Ryen scanned her eyes down the page of the replicator’s manual until she found a choice that sounded decent. The small description underneath claimed that it was a favored dish of the Ocspone people. It had medium marks in sweet and savory and low marks in spicy and sour. At first, Ryen been tempted to dial up her usual breakfast choice- a bread, meat, and cheese platter, but at the last moment decided to be adventurous. The door of the replicator slid open to reveal a large bright pink fruit with a teal rind covered in a pale sauce resting on bed of white fish fillets. 

[b]”And what’s that?”[/b] Gunther announced as she slid into the same seat she’d occupied yesterday. Ryen barley heard his question, she was too enthralled by the captain’s choice of breakfast. Resting on his plate was a cube-shaped object. The violet surface of the thing seemed almost iridescent. As she set her plate down on the table, the whole thing started to ungulate, large and small cube pieces all alike. 

Realizing she was staring, Ryen turned her attention back to her own plate. [b]”Hmm? Oh, I’m not sure what it’s called. I’ve never had before. It’s number 8088..57.”[/b] Ryen grabbed her fork and picked up a slice of the fruit. The pale sauce, as she’d hoped, was sweet with just a tiny bit of lemon-like zing. The outside skin of the fruit was almost tasteless, but the inner flesh was sweet and mushy, like yams. [b]”But it’s pretty good.”[/b] Ryen added after she swallowed her first bite.

She took a few more bites before an idea struck her. She wanted to ask Ellie, but Quincy was still occupying almost of the technician’s attention. [b]”Hey, Gunther,”[/b] Ryen said, [b]”Do you know a lot about the planets around here.”[/b]

[b]”A little.”[/b] the solider said, his demeanor cordial if not a little apprehensive.

[b]”So I’m working on this puzzle and I can’t figure out this word. It’s a planet name the started with “BE” and is,”[/b] Ryen paused to pull up the scrawled symbols in her mind. [b]”nine or ten letters long.”[/b]

[b]”A puzzle, huh, like a crossword.”[/b] Ryen nodded trying not to feel guilty about her lie. It was a puzzle and is was kind of, sort of like a crossword. [b]”B…E… Betrion? No. That’s too short.”[/b] He paused to think. [b]”Becrakaras maybe?”[/b]

[b]”That’s what I was thinking too. But it doesn’t fit with the other words.”[/b] Ryen said. Her eyes had traveled back to the thing on Lazlo’s plate. As he ate, small pieces fell off and formed into tiny cubes. The rest of the table grew quiet they either ate or tried to figure out the missing word.

[b]”Bethyaunos?”[/b] Quiny tried, finally satisfied with the answers Ellie supplied him. Ryen shook her head no and began going after the buttery fillets, now tinted pink from the fruit.

[b]”BE? Ten letters? Beclaeobus? Maybe?”[/b] This was supplied by Ellie.

[b]”That could be it.”[/b] Ryen replied between bites. If nothing else it fit with the other letter’s she’d decoded. [b]”I’ve never heard of it before. What is it known for?”[/b] A few members around the table grew tense. Ellie wouldn’t meet her eyes but instead lost herself in the tablet screen. Quincy and Gunther shrugged and Ryen knew better than to seek help from Lazlo’s quarter. Well one way or another she’d figure it out. Ryen was itching to get back and see if the planet name fit, and if so, what other secrets the symbols might help her unlock. She was about to get up and do that when it caught her eye again, it’s movement and geometrical perfection drawing her in.

[b]”Could I have some?”[/b] Ryen said indicating the tantalizing blob on Lazlo’s plate. [b]”Please?”[/b]