget everything. How was a badge saying "GNE, a helpful genie?" supposed to warn him?

They reached a late-night drinks and snack area. And, she walked him up to the bar. Looking the area over she nodded as if to confirm something, then ordered herself a hot chocolate.

"Excuse me?", she said after she'd been served, and paid against her hotel room number. "What provisions have been made for those with... unusual dietry needs?" The bar man mumbled something about the management promising to sort something out, but, everyone had been very busy. He rather helplessly waved towards a cooler cabinet containing sandwiches and other snacks.

GNE stepped fowards, and indicated a clear area, with pipe fittings, to the rear behind the bar. "What normally goes there, please?" "That is the expresso machine. It is away being repaired."

She stepped closer, and gestured towards the now-filled space. While the automatic drinks machine looked smart, it didn't really fit the design of the rest of the bar. A clear notice said "Nutrimatic", and there was an opening at the base, large enough for a small dish or a cup. It seemed plumbed-in, but there was no coin slot or obvious controls.

"Could you get this gentleman a drink, please?" And the stunned bar man reached towards the machine, which dropped a cup, and gurgled it full of liquid. The smell of fresh blood wafted to Jack (Jacques, dammit!), and he felt his teeth lengthen.

The cup drew his eyes, as it approached, and he almost snatched it. And drank, deep. The bar man was quite willing to let go. Then, turned to GNE.

"For the moment I wouldn't charge for anything it provides", she said thoughtfully, "All it's costing you is water and a little electricity". "Tell anyone interested that it doesn't need re-filling, or other maintenance, but they'll just find normal drinks machine innards, if they look. And, no guarantees that it'll work if taken elsewhere. These machines are a bit fussy."

She looked over at Jack, who was looking a lot less stressed, but a bit unhappy. "Tea, Earl Gray, Hot", she murmured, and he grimaced. Then, louder, "Anything that the machine provides will be appropriately nutritional, blood, brains, live alien food, whatever. And, if not quickly consumed it will rapidly turn into a plain cup of tea. As an unfortunate side-effect, anything it makes will taste faintly of tea. Sorry. I'm just borrowing the design."

GNE looked up in the air, "'Cafe Americaine?' Have I done something like this before", then shook her head.

She looked directly at Jack. "Pass the word around among your community. If I find the 'creatures of the night' treating people as fast food then... I may not be as understanding, next time."

---

This side-story only really makes sense if you read GNE, and might be considered to follow Joy: to the world. You might consider this is followed by En-Joy-ment.