Chapter 10 - (part nine)

"Here it is! Our magnificent Dining Hall!" exclaimed Mim triumphantly, as she and her two charges proceeded through a wide and elegantly framed archway. Warm and wonderful aromas wafted about as they entered.

"All you can eat, all the time!" Mim continued with great exuberance. "Isn't it marvelous!"

Daesti beamed. "Everything smells so great!"

"Of course!" replied Mim, stretching her thick arms wide as though to encompass the entire hall. "There are always so many good things simmering away in here! We have all the food your pretty selves could want--the most sublime foodstuffs imported from every planetary system for light years around."

Lina and Daesti tried to take it all in. The hall seemed warmer and more intimate than its vastness betrayed. The architecture was classical and luxurious. Above them was an opulent domed ceiling. Filling the room were many rows of long, curved tables, to which Mim presently drew their attention, as she ran her hand along what appeared to be a recess in one of the tabletops. "Bariatrically designed to accommodate big bellies. I'm sure the engineering ingenuity is lost on scrawny little women like yourselves."

"Thank goodness we will never be big enough to need that," snapped Lina, tilting her hips to one side as if to emphasize her slim figure.

"Oh, but you will be, my dears!" Mim replied confidently. "It will take some doing, certainly, but we'll cure you two of that unsightly skinniness once and for all. Dear old Mim will take great care in plumping you up to size, don't you worry. And I assure you, lovely little Lina, those hips of yours will be many times wider when I'm through."

Lina felt herself going red in the face with indignation, and was about to tell Mim exactly how she felt, but Daesti discreetly shook her head to urge caution.

"You'll appreciate all this ergonomic foresight when you've grown heavy," added Mim. "You'll be able to sit so much closer to the table. No doubt you'll find the chairs much too big right now as well, but once you've amassed ample padding on your rumps, you'll be thankful, trust me."

Mim led them down an aisle between the tables. There were scattered groups of fatties seated here and there. Mim smiled and greeted them warmly. They all glared curiously at Daesti and Lina but did not interrupt their eating to do so.

"New arrivals," explained Mim, almost apologetically. "Severely undernourished, as you can see. But not to worry, we'll get them sorted out!" The diners smiled and nodded. Assorted hellos and welcomes were muttered amidst spirited gobbling of food.

Mim directed her attention back to Daesti and Lina. "Anyone in the city may eat here for any meal. Not everyone does, nor are they obligated to," she explained. "Many prefer to stay in their own homes, and that's totally fine. Our municipal workers generally do take breakfast and mid-day meals here. And we sponsor frequent communal feasts on various festive occasions. For the social experience, it can't be beat. The food, the atmosphere, the company...I hope you'll grow to love it all as much as I do."

"Well! I'm sure you're both quite famished by now," Mim went on. "And you've had such a busy day so far. How about taking a break from all the red tape to enjoy your first meal in Fatropolis?"

"I'm not hungry," said Lina.

Daesti was not so self-denying but only spoke up hesitantly. "I could go for a little something," she said at last, with a shrug. Lina was livid but restrained herself from berating her in Mim's presence.

"Ah, wonderful!" said Mim. "Just diving right in! I like your initiative, Ms. Derecho. Now, have a seat anywhere you like and let me show you the process." Daesti took the closest chair. She settled in the center of the cushion, which left plenty of room on either side of her bottom, and as she pulled in the chair toward the table, she found she fit completely within the recessed table space, with room to spare. Mim snapped her fingers and a pair of roving robots moved towards the table. "Here comes one of our buffet-bots. And its little companion there--that's a serving-bot," said Mim. "You'll see several pairs of them making their way around the Dining Hall, ready to snap to service."

"And what are our specials today?" Mim inquired of the larger robot, which had an intricate assembly of mechanical arms that held an assortment of chafing dishes. In the middle of the buffet-bot's chestplate, such as it was, there was a compact inlaid screen that displayed the menu in text.

"Our specials today are Luhman Lunar Lasagna with Pegasian Panzanella and Girtabian Garlic Bread; Cor Caroli Curry; and Double-Crusted Polluxian Pot Pie with dumplings," the robot intoned, spreading out its arms to present the chafing dishes. A readout beneath each dish displayed its contents.

The serving bot, poised alongside its counterpart, also readied its multiple mechanical limbs.

"You needn't bother doling out your own portions. The helpful serving-bot will do that for you. Please set a place for our guest here," Mim instructed the smaller robot, which promptly laid out a napkin and utensils on the table before Daesti.

Mim shook out the neatly folded napkin and fastened it inside the collar of Daesti's bodysuit like a bib. "This may be considered *gauche* in more ceremonious dining rooms," said Mim, "but here in Fatropolis we are lively eaters!"

"Now, simply point to your selection, like so," Mim instructed Daesti, gesturing by way of demonstration with her index finger to the dish containing to the Luhman Lunar Lasagna.

The little serving-bot readied a plate, swiftly and deftly cut a hearty slice of the lasagna, and placed it on the plate in front of Daesti, without spattering so much as a speck of sauce. It filled a bowl with panzanella and deposited that beside the plate of lasagna.

"You'll want some of the garlic bread, too" suggested Mim. The serving-bot was already piling slices of it on a plate in front of Daesti.

"Just say when," said Mim.

"Oh...when!" said Daesti, chuckling. A mound of at least half a dozen thick slices of the liberally buttered bread was stacked on the plate in front of her.

"I can't possibly eat all this!" Daesti said, laughing again.

"Give it a go," said Mim. "You might surprise yourself."

Lina stood gawking at Daesti's apparent impending gluttony and was startled to feel Mim's hand on her shoulder.

"Well, Ms. Lazuli, since you're not inclined to partake of a meal at the moment, perhaps I might borrow you for a bit. I'd like to have a chat with you, and run a few tests. I'll come back for Ms. Derecho afterwards. And then, if you're hungry, Lina, you can enjoy your own meal."

But Lina remained adamant. "I'll pass for today."

"Oh, no, no, my dear...now why would you want to do that?" said Mim, a genuine tone of concern in her voice. "Skipping meals is an altogether unhealthy behavior. Ah, but then, you're still so new here, aren't you. I'm sure you just need time to adjust to this way of life. I can help you do that. Come along, Lina." Mim led Lina by the hand, as Lina nervously lagged behind and looked back plaintively over her shoulder at Daesti, who was already digging into the lasagna. Lina was altogether uneasy with the prospect of being separated from her friend, even temporarily. She couldn't help but suspect that this had been purposely arranged. Daesti was already struggling with the many comestible temptations that had been made readily available, and without Lina's disapproval to dissuade her, Daesti would succumb easily to those temptations.

"It's okay," said Daesti, holding a slice of garlic bread in one hand and waving reassuringly to Lina with the other. "You can go on. I'll be fine here for a little bit. We'll catch up later."

Mim looked back at Lina and smiled. "I have a feeling she'll manage to keep busy in your absence." Mim then called goadingly to Daesti. "Don't forget to save room for dessert, Ms. Derecho!"