Stephen and Box arrived at the northern gate of the Houston Transportation Center with the typical flurry of twinkling lights. The normally preoccupied visitors and staff around the oversized transporter pad suddenly stopped and stared at the large, crystalline spider. For all the aliens that visited Earth, the Hamalki were not among them. The somewhat reclusive spider race preferred to stay on Hamal and let others come to them. This was, in Box's opinion, probably the first time anyone in the Houston area had seen someone of his species. He did was he had been taught to do when greeting humanoids for the first time, he smiled. His oversized, toothy maw apparently had the opposite of its intended effect; people seemed even more unnerved than before.

Box felt a thump on one of his legs. His leftmost two eyes could tell it was Stephen. "Come on, Box." Stephen said. "Let's get moving." Stephen's look was of mild amusement. Apparently, he was expecting this kind of reaction.

As they left the transporter pad labelled 'Arrivals', they passed a large, hovering video display with the words "Welcome to Houston, Texas, USA, Earth" above it in glowing letters. On the screen itself was a repeating montage of sights and places to visit along with their locations. Eventually, the gawkers went back to their business. The unlikely pair of friends made their way through the giant, star-shaped building to the center. Each point of the star contained a number of gates, some for spaceships capable of terrestrial landing, others for transporters, and others for ground-based vehicles. Occasional announcments for arrivals or departures could be heard overhead, interrupting the classic country music playing in the background. Dangling from the metal rafters far overhead were the Texas state flag, the American national flag, and the Terran unity flag.

Box struggled to allow his eyes to take it all in. Even though he had eight eyes, there was just so much to take in, and they hadn't even left the building yet. Although the center was crowded, people went out of their way to make room for the large spider creature. He waved and nodded his large, bulbous head to people as he passed them, and was occasionally thrilled by a similar gesture from the passer-by. "Hhhhhthis place is magnificent." Box finally said.

"This place?" Stephen questioned. For a moment, he was going to downplay the facility. After all, it was only transport hub. He considered the place from his friend's point of view, however. "I suppose it is." Stephen looked around. "I'm looking for something specific, though." Although he had been to this terminal a couple of times before, he could never remember where the restaurant was. He spotted it near the center of the building. "There it is!" He grabbed Box's front left leg. "Come on." He picked up the pace, nearly dragging the spider with him.

"Hhhhhhfor only having two legs, you humans deceptively fast." Box added. "Hhhhhwhere are we going?"

"We're getting some beef barbeque. Can't you smell it? It's right over there." Kirk pointed to a free standing kiosk about fifty feet ahead of them. It had the words "Billy's BBQ Heaven" in glowing letters above the awning.

"Hhhhhhi don't have a nose." Box replied.

"Don't worry," Stephen said as they approached the back of the line. "You can taste. We'll get a couple of barbeque sandwiches and some chili fries. You'll love it. It'll put hair on your chest." He added with a smile.

"Hhhhhi don't have a chest." Box replied. "Hhhhhi don't have hair, either."

"Don't be difficult." Kirk replied flatly. "It's just a figure of speach." Box responded by shaking and making his windchime-like laugh. A few people in line ahead of them decided to eat elsewhere.

As they stood patiently in line, a family walked past them, apparently heading to one of the northern gates. They had a little girl, no more than nine years old. Her pigtails waved back and forth as she skipped next to her father, who was carrying a suitcase in one hand. The parents stopped cold at the sight of the glassy spider. The little girl, fascinated, broke her fathers grip and ran at Box. "Honey, no!" the mother yelled. It was too late. The girl had come to a stop right in front of Box and tapped his third right leg.

"Wow... is it alive?" the girl asked Stephen.

The spider sucked air into a pouch, then pushed the air back out to form words. "Hhhhhyes, I am." Box smiled with a mouth that was used only for digestion.

The girl jumped a bit as he spoke. "Cool!" she replied, still feeling his leg. "Can I have one?" She asked innocently.

"Hhhhhi am not a pet. I am a Starfleet officer." Box stood a little straighter as he mentioned his title. The parents stood dumbfounded.

Stephen kneeled down to look the girl in the eye. He smiled warmly. "What's your name, sweetie?"

"Christine," she replied shyly.

"Christine," Kirk started with an official sounding voice, "I'd like you to meet Box. He's our chief mechanic.

Box extended a leg and reformed the end from a walking pad to a three fingered digit. "Hhhhha pleasure to meet you, Christine."

She shook his leg excessively. "Hi!" He shook and chimed as he shook her hand back. "You feel funny." She said with a smile.

Kirk stood up and looked at the parents. "He really is a Starfleet officer... one of the best in the business."

The mother was the first to reply. "I'm sorry." She said to Box. "You just... caught us a little off guard." Other people in the area were suddenly not quite so afraid to get a little closer to the menacing creature, now turned Starfleet officer.

"Hhhhhthat's alright." Box replied. "Hhhhhi'm used to it. Many humans have arachnophobia."

"Can you take a picture with me?" Christine asked.

Box leaned in a little closer to the girl. "Hhhhhcan I have my leg back?" He asked, a smile across his face.

"Yeah," she answered, letting go of his leg.

"Hhhhhthen, I will take a picture with you," he replied.

Stephen leaned in closer to his friend. "Wow, you're here for ten minutes and people are already wanting your picture." He whispered with a smirk.

"Hhhhhhi may need an agent," Box replied.