Chapter 5: 'It Must Be Friday'

Author: James Hinsey
Originally Published: 5/7/01

"Irasshai!" greeted the sushi chefs from behind the robata bar.
Through the entrance lumbered an ever-assuming being of incredible mass. He ignored the kimono-clad hostess as she bowed welcome and preoceeded to the table of his choosing. The hostess bowed again and again as she hadned the guest a menu. He took it with disdain and barely glanced at it. He ordered a drink and the waitress quickly shuffled away.

"Who's the hutt?" inquired Commander Darian, who was about to bite into his spicy scallp te-maki roll. "I think it's the Moinen-gara. He's a regular here. Comes in every week," replied Skitch.

The sushi chef in front of the Commander leaned over the bar. "He is my best customer. He is also my supplier. You want fresh sushi, I get it fresh. He brings it in from all over this sector. It's the closest thing to Old Earth seafood I can get."
"And it's the best!" chimed I'D'Arae. Darian nodded and Skitch coloured in agreement.

Tahke-san, the other sushi chef behind the bar came over. "Yo, Masa. We got a special order." He placed the order list on the counter top and turned to his preparation area to begin filling the order. Masa bowed to the commander to excuse himself, and he set to work on the oder too.

Masa looked at the order and started at the bottom of the list. Fugi, one order. Masa picked up thelist and showed it Tahke to make sure he had seen what was on the list. Fugi was so rare that they only served it twice a year, and Masa just so happened to have picked up some in the daily shipment that morning. It was also the most dangerous of all sushi to serve. The creature it comes from is so toxic that to be within 10 meters of it will kill most intelligent beings. Only one part of it is not toxic, and that is the rare delicacy that they serve up. It also requires special preparation when slicing the thin layer of meat that will be placed over the small ball of sushi rice. Masa had done it a few times, and so far, no one had been poisoned or killed.


Masa opened the special cooling drawer where he kept the Fugi and placed it on his cutting board. He pulled out the special ceramic cutting knife he inherited from his grandfather, who was one of the Original Cast, as they called the first ones. He made a small prayer to his ancestors for a steady blade and an accurate cut. He placed his gloved fingers on the iridescent Fugi, feeling the emerald meat tissues for the right place to cut. The blade slid smoothly through the Fugi, cutting a small slab of meat tissue 3 inches long and an inch wide. Masa lifted and examined it for any irregularities, but the glistening surface shined smooth and clean; an excellent cut. He joined it to a small rice ball, and placed it on the serving platter with the other sushi from the order. When the platter was ready, the waitress brought it over to the hungry guest.

The Moinen-gara's rolls of blubbery tissue undulated as his arm reached over the platter to sample his selections. He slowly smacked his lips before eating each maki roll. Strange deep rumblings emanated from his belly, sounding his culinary pleasure. He finally picked up the Fugi and placed it in his mouth. He stopped at the first bite, purring and humming in ecstasy that resonated from his stomach, until it stopped. He chewed again, making more noises of enjoyment. The Fugi seemed to agree with the Moinen-gara's tastes. Masa sighed in relief, sterilized the family knife and the cutting board, put them away, and prepared to fill the orders of the customers sitting at the bar.

The waitress screamed. The Moinen-gara's body seemed to be on fire; an invisible fire that was consuming his skin and flesh. It blackened and then dripped in large globs of melting fat. The mass of the being was being cooked from the inside out, but being mostly blubber, the body just melted from the chair, onto the floor. It smelled like bacon. Everyone in the bar watched as the creature became a lump on the floor. Then the door opened, and in walked a thin, bony Crotiman carrying a briefcase. "Irrashai" the chefs greeted.

The Crotiman stepped up to the end of the bar and handed Tahke a business card. "Chreep-pop's the name, seafood's my game. I understand you're in need of an honest and inexpensive importer of various seafood to keep your customers happy. Well, I've got the sources and the fastest shipping this side of the Variti Cluster. Can we talk business? Uh, what's that smell? Some bad Fugi, I'd say. Looks like it didn't agree with him."  Masa stared at the Crotiman, and then at the glob of the former Moinen-gara. "Oy-veh!"