1. Use the following words in a story or essay: long, company, will, comment, never. (10 min)
"It's been a long time," Shari said. "Will you walk with me?"
Ettils nodded, a more natural movement than Shari remembered from their last meeting. He turned his long eyes down the path, and Shari accepted his invitation to lead.
They walked in silence for a few seconds, before Shari spoke again. "I never expected to see you again." She smiled down at her companion, and he bared his teeth, mimicking her grin.
Shari laughed, enjoying Ettils' silent company. He nodded again, looking off to the side, a silent comment on their surroundings.
"I've been working on importing more plants. You know the paperwork it takes!" She sighed. "The time it spends in quarantine makes me wonder sometimes if it's worth it. But then I just have to walk out here..."
Ettils looked up at her, then leaned over to smell a particularly colourful plant, sniffing noisily to show he appreciated the smell.
2. Write about unexpectedly matching clothes. (10 min)
Shari looked across the garden, trying not to see the walls crowding the plants in. A movement in the corner of her eye made her turn, and she came face to face with a second Serfil.
"Hello," she said. How had he got in without her noticing? The door was noisy.
The stranger shook his neck and waved Ettils to follow.
"Hold on," Shari said as Ettils turned away from the garden with an apologetic shrug, "who's this?" She noticed suddenly that despite the different colour of the accents, their clothes were identical.
Ettils paused and bowed formally to the other Serfil.
"Oh, your boss? Superior officer?"
Ettils nodded and bowed casually to Shari, then waved goodbye - Shari smiled at the very human gesture - and turned to follow his boss.
3. Write about showmanship in a situation where it's unexpected. (10 min)
The two Serfil jogged smartly in step toward the exit. As Ettils opened and held the door for his boss, he snapped a human-style salute back at Shari, and caught her eye.
Unbidden, the phrase "we who are about to die, salute you!" floated through her head, and she bit her lip.
The other Serfil gestured impatiently for Ettils to follow, and he dropped the salute to bow at his boss.
The door closed behind them, and Shari stared at it for a few long seconds. Ettils had used a human gesture, and his boss clearly hadn't understood it. She rubbed her arms briskly, and shivered. She hoped her reaction to the salute had nothing to do with what Ettils was communicating.
