"Shh. We'll handle it, just not too loud."

"Diner, yeah. Plants can come later. I want to see how they're holding up."

Also, people start getting alarmed if strange folks show up and start asking where their plant is and if they can have a look at it, and sometimes those people are alarmed with lead. Good intentions are often rarer than water, these days. Or, really, any days on this godforsaken dustbowl they call a planet.

So, yes, diner first.

It's about the same as any eatery in a small town, which is to say, the minute people they don't know walk in, everyone turns and stares.

But of course, there is in fact one that is recognizable. The bartender (a pregnant and severe looking brunette) brightens from her worn scowl and calls, "ZASH! We didn't think we'd see you again, welcome back! Come on in, sit down."

"Rosa! A second one, is it?" he says, walking up to her and giving her pregnant belly a huge grin. "And how's the husband?"

"Goodness me, looks like! And I threw his lazy ass out," she says, with a smug little grin.

"Did you! Good on you. And where's the first one? I haven't met them yet! —ah, sorry, I shouldn't be so impolite." He takes a step back to gesture at the other two. "This is Yvette, my lovely wife, and this is her uncle Vernon."

"Oh, Tonis is our resident worm catcher, he'll be by in a jiff to show off -- wife? You!?" Rosa sounds delighted. "I didn't know you could even flirt but -- oh she's gorgeous, I can see why you'd learn, hello my dear, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

Oh apparently it is being hugged time, that is what time it is. Uh? Okay. Sure. Also she thought the fake story was for people outside of the town?? Maybe there were conversations while she was in math land. (She is maybe still a little bit in math land.)

"Pleasure's all mine, hello, um, thank you it's, um. Um. Yes." She looks at Zash pleadingly. Help. Help her, please.

He grins even more widely and steps right beside her to take her hand into his own. "She's a plant engineer," he says in a stage whisper. "She's ridiculously intelligent and talented, I'm so lucky to have met her."

Rosa gasps.

"And so you got her to come here? Zash! Zash you shouldn't have, but we will absolutely not ever refuse, absolutely get your pretty brilliant wife to look at things!!"

It's not hard to tell that she's relieved.

"I -- honestly thought this would be much harder and that I'd need to show my credentials or, um, something."

"No, no, Zash himself fixed up one of our plants years ago, if he says you can do it I believe him!"

And also she really, really needs this to work.

"Oh, but I'm being a terrible host, aren't I, I'm sorry, you've come such a long way, would any of you like anything to drink? Maybe eat?"

"Um. Water?"

"Whisky. Coppertop, I know you're a lightweight, but alcohol's safer, 'less you like having the runs."

"Oh. Right. Of course. .... No, no I stand by my decision, water please, and also ha wait here be right back."

And then out of the diner she goes and to her car, smirking.

Zash blinks after her and then turns his smile to Rosa again as he walks over to the table to take a seat. "Bet she's about to do something smart. ...but I'll have the whisky, too."

Rosa snorts, and gets two glasses of whisky, and one glass of (slightly murky) water. That would be from the plant that's on the fritz.

Soon enough, Zash's 'wife' returns, carrying a complicated looking technological thing and looking the most smug. She sets it down triumphantly on the table, giving Vernon a look.

(The entire bar is now, of course, staring at her. She hasn't noticed.)

"..... Okay, I'll bite, what's that."

"Useful expensive junk we didn't need," she sniffs, smugly. "Also known as a water purifier."

Sigh. Of course she would. Damn it, woman, are you trying to get mugged.

"You can use it while we're here, as long as you clean it afterwards!" she then adds brightly to Rosa, a picture of innocence.

Rosa herself is. More than a little shocked. And also staring.

Zash, though, just looks completely enamoured as he leans forward to place his elbows on the table and place his chin on his hands to stare at Yvette. "So lucky," he sighs dreamily. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."