Janitor Fed Hungry Dragon Next Day the Emperor Arrived scifishortst part 02 of 02

Wide golden eyes followed Barris closely as he set aside his cleaning supplies and crouched beside it. His supervisor, a centurion with the empathy of a faulty waste unit, would have find him instantly if he caught Barris helping what the station rules classified as a pest. His wife, Inia, had prepared his favorite meal that day, her grandmother's recipe for Biryani. The dragon gave a soft chirp, almost musical, and nudged against his hand before darting into a nearby ventilation grate, energized once again. Barris straightened up his stomach growling, but his heart lighter than it had been in weeks.