“It’s a great idea, but it won’t work,” he said.

“Why not? Did Mr. Ohghhi… my alien buy another piano while I was downstairs?”

“Worse,” he said. “He wants us all to go out on the town. ‘I want to drink sake and see a sutorippu,’ was the way he put it.” He handed Chris a card that said, “Luigi’s Tempura Pizzeria and Sutorippu. Topless. Bottomless. Continuous shows.”

She looked at him suspiciously. “Are you sure you’re not the one who wants to see the sutorippu’?” she said. “Mr. Ohghhifoehnn…” She stopped and read from her hand, determined not to let him intimidate her.

“… ahigrheeh doesn’t know enough English to say a sentence that long.”

“How do you know?” he said. “You’re so busy worrying about how to pronounce his name that you don’t even listen to him.”

“Well, you definitely shouldn’t go,” she said to change the subject. “This Luigi’s place is down in Shitamachi, on the equator. You’re shuttlelagged enough as it is. The last thing you need is full gravity.”

“I’m doing okay. Your vitamin A must be working. And anyway, we don’t have any choice in the matter. Your boyfriend said we had to do whatever Okee wanted, and what he wants is to watch a strip show.”

Ohghhifoehnnahigrheeh slid open the door to his room. He had combed down his wispy hair and put a pink tie on over his long orange coat. “Topless,” he said happily. “Bottomless. Continuous shows.”

They took the bullet. It was jammed. Chris spent the trip wedged between a large bearded man and a middle-aged woman who looked like she was the kind who did get nauseated on the shuttle. Ohghhifoehnnahigrheeh had bought a large paper kite on the platform when Chris wasn’t looking, and he and Hutchins were holding it above their heads so it wouldn’t get crushed.