I stepped inside, my eyes sweeping the saloon left to right, counting the walls: 1-2-3-4, and the floor: 5. Good. Plenty of room in my rapidly assembling memory palace to place the information from the various beings in the bar. I would have to let out a little info, I knew, probably a memory or two. I was near overflowing after a century of wandering, gathering data for the Supreme Council.

I was one of thousands of infiltrators, searching the universe for a suitable galaxy that we could take over. I was excited. I had just heard about this multi-world bar, and I knew it would be the perfect shortcut for finishing my assignment from the Council, so they could settle just which galaxy would be ours next.  

The room was crowded. All the better. Mentally I stripped the walls and the floor and inserted barred windows throughout, where I could push everyone’s details.

I figured I would have a few drinks while I sloughed off my first memory and enclosed the responses I encountered in the minds of the listeners. It was a perfect time to peer into their worlds.

“Bartender,” I called out. “I’ll take two of that.”

I gestured at the drink in front of a slim woman whose feet were demurely tucked under her table. I recognized the type. She was an enchantress, a seducer, but she would have no luck with me.

The bartender hustled over to the end of the bar, drinks in hand. After slugging one down, I turned with the other in hand.

“Suns, it’s hot!” I said loudly. All eyes turned to look at me. Excellent.

It was extremely rare that I had to fight my way out of a situation, but this didn’t look to be one of those times. Wearing the body that I was occupying at the time gave no clue of my warrior soul and training. I looked friendly.

Quickly, I chose a memory that I could afford to let go. I didn’t think the world which provided the memory was one that the Council would choose anyway. Only 18 billion on the planet. We needed a lot more than that, with planets nearby for surplus.

“This reminds me of the time I was chasing down a recall-reservist just to get a little information and he ignited his whole barracks to try and scare me away. Singed the skin right off my face, it did. Blistering, just like this.”

Smiling, I drank the second drink quickly, mentally sorting and shoving the stream of information that flowed from them into the allotted rooms of my memory palace. It was good, but I needed more.

I sat down at a table next to a young-looking man named Elijah. He had a device with information from his world.

“That’s a nice watch you have there,” I said. 

He was the jackpot. His was the longest-living species I had ever encountered. I coveted their bodies and their world for all my species. People might call my race cockroaches, but that was simply point of view.

I placed my hand on the knife under my shirt. I must have the watch, and I would fight for it with all my being. 

”Pretty impressive story, young man.” 

He laughed. I knew he thought I hadn’t been paying attention while he talked to the others on the bar stools at the counter. His tale revealed the fact that he might look young, but he was a few centuries old. His people lived long, long lives. 

”Let me tell you something, young man. I remember a child that looked very similar to you. He truly was a child. His people never lived more than fifty years, on their icy planet. Too rough an atmosphere, I suppose. I was friendly enough when I visited them, since they didn’t have a single thing that I needed. I did enjoy hearing that child laugh though. He threw back his head and roared at the simplest joke. His parents’ faces broke out in smiles at his pure enjoyment of life. He looked like you, he did.”

”Now, I am going to bring you some of that truth you are seeking.” 

Suddenly my knife was in one hand, while the other hand dragged the device from his.

”The truth is that the strong prey on the weak.”

I pulled the chain from his hand, his shocked eyes on my face. 

”I am leaving. I wish you the best on your quest for experience and life. My people and I will see you soon, back on your planet.” 

I was out the door and launching back to my ship before the stunned patrons could respond. I heard the blast of something hit the door as it slammed behind me but I was already mid-air, on my way to my craft.

“Interesting kid that was,” I said. “Too bad I couldn’t have had a drink with him.”