Intelligent Life [Closed] - Printable Version
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Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 08-23-2015
Roan twisted to watch as xe studied the pod he'd obviously come in on. Good. "Not getting stashed in a box is preferable to waking up behind glass again," he explained, though, unless xe had some kind of language sampler that allowed xem to translate based on base vocal parameters, xe most certainly would not be able to understand the extra helping of syllables."Food..." Roan trailed off. The ending consonant seemed to be a problem. He tried the one Uala repeated instead. "Naikee?"
Which reminded him of something closer to "naked" and he really didn't want to associate that with what was happening here. But as far as compromises went, he could pick up a few words in exchange. Oh yeah. Won't that be a fun cross-lingo conversation once we really get going: 'Okay, naikee please Uala?' GAAHHH. He pressed his fist to his forehead. Good job, brain. What happened to not associating things? Blending languages was going to go a long way toward making his day even better.
He had no idea what xe said next but watching xem crack into the shell and devour its innards was all sorts of interesting. And gross. Like watching a hungry turtle. Or someone sucking the meat out of a crab leg. By first sticking their face inside the crab leg. Roan stared, realized he was staring, and then tried admirably not to stare. The result was that he set the remains of his fruit on his tray simultaneously with stolen glances at Uala's eating habits...the same exact horrified expression on his face.
Eating like that, he wasn't entirely surprised when xe choked, but what xe spit out made his eyebrows arch upward. "A...pearl?" He reached out as xe tossed it aside with the empty mollusk husks. "May I see it? The pearl not the food...no naikee, pearl?" Roan tapped his palm, pointed to the pearl. "Okay Roan?"
What he was going to do with the pearl he didn't know. Make a necklace, maybe, with all the free time he was going to have locked up in a room with an alien. He sighed. At least it seemed far more familiar to his cosmic bit of knowledge than the fruit he'd been eating. Something familiar--even if it came from an alien landscape or ship--would be nice right about now.
"No," Roan answered in alarm. Xe had said okay, hadn't xe? He motioned to his wrist cuffs and shook his head, concerned that Uala was planning to restrict his movements further. Xe wasn't, and he let out a startled, "Oh!" as the grav situation changed on his legs and he wobbled. Hands extended before him, Roan took a step back, away from the door. Boundaries established...trust established? "Ohhh...okay. For now."
Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 08-23-2015
His pronunciation was a little… well. But he was getting the pitch right! Just a weird accent, really. This was acceptable.
And they'd both found more common ground! … in that they were both horrified watching the other eat. Xe shut xyr mouth to hide xyr beak, then hid xyr mouth altogether with a tentacle, turning what was surely a familiar green. They would just have to agree to eat their meals separately. Assuming there was another. Usually xe only had specimens for a day before they were put back, or taken wherever they needed to be taken. And xyr meal for the day had already been delivered.
Xe looked to where he gestured, back to his hand. «The rock?» xe asked. "Earl?" Xe tried a few more times to make the appropriate p sound, and looked surprised when xe succeeded, chirping as xe did it a few more times for good measure. What a very silly sound to go including in words. Xe picked up the rock, and buffed it clean with the towel just on the principle of the thing. "Pearl?" xe asked as xe placed it gently in his palm.
If it made him happy, so be it. Who was xe to judge? Xe was the one not throwing out the shells like xe was supposed to, and xe knew better.
Xe really wished xe knew the words to explain that this was not how things usually went.
«Oh! Oh, wait, I have an idea! I have – wait, here, I'll–»
Xe moved quickly to the other side of the lab, digging through neglected cupboard to find what xe was looking for. «Found it! Okay, Roan, bear with me, here.» Xe stood up with arms full of… toys. Stuffed toys actually intended for children, but which xe had commandeered for the purposes of comforting specimens. Because sometimes having a stuffed toy to hold onto helped. This was just a science fact. Children usually didn't like the fluffy toys, anyway. Xe was doing them a favor. Xe moved carts and things out of xyr way as best xe could with arms full of toys, and then deposited them on the floor. Even though it was unnecessary, xe organized them so they were all standing upright, including one that looked like some kind of lemur-corgi centaur and another that looked like a long-haired purple pug with wings. Xe separated out a doll that looked like a person, if not quite as squishy and agreeable as Uala xyrself.
«Okay, so these are, uh, animals? On their planet. If these were all from the same planet. Right?» Xe looked to Roan hopefully. «Right. So, they're all doing whatever it is they do, and then someone comes along and gets one.» Xe acted out the doll in xyr hands picking up the pugasus, and then faltered. «And then they… put it in a… do I have a box? Where's a box. Oh, here.» Xe had the doll drop it into a nearby crate that was also full of bandages. «And then they deliver it to me!» It was probably unnecessary to hold the doll holding the crate, but xe was sort of getting into this now. Xe set the crate on top of the containment pod, then tossed the doll aside because xe thought it was creepy anyway.
«And then I come in and find it!» Xe very dramatically lifted the doll out of the crate, holding it aloft. «And then I look at its little paws, and its little wings, and its eyes and its teeth, and I feed it, um… oh, darn, I forgot that part. There's usually food in the containment unit, too. I should have… well, it's too late to start over, I'll just use this gauze.» Xe attempted to act out the toy grazing on the gauze. «I draw fluid samples while it's eating, usually.» Xe found a syringe, and did xyr best to act out taking blood without actually taking the syringe out of its sterile packaging. «And I – oh my gosh this toy is so fluffy, I love this thing, this one's my favorite actually.» Xe was briefly distracted snuggling the toy close to xyr face. «Aaaaah, so cute.»
«Then it goes over here!» Xe set it onto a table near the back of the lab. «See, this is why I'm showing you this,» xe said, gesturing. «I can't put you on this. If you don't do this yourself, I don't know what I'm going to do. Anyway, it lays down and gets comfy.» Xe flipped a few switches to turn on the display along the back wall, humming as it lit up with nothing on it. «And… I guess I'm going to have to waste some needles for this, aren't I? I wondered why I got so many needles in my supplies, that must be your fault.» Xe opened up a drawer on a cart, and retrieved a few sterile needles. Opening the package, xe hesitated. "No Roan," xe reassured him, pointing to the plastic. "No." Xe held up a tentacle to indicate that he was fine staying far away from it, if that felt safer. "Okay." Then xe took the needle out, long and so slender it was barely visible, a larger piece at the very top. Xe gently stuck it into the plush toy on the table, and pressed something on the top of the needle so it started to flash blue. On the screen at the back, it lit up with something resembling an x-ray, an ultrasound image of the toy from the inside. Xe moved some dials to move the image, from the side to the top and back again, a three-dimensional rotating image. «Now I can see all its organs! Or, well, this is just a toy, so there's just a lot of rocks. Lots of rocks. You're going to have to pretend these are organs. If you can pretend. Actually, I should have figured that out first. If you can't pretend, this has all been very confusing for you. Then I usually, you know, save the data and send – no, no, wait, I don't want to save this, this isn't – I don't need a log of this, oh my goodness, stop, stop saving this, I don't want to have to explain this.»
Xe turned the whole thing off abruptly. «That… probably didn't break anything.» Xe took the needle carefully out of the toy, putting it back in the plastic and throwing it in the biohazard bin. Then xe attempted to act out the toy going about its business, utterly unperturbed by being poked with a needle. "Ah. Okay?"
And they'd both found more common ground! … in that they were both horrified watching the other eat. Xe shut xyr mouth to hide xyr beak, then hid xyr mouth altogether with a tentacle, turning what was surely a familiar green. They would just have to agree to eat their meals separately. Assuming there was another. Usually xe only had specimens for a day before they were put back, or taken wherever they needed to be taken. And xyr meal for the day had already been delivered.
Xe looked to where he gestured, back to his hand. «The rock?» xe asked. "Earl?" Xe tried a few more times to make the appropriate p sound, and looked surprised when xe succeeded, chirping as xe did it a few more times for good measure. What a very silly sound to go including in words. Xe picked up the rock, and buffed it clean with the towel just on the principle of the thing. "Pearl?" xe asked as xe placed it gently in his palm.
If it made him happy, so be it. Who was xe to judge? Xe was the one not throwing out the shells like xe was supposed to, and xe knew better.
Xe really wished xe knew the words to explain that this was not how things usually went.
«Oh! Oh, wait, I have an idea! I have – wait, here, I'll–»
Xe moved quickly to the other side of the lab, digging through neglected cupboard to find what xe was looking for. «Found it! Okay, Roan, bear with me, here.» Xe stood up with arms full of… toys. Stuffed toys actually intended for children, but which xe had commandeered for the purposes of comforting specimens. Because sometimes having a stuffed toy to hold onto helped. This was just a science fact. Children usually didn't like the fluffy toys, anyway. Xe was doing them a favor. Xe moved carts and things out of xyr way as best xe could with arms full of toys, and then deposited them on the floor. Even though it was unnecessary, xe organized them so they were all standing upright, including one that looked like some kind of lemur-corgi centaur and another that looked like a long-haired purple pug with wings. Xe separated out a doll that looked like a person, if not quite as squishy and agreeable as Uala xyrself.
«Okay, so these are, uh, animals? On their planet. If these were all from the same planet. Right?» Xe looked to Roan hopefully. «Right. So, they're all doing whatever it is they do, and then someone comes along and gets one.» Xe acted out the doll in xyr hands picking up the pugasus, and then faltered. «And then they… put it in a… do I have a box? Where's a box. Oh, here.» Xe had the doll drop it into a nearby crate that was also full of bandages. «And then they deliver it to me!» It was probably unnecessary to hold the doll holding the crate, but xe was sort of getting into this now. Xe set the crate on top of the containment pod, then tossed the doll aside because xe thought it was creepy anyway.
«And then I come in and find it!» Xe very dramatically lifted the doll out of the crate, holding it aloft. «And then I look at its little paws, and its little wings, and its eyes and its teeth, and I feed it, um… oh, darn, I forgot that part. There's usually food in the containment unit, too. I should have… well, it's too late to start over, I'll just use this gauze.» Xe attempted to act out the toy grazing on the gauze. «I draw fluid samples while it's eating, usually.» Xe found a syringe, and did xyr best to act out taking blood without actually taking the syringe out of its sterile packaging. «And I – oh my gosh this toy is so fluffy, I love this thing, this one's my favorite actually.» Xe was briefly distracted snuggling the toy close to xyr face. «Aaaaah, so cute.»
«Then it goes over here!» Xe set it onto a table near the back of the lab. «See, this is why I'm showing you this,» xe said, gesturing. «I can't put you on this. If you don't do this yourself, I don't know what I'm going to do. Anyway, it lays down and gets comfy.» Xe flipped a few switches to turn on the display along the back wall, humming as it lit up with nothing on it. «And… I guess I'm going to have to waste some needles for this, aren't I? I wondered why I got so many needles in my supplies, that must be your fault.» Xe opened up a drawer on a cart, and retrieved a few sterile needles. Opening the package, xe hesitated. "No Roan," xe reassured him, pointing to the plastic. "No." Xe held up a tentacle to indicate that he was fine staying far away from it, if that felt safer. "Okay." Then xe took the needle out, long and so slender it was barely visible, a larger piece at the very top. Xe gently stuck it into the plush toy on the table, and pressed something on the top of the needle so it started to flash blue. On the screen at the back, it lit up with something resembling an x-ray, an ultrasound image of the toy from the inside. Xe moved some dials to move the image, from the side to the top and back again, a three-dimensional rotating image. «Now I can see all its organs! Or, well, this is just a toy, so there's just a lot of rocks. Lots of rocks. You're going to have to pretend these are organs. If you can pretend. Actually, I should have figured that out first. If you can't pretend, this has all been very confusing for you. Then I usually, you know, save the data and send – no, no, wait, I don't want to save this, this isn't – I don't need a log of this, oh my goodness, stop, stop saving this, I don't want to have to explain this.»
Xe turned the whole thing off abruptly. «That… probably didn't break anything.» Xe took the needle carefully out of the toy, putting it back in the plastic and throwing it in the biohazard bin. Then xe attempted to act out the toy going about its business, utterly unperturbed by being poked with a needle. "Ah. Okay?"
Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 08-24-2015
"Thank you," Roan nodded, hoping his tone would communicate there was no need to be anxious. Maybe it wasn't a pearl? But no, when he held up the little thing to the lighting in the room it shimmered a little better. Definitely a pearl. People paid good money for nice pearls--and xe seemed like it was of no consequence. Maybe xe was rich. Or else shiny things held no intrinsic value. Curious. "Are they so common that no one likes them here?"He was still thinking when xe rounded with xyr tentacles overloaded with plushies. "Uhm." He raised one eyebrow, then the other. A...peace offering? Or. No. Surely not... But xyr logic could very well be if he liked pearls, he must also like stuffed toys. Which must have meant all the chiming sounds xe made were in some way meant to indicate xe now thought him a child.
Is there a point in this day that doesn't equate to 'hideously embarrassing'?
He sighed heavily and curled the pearl into his palm. Walking toward the eclectic assortment xe was organizing on the floor, Roan squatted beside xem. "I'm actually a grown man," he said with not a small amount of self-deprecation. "But you'll need to slow down if those are their names."
For a few minutes, he thought xe was trying to teach him how to play with the unidentifiable alien creatures-become-toys. But then xe dumped one in a box, and his eyes went wide. "So that's. You? Uala," he pointed to the first. Was xe the one who'd abducted him? With a wry smile he eyed the second. Purple. Winged. Thing.
Is that what I look like to Uala?
He kept the question to himself so as not to encourage/reinforce such a thought.
Xe wandered off with the little first aid box and set it with its much larger incarnation. Roan nodded as xe tossed the first stuffed toy aside and stood in its place. So xe hadn't been the one who abducted him, but xe was the one who'd woken him from his...box. Easy enough. Until xyr tentacles began wiggling and enacting all sorts of mayhem. As if xe was trying to explain what was coming next.
That was when things got terrifying.
Stuffing bandages toward the creatures mouth.
Which must mean something other than I'll be gagged.
Pretending to stick it with an empty syringe.
And what goes in that? ...Pass. No, Uala, no.
Hugging it to xyr cheek so tightly the fluffy thing bulged a bit.
What does THAT mean? Roan felt his eyes go wide, and his jaw dropped open so fast it hurt.
Regret began to sink in that he'd agreed not to leave the room. There was a point where self-preservation and honor had a definite, definite line. But then again, if this was what was going to happen here, what would happen if he was out there? Would there be other aliens like Uala ready to drug him and...crush him to death with xyr tentacles? Reluctantly, he stepped closer to the table xe approached next, his manner much akin to a morbidly curious bystander watching a house burn down from across the street.
No, Roan, xe said and he thought it must have meant not to touch rather than it wouldn't be used for him because wasn't the purple thing supposed to BE him? This was confusing as the inside of a black hole. "Wait, but if that's not, if you're not using that on me, what are you actually..." He watched as the innards of the stuffed animal appeared to project on the wall. "Doing. Huh." Interesting, that a single needle could do that. The medical applications...
...on me. Drugging, crushing, table-ing.
He backed up very slowly while Uala seemed very intent on analyzing the toy. If xe was explaining the findings to him, Roan had no Earthly clue. Less of a clue when the animal, which he had presumed dead or unconscious from the crushing, was marched across the table as if it were frolicking. "Okaaaay," he muttered. "So you're either planning horrible things but I'll be fine, or I'm actually inside a mental institution for aliens and you think you're a doctor."
So much for his day not getting worse.
Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 08-24-2015
That had… almost worked. Sort of. At first. He'd followed along, and sounded kind of interested, even if he'd briefly misunderstood how he'd been picked up. Which seemed strange. Uala didn't really look like a soldier. Xe'd never thought to wonder how exactly they went about collecting specimens, as long as they came to xem unharmed. Maybe he'd never seen whoever had taken him. Drugged from afar, or something.
The instant xe got into the examination portion of the situation, his eyes started to bulge. Which seemed bad. And moving on to the other, less tentacles-on activities did not help. His backing away did not speak of any increased trust or understanding of the situation, nor the pitch of his voice. Insofar as the pitch of his voice ever varied enough to convey anything at all.
Then again. Xe knew he was advanced enough to have language, and clothing. But maybe he'd never seen… science? It was possible he just didn't like all this touching that was happening. Xe certainly wouldn't have been happy if another person touched xem that much. Specimens were different. He'd been touchy enough, though, before.
"Roan," xe said, disappointed. Xe picked the toy, back up, petting its head reflexively. «If that's how you feel, we won't do this part yet. You're very confusing! You act aggressive, but you're not aggressive, and you're very big and seem very frightened.» Xe buzzed. «Maybe you don't have science. This would all be very confusing, if you don't.» Xe held up the toy to look at its very smushy face. «Or else you think this is scary? Do you have something big and frightening like this on your planet? Or venomous?» Xe turned the toy to look at him. "Okay Roan?" xe asked, petting its head. Xe stepped away from the table so that he would know xe wasn't picking up any needles.
«Would it cheer you up to know that it has cute little paws?» xe asked, probably uselessly. Xe held up a paw to demonstrate, little plush pads of silk attached to the bottom, coming closer so that he could see. «If toebeans don't make you happy, I don't think we'll ever be able to understand each other.» Xe attempted to pat his arm gently with a paw pad. Then xe took his hands in two of xyr tentacles, gentle still, and tried to coax him into hugging the toy to his chest. «It's fluffy!» xe assured him. «Fluffy and safe.» Xe patted them both as xe let them go. "Ki phe a'ish."
Xe looked back to the table, wringing all four tentacles together. «Maybe you just don't understand because it was rocks?» Xe moved to the back of the room to turn the display on again, watching a few error messages and warnings flash before resuming business as usual. «Yes, I know I didn't reboot properly, I'm sorry. Goodness.» Xe picked up another plastic-wrapped needle, then pulled xyrself up onto the table, immediately fixing xyr silk so as not to look… untoward. «This is actually a very uncomfortable table,» xe said as xe unwrapped the plastic. «Maybe it's more comfortable when you have bones.» Then xe poked the needle slowly into xyr abdomen, being very careful not to move. It was uncomfortable, of course, but it was really too small to hurt. More of an itch. A very deep itch. Then xe turned the needle on, and tried to tilt xyr head to see the display. Xe was much bigger than the toy, of course, so the needle wouldn't be able to give a full image of xyr anatomy. Still, it was just enough to show all three hearts and xyr major organs. Xe pointed at the screen, keeping xyr tentacles relatively close to xyr body for safety. "Uala," xe said, in case he had not figured that out. Then xe patted xyr abdomen near the needle. "Okay. A la okay."
The instant xe got into the examination portion of the situation, his eyes started to bulge. Which seemed bad. And moving on to the other, less tentacles-on activities did not help. His backing away did not speak of any increased trust or understanding of the situation, nor the pitch of his voice. Insofar as the pitch of his voice ever varied enough to convey anything at all.
Then again. Xe knew he was advanced enough to have language, and clothing. But maybe he'd never seen… science? It was possible he just didn't like all this touching that was happening. Xe certainly wouldn't have been happy if another person touched xem that much. Specimens were different. He'd been touchy enough, though, before.
"Roan," xe said, disappointed. Xe picked the toy, back up, petting its head reflexively. «If that's how you feel, we won't do this part yet. You're very confusing! You act aggressive, but you're not aggressive, and you're very big and seem very frightened.» Xe buzzed. «Maybe you don't have science. This would all be very confusing, if you don't.» Xe held up the toy to look at its very smushy face. «Or else you think this is scary? Do you have something big and frightening like this on your planet? Or venomous?» Xe turned the toy to look at him. "Okay Roan?" xe asked, petting its head. Xe stepped away from the table so that he would know xe wasn't picking up any needles.
«Would it cheer you up to know that it has cute little paws?» xe asked, probably uselessly. Xe held up a paw to demonstrate, little plush pads of silk attached to the bottom, coming closer so that he could see. «If toebeans don't make you happy, I don't think we'll ever be able to understand each other.» Xe attempted to pat his arm gently with a paw pad. Then xe took his hands in two of xyr tentacles, gentle still, and tried to coax him into hugging the toy to his chest. «It's fluffy!» xe assured him. «Fluffy and safe.» Xe patted them both as xe let them go. "Ki phe a'ish."
Xe looked back to the table, wringing all four tentacles together. «Maybe you just don't understand because it was rocks?» Xe moved to the back of the room to turn the display on again, watching a few error messages and warnings flash before resuming business as usual. «Yes, I know I didn't reboot properly, I'm sorry. Goodness.» Xe picked up another plastic-wrapped needle, then pulled xyrself up onto the table, immediately fixing xyr silk so as not to look… untoward. «This is actually a very uncomfortable table,» xe said as xe unwrapped the plastic. «Maybe it's more comfortable when you have bones.» Then xe poked the needle slowly into xyr abdomen, being very careful not to move. It was uncomfortable, of course, but it was really too small to hurt. More of an itch. A very deep itch. Then xe turned the needle on, and tried to tilt xyr head to see the display. Xe was much bigger than the toy, of course, so the needle wouldn't be able to give a full image of xyr anatomy. Still, it was just enough to show all three hearts and xyr major organs. Xe pointed at the screen, keeping xyr tentacles relatively close to xyr body for safety. "Uala," xe said, in case he had not figured that out. Then xe patted xyr abdomen near the needle. "Okay. A la okay."
Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 08-24-2015
He cocked his head as xe said his name and picked up the toy. "I really wish I could understand you, Uala," he said. Carefully. Because xe was now petting the stuffed animal as if it were alive.And then began chirping at it like one would talk to a pet.
And he wanted very much for this not to be a mental institution for aliens, but Uala was turning it back around and making the darn thing talk to him.
And then xe stepped closer and made it pet him.
Roan closed his eyes.
Okay. Okay. Let's assume this is NOT a nuthouse. Uala is not delusional. Xe is sane. This all makes sense somehow.
They'd been doing so well. So...sane. He just had to figure out what xe was really trying to say. He sucked in a deep breath that hurt because at some point he'd begun to take far more shallow ones. By the time xe shoved it into his arms, a reassuring croon to xyr tone-centric words, Roan was a little calmer. "Ki phee ash," he repeated automatically, wondering if it was the toy's name. The toy he was now hugging.
When xe pet him as xe had done with the stuffed animal, his brow furrowed in concentration. Thinking back to the point xyr display of plushie interactions had gone sideways helped only a little. When xe had woken him from the pod, xe had scanned him and prodded his mouth with a stick. There was no gauze or shots or--oh, but there was touching! So maybe that was what the hugging of the plushie was for...maybe that part's done? Xe had been very focused on his hair for a time.
He rolled his shoulders out and eased his grip on the toy as Uala glided away.
Now what?
And please don't say gauze.
Roan really wasn't thrilled that xe climbed up on the table instead, but far from reinforcing the mental institution theory this time xyr attempt at an explanation was less terror-toward-toys and tentacle-waving and more pointedly obvious what xe wanted from him. Maybe the gauze and the syringe had meant something different, or xe had skipped it. Whatever the reason, it was clear:
His turn was next.
Blinking at the screen that this time showed a completely inhuman anatomy, Roan moved closer to get a better look. "Okay..." he said. And meant it, only because xe seemed inclined to let him study xem in return. Perhaps it was like the attempts at breaking language barriers they'd made...hmm. Xe had used some buttons at the sides of the table to turn it, right? He abruptly set the stuffed animal on the table with Uala and began trying to emulate xyr previous demonstration.
Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 08-25-2015
Xe chirped despite xyrself, because even though xe knew that he was trying and xe should encourage that, it was still really funny. «Not 'fluffy stick air',» xe corrected, «fluffy and safe.» Xe ruffled the toy's fur. "Ki." Then xe touched his hair, if only barely. "Ki." Then xe rubbed xyr own head. "No ki." Maybe that would clarify matters. Though it was no wonder he got the pronunciation on that right the first time, with as often as xe said it.
Xe hadn't expected him to be so interested in the actual display, and xyr first instinct was to get him away from the controls. Xe stayed still, even if one of xyr hearts moved a little faster, because this was progress. Xe was understanding how to use it, that meant he understood the function. Right? Xe couldn't go scolding him every time he got any little thing wrong. They were both doing their best under the circumstances. If he accidentally filed a report, well, xe'd sort that out later.
Except that then there was a sound from out in the hall, and that rather changed things. «There's someone in my suite,» xe said, still not moving. «There's someone in my suite!» xe repeated, with rather more panic, pressing the hold button and pulling the needle out of xem, setting it aside as xe hastily slid off of the table. He'd only be able to look at a still image, so to speak, but maybe that would keep him busy. "Ge la weh, ge la weh – ah!»
Xe stopped short of the door, because someone else was standing in it. Much the same size as Uala, but with far more metal, metal rings all up and down every tentacle and along xyr mouth like fangs, woven metal along xyr legs, and xe tried not to look purple and failed.
«Uala?» xe asked.
«… yes?» Uala responded slowly, because xe didn't know who else xe could possibly be in here. Xe leaned closer, standing taller, and while Uala recoiled xe stood taller as well.
«What are you doing?»
Uala risked a glance at Roan, though xe didn't take xyr eyes off the interloper for more than half a second. «My job?» xe ventured.
The other also looked at Roan. «That,» xe said, «is supposed to be contained.»
«I can't study it in containment,» xe said, standing straighter, making xem also stand if xe wanted to avoid being touched. Uala was getting a little more pink, leaning towards xyr more usual coral. «Who are you, exactly?»
Xe cocked xyr head to the side, birdlike. «Wakek,» xe said, «Ship's Representative. Here to check on your progress.»
«Progress towards what?» Uala demanded, and when Wakek tried to look around xem to get a better look at Roan xe blocked xyr view, tentacles flaring slightly. «There were no special instructions left with the specimen.»
«The Ship Has Ears,» Wakek recited.
«The Ship Has Eyes.»
«The Ship Knows.»
«The Ship Provides,» Uala finished, not quite mollified though xyr tentacles had gone back to their usual curl. An answer and not, the best answer xe would get. Xe had been right, earlier: this was something special. Xe couldn't say xe cared for it. It felt dangerous, even if Roan didn't. «What are my special instructions, then?» xe asked.
Wakek leaned closer to xem again, but this time Uala did not withdraw, and xe did not call xyr bluff by touching xem. «Can you understand it, yet?» xe asked.
«I might,» Uala said, indignant, «if you had told me from the beginning that it can talk.» Xe resisted the temptation to look back and check on him, because xe didn't want to risk taking focus off Wakek. Every time Wakek tried to look at him, Uala got in xyr way, protective. «We've made progress.»
«Are you sure?» Wakek asked, looking instead to the toys still on the floor. «It looks like you're playing with it.»
«And that's progress,» Uala said, with another irritated flare of xyr tentacles. «Understanding is not a measurable or concrete goal.»
Wakek turned darker, but xe was not intimidated this time. «That's your problem,» xe said, «not the Ship's. You should know how it works by now.»
If xe was trying to make Uala feel self-conscious about being old, it wasn't going to work. Uala was quite pleased by how much longer xe'd lived than xyr peers. Xe liked being alive. «It's the Ship's problem if the Ship needs to know anything more than how to talk to it,» xe said, undeterred.
«You don't need to talk to it,» xe said, «just understand it. How strong is it? How fast? How long do they live? What do they value? What are their survival parameters?» Wakek clicked disapprovingly, and the sound set Uala's beak on edge. «Do your job,» xe said, «or the Ship will find someone who can.» Then, for the first time, xe reached out and touched xem, tentacles grabbing xyrs and flipping dismissively at xyr silks.
Uala was very agreeable, and could be very patient. Xe did not, however, make it to xyr age by being a complete pushover – Ship's Representative or no. Xe reared up, all xyr tentacles flaring out wide, red rippling outward from where xe'd touched xem. Xe curled back xyr lip and hissed, halfway to a screech, and this time it was Wakek who recoiled. «Out,» xe snarled, and when xe tried to grab xem again xe nearly bit xem. «The Ship can send another representative,» xe said, all but chasing Wakek out of the lab and out of xyr suite, «but you will not come here again.» When xe tried to speak xe hissed again, standing in the hall; it was not for another long moment after xyr departure that Uala started to relax again.
«Oh – oh, that was very bad. I shouldn't have done that, I don't think. It was only self-defense, anyway. I can hardly do my job if I'm… oh, I hope I don't get in trouble for that.» Xe buzzed, seeming almost to melt into the floor of the hall as xe collapsed in the crash of an adrenaline rush. «Oh, goodness.»
Xe hadn't expected him to be so interested in the actual display, and xyr first instinct was to get him away from the controls. Xe stayed still, even if one of xyr hearts moved a little faster, because this was progress. Xe was understanding how to use it, that meant he understood the function. Right? Xe couldn't go scolding him every time he got any little thing wrong. They were both doing their best under the circumstances. If he accidentally filed a report, well, xe'd sort that out later.
Except that then there was a sound from out in the hall, and that rather changed things. «There's someone in my suite,» xe said, still not moving. «There's someone in my suite!» xe repeated, with rather more panic, pressing the hold button and pulling the needle out of xem, setting it aside as xe hastily slid off of the table. He'd only be able to look at a still image, so to speak, but maybe that would keep him busy. "Ge la weh, ge la weh – ah!»
Xe stopped short of the door, because someone else was standing in it. Much the same size as Uala, but with far more metal, metal rings all up and down every tentacle and along xyr mouth like fangs, woven metal along xyr legs, and xe tried not to look purple and failed.
«Uala?» xe asked.
«… yes?» Uala responded slowly, because xe didn't know who else xe could possibly be in here. Xe leaned closer, standing taller, and while Uala recoiled xe stood taller as well.
«What are you doing?»
Uala risked a glance at Roan, though xe didn't take xyr eyes off the interloper for more than half a second. «My job?» xe ventured.
The other also looked at Roan. «That,» xe said, «is supposed to be contained.»
«I can't study it in containment,» xe said, standing straighter, making xem also stand if xe wanted to avoid being touched. Uala was getting a little more pink, leaning towards xyr more usual coral. «Who are you, exactly?»
Xe cocked xyr head to the side, birdlike. «Wakek,» xe said, «Ship's Representative. Here to check on your progress.»
«Progress towards what?» Uala demanded, and when Wakek tried to look around xem to get a better look at Roan xe blocked xyr view, tentacles flaring slightly. «There were no special instructions left with the specimen.»
«The Ship Has Ears,» Wakek recited.
«The Ship Has Eyes.»
«The Ship Knows.»
«The Ship Provides,» Uala finished, not quite mollified though xyr tentacles had gone back to their usual curl. An answer and not, the best answer xe would get. Xe had been right, earlier: this was something special. Xe couldn't say xe cared for it. It felt dangerous, even if Roan didn't. «What are my special instructions, then?» xe asked.
Wakek leaned closer to xem again, but this time Uala did not withdraw, and xe did not call xyr bluff by touching xem. «Can you understand it, yet?» xe asked.
«I might,» Uala said, indignant, «if you had told me from the beginning that it can talk.» Xe resisted the temptation to look back and check on him, because xe didn't want to risk taking focus off Wakek. Every time Wakek tried to look at him, Uala got in xyr way, protective. «We've made progress.»
«Are you sure?» Wakek asked, looking instead to the toys still on the floor. «It looks like you're playing with it.»
«And that's progress,» Uala said, with another irritated flare of xyr tentacles. «Understanding is not a measurable or concrete goal.»
Wakek turned darker, but xe was not intimidated this time. «That's your problem,» xe said, «not the Ship's. You should know how it works by now.»
If xe was trying to make Uala feel self-conscious about being old, it wasn't going to work. Uala was quite pleased by how much longer xe'd lived than xyr peers. Xe liked being alive. «It's the Ship's problem if the Ship needs to know anything more than how to talk to it,» xe said, undeterred.
«You don't need to talk to it,» xe said, «just understand it. How strong is it? How fast? How long do they live? What do they value? What are their survival parameters?» Wakek clicked disapprovingly, and the sound set Uala's beak on edge. «Do your job,» xe said, «or the Ship will find someone who can.» Then, for the first time, xe reached out and touched xem, tentacles grabbing xyrs and flipping dismissively at xyr silks.
Uala was very agreeable, and could be very patient. Xe did not, however, make it to xyr age by being a complete pushover – Ship's Representative or no. Xe reared up, all xyr tentacles flaring out wide, red rippling outward from where xe'd touched xem. Xe curled back xyr lip and hissed, halfway to a screech, and this time it was Wakek who recoiled. «Out,» xe snarled, and when xe tried to grab xem again xe nearly bit xem. «The Ship can send another representative,» xe said, all but chasing Wakek out of the lab and out of xyr suite, «but you will not come here again.» When xe tried to speak xe hissed again, standing in the hall; it was not for another long moment after xyr departure that Uala started to relax again.
«Oh – oh, that was very bad. I shouldn't have done that, I don't think. It was only self-defense, anyway. I can hardly do my job if I'm… oh, I hope I don't get in trouble for that.» Xe buzzed, seeming almost to melt into the floor of the hall as xe collapsed in the crash of an adrenaline rush. «Oh, goodness.»
Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 09-03-2015
"Oh!" Roan said as Uala made a more clarifying motion. "Hair! Ki." He nodded, ruffled the fur on the purple toy and then tugged on a lock of his own hair. "Ki."The rest of the phrase continued to baffle him. "Hair something something," he murmured to himself, turning the stuffed animal in his hands. Some Earth languages put words in different orders to describe nouns. So far, he'd been assuming they were all in the right order--it seemed to be working, so what fit...He frowned, then, realizing if this creature was meant to be a facsimile of himself, there was one phrase that came to mind. "Oh."
Hairy like you.
He rolled his shoulders back and carefully pressed a hand to his chest so as not to startle xem like he'd done earlier in their bizarre interactions. "Aish?"
Which would be the wrong question, wouldn't it? If 'aish' is not 'me', he considered. 'You' would be...Uala.
He pointed to Uala and tried again. "A'ish, no ki."
You, no hair.
He gave xem a triumphant smile. So the verbs'll need work to get a full 'you're not hairy' out of it but yeah! I can definitely get the hang of this!
Roan chewed on the inside of his cheek as he rotated the screen. Dark eyes widened as he began to count rapidly pulsating hearts. "Three? What on Earth for?"
Xe began talking and changing colors again, which...was not good. Had he hurt xem?
"What'd I do?" he asked. Xyr departure disrupted the stuffed animal, which he caught with one hand as xe scrambled away. "What's wrong? What--"
The question died as he caught a glimpse of another, more imposing looking alien in the doorway. Roan was caught somewhere between glad he hadn't ventured out to encounter the metal-addicted alien on his own and disappointed to discover he was definitely being held by more than one of Uala's kind. Even without an idea of what they were saying he could feel the face-off. The tones were more blunt, almost disagreeable compared to what he'd heard from xem so far.
What in Novae does pink mean?
Angry, he suspected, staring at the aliens with some alarm as xyr words grew in volume. Both seemed to be involved in some kind of posturing. It almost seemed like Uala was trying to keep the metaled one from seeing him but...that can't be right, can it? If they picked me up to study humans... He found himself edging carefully closer. A muffled protest escaped him as the newcomer's tone went from harsh to something that set his nerves on edge, and then tentacles launched toward Uala.
No! Xe was being attacked, and he didn't have a weapon to defend xem with! Roan moved on Protector instinct alone, rushing toward the pair. Then came to an abrupt halt, as Uala turned violent in response. Impressively violent. He followed at a mild panic, almost amused that he'd thought he'd needed to defend his host--who I'm officially certain intended to study me and stars, I would have defended xem with what, a punch and the damned stuffed toy?--as xe easily batted the intruder out, down a corridor, out another door. While turning red. Which definitely meant angry and now he wasn't sure at all what pink meant.
Well. He could take comfort in the fact that he was sure about exactly two things. One, that obviously someone hadn't gotten the "okay limbs" permission required. And two, also rather obvious, Roan had definitely underestimated xem.
Approaching down the hallway--and wondering how pink(?) Uala would be to discover he'd left the place he wasn't supposed to leave--Roan was almost to xem when xe collapsed.
"Uala!" He dropped into a crouch, one empty hand and the stuffed animal-carrying one both hovering uncertainly over xyr tentacles as xe chittered to xyrself. "Novae take it...are you okay?"
Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 09-03-2015
He was understanding! Sort of? It sounded like he was understanding. "A'ish," xe agreed, patting him on the shoulder, neglecting that this was the very opposite of what his file said. "No ki, pha a'ish," xe added, indicating xyrself. Although if xyr defining characteristic was going to be a lack of fluff, that was a little… weird. Xe patted the toy. "A'ish." Xe looked around for another example, one that wouldn't give him the wrong idea. What wasn't safe? Xe didn't want to say the needle was unsafe, that was the opposite of what xe wanted him to think. Opening a drawer in the cart to look for something, xe carefully set out a scalpel, not holding it for too long. "No a'ish," xe said, pointing to it. "Kenah." This would probably be useful, right? Teaching him how to understand when things were dangerous, rather than when xe was just saying no? Xe played at making little 'rawr' noises, like a tiny lion. "Kenah." Then xe patted the toy again. "A'ish."
Words were hard. Were words always this complicated? Having to try to teach them to someone was making xem realize they were complicated. Contrasts felt like they ought to help. Yes and no, good and bad, safe and dangerous.
There was a sense of both resignation and safety as the hallway door locked, a perfect seal as if there were no door at all. Usually it only opened for interns, and that was while xe was asleep; being awake for an intrusion by an adult was distressing. Xyr space had never been truly private, but it felt violated, nonetheless.
Xe hadn't noticed Roan's abortive attempt to come to xyr rescue, too distracted by Wakek and xyr own possessiveness. Xe was always very possessive of specimens. Everyone else was too rough. Not intentionally, maybe, but they were. Or maybe xe was just possessive by nature. It was hard to say, under the circumstances.
Both sets of eyelids blinked in succession in xyr surprise, it having not occurred to xem that Roan would not wait in the lab. Xyr pupils were wider in the dim light of the hall, though not as open as they were in true darkness; it was hotter and more humid outside the lab, designed to be comfortable for people and not specimens. "A la aiai, Roan, yesha yesha." Oh, drat, he wasn't going to understand that at all. "Uala okay," xe corrected. Xe didn't know how to tell him not to worry. "No kenah," xe attempted. No dangerous? That was a bit silly sounding. Xe pointed toward the door. "Kenah," xe admitted, because there was no point lying to him. Then xe gestured to the area where they were, now free of interlopers. "A'ish. Okay. A la okay, ou la okay… okay." Gently, xe took the toy from him, though xe didn't stand up just yet. Xe hugged it close, because… not for any real reason, actually. A habit xe'd picked up from specimens, probably, originally an experiment to see why they did it that xe'd then adopted. Too many peculiar habits, only the strictest ideas of what constituted 'normal' behavior.
Wakek seemed very normal.
Xe looked back to the door to the lab, and then to Roan. "Roan," xe scolded, but gently. "Weh Roan." Xe was not actually particularly distressed by it, though xe probably should have been. Circumstances had changed. Keeping him in the lab while obtaining all the information The Ship wanted would be impossible. As long as he didn't stray too far from xem, it was probably fine. Probably.
Words were hard. Were words always this complicated? Having to try to teach them to someone was making xem realize they were complicated. Contrasts felt like they ought to help. Yes and no, good and bad, safe and dangerous.
There was a sense of both resignation and safety as the hallway door locked, a perfect seal as if there were no door at all. Usually it only opened for interns, and that was while xe was asleep; being awake for an intrusion by an adult was distressing. Xyr space had never been truly private, but it felt violated, nonetheless.
Xe hadn't noticed Roan's abortive attempt to come to xyr rescue, too distracted by Wakek and xyr own possessiveness. Xe was always very possessive of specimens. Everyone else was too rough. Not intentionally, maybe, but they were. Or maybe xe was just possessive by nature. It was hard to say, under the circumstances.
Both sets of eyelids blinked in succession in xyr surprise, it having not occurred to xem that Roan would not wait in the lab. Xyr pupils were wider in the dim light of the hall, though not as open as they were in true darkness; it was hotter and more humid outside the lab, designed to be comfortable for people and not specimens. "A la aiai, Roan, yesha yesha." Oh, drat, he wasn't going to understand that at all. "Uala okay," xe corrected. Xe didn't know how to tell him not to worry. "No kenah," xe attempted. No dangerous? That was a bit silly sounding. Xe pointed toward the door. "Kenah," xe admitted, because there was no point lying to him. Then xe gestured to the area where they were, now free of interlopers. "A'ish. Okay. A la okay, ou la okay… okay." Gently, xe took the toy from him, though xe didn't stand up just yet. Xe hugged it close, because… not for any real reason, actually. A habit xe'd picked up from specimens, probably, originally an experiment to see why they did it that xe'd then adopted. Too many peculiar habits, only the strictest ideas of what constituted 'normal' behavior.
Wakek seemed very normal.
Xe looked back to the door to the lab, and then to Roan. "Roan," xe scolded, but gently. "Weh Roan." Xe was not actually particularly distressed by it, though xe probably should have been. Circumstances had changed. Keeping him in the lab while obtaining all the information The Ship wanted would be impossible. As long as he didn't stray too far from xem, it was probably fine. Probably.
Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 09-09-2015
Roan reached a hand up to scratch his head, scrunching a mass of black hair under his fingers. He needed to braid it, at least, if he couldn't find a band soon. It would be unfortunate if he needed to run for his life at some point--Uala had pretty much confirmed he'd been kidnapped aboard an alien vessel after all--only to find himself thwarted by the loose strands falling over his eyes at the worst possible moment. Or grabbed. That was a cold, childish move that pretty much sucked...and he suspected all of the aliens around him had quite a lot of limbs with which to grab with.A'ish couldn't mean 'You' or 'yours' or 'me', he realized. Not when pointing to him, the fluffy toy, and Uala all equaled the same thing. Unless xe meant...'mine'. Roan refused to entertain that notion despite the fact that he still wore cuffs xe could turn on and off at a whim. He was a prisoner, but he didn't belong to Uala. He glanced down at the toy xe kept petting and crooning to. 'Alive', maybe?
Xe pulled out a tiny blade and Roan instinctively straightened his shoulders and balanced his stance, despite the fact it now sat in front of xem. Not alive? No, that can't be right...I must have gotten it wrong again. Yet xyr next word seemed to present the tool in opposing comparison, and it indeed was not alive.
He carefully blanked his expression, trying not to laugh when Uala began making a sound between ferocious chirping and tiny kitten roars. Almost failing, he bit the inside of his cheek. Why would the scalpel be making the same sort of noises he'd be more inclined to expect from the toy? "Kenah doesn't mean blade so..." What other opposites could xe mean? Sharp/dull? Metal/Flesh--even the fake kind?
"No ki," he observed of the blade with a self-deprecating grin, then had another idea, "Ah! Kenah is...No Roan?" Maybe xe had given up on his words and was trying to teach him some of xyr own--but then wouldn't xe still use his name? So that must be wrong too. Novae, but this was ridiculous. Surely there was a translator device somewhere. There was only one way to test his alive/not alive theories, and that was to ponderously get a definition for everything he could get his hands on. He finally huffed out a sigh of frustration and strode forward, pointing to every inanimate object in the lab. "Kenah...kenah...kenah..."
'Uala okay' made him smile, his anxiety and aborted adrenaline ramping down. He felt hot. It was definitely hot in the hallway, not all of the sweat that perked along his brow from just the short jog or fierce concern. And then xe said 'not not alive' and he felt renewed alarm, brown eyes widening. Double negatives, now? "So...A'ish?" Uala was okay, alive. That was good. Maybe xe meant they both were safe...at least for now.
Pointing at the door to where the other alien had disappeared, xe seemed to confirm his fear. Out there...was death. Had xe saved his life? Had the other alien been there to kill him? Had xe attacked Uala to get to him? Roan frowned, offering a hand to xem in case xe wanted help up from the floor. "Okay," he said quietly to what sounded like an attempt to comfort him.
Roan watched as xyr color changed to something less pale, perhaps less frightened. 'Weh' seemed to be xyr version of a disappointed tsk. He couldn't blame xem for it--xe had told him not to leave the lab, after all. He hunched his shoulders and mumbled, "Sorry." There was definitely good reason for him to stay in the other room now--it wasn't all a giant question mark in his head begging for a look. Good reasons, beginning with the fact that Uala didn't want him dead, and someone else did. "Okay," he said again, and sent xem a half-smile before gesturing up and down the hallway. "No Roan."
Somehow he was going to have to find another way out--but it wouldn't be through the doors of Not Alive, and he definitely had to braid his hair first.
Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 09-13-2015
Xe chirped a giggle as he pointed out that the scalpel was, in fact, not fluffy. He wasn't wrong, anyway. Xe was getting a better sense for that baring of teeth, those peculiar barking sounds he sometimes made. Xe had a suspicion that he was laughing. Expressing amusement and pleasure with the shapes of his face, rather than his colors.
Trying to follow his logic could still be difficult. "Roan no kenah," xe said, though uncertainly. In part because xe wasn't sure if he was asking, and in part because xe didn't know. He didn't seem dangerous to xem. His display in pointing to random objects and declaring them dangerous did not help matters. "No kenah, a'ish," xe countered when he pointed to another scanner, because letting him believe those were dangerous seemed dangerous in and of itself.
Uala didn't understand the gesture when he offered xem his hand. Xe did not accept as he'd intended, instead wrapping tentacles around his wrist to turn it this way and that, looking at it in mild confusion as xe rose higher. Two tentacles still remained holding the much-abused stuffed toy. «What's wrong with your hand?» xe asked. «Is there something you wanted me to see? I'm sorry, Roan, I just don't understand you sometimes. It looks fine to me, but I don't really know.» Xe stood in the manner of an inflating balloon, tentacles drawing in closer and pulling upright. Then xe deflated again when xe realized xe'd made xyrself taller than him, going back to a more agreeable and full-figured height. «Oh! Maybe you were asking for your friend back? You seem to like it a lot. I don't blame you, either.» Xe carefully set the toy back in his hand.
He looked so sad when xe scolded him that xe almost regretted it. "A la u'a – Roan no weh. Okay Roan." Xe attempted to push his shoulders back to where they seemed to belong. How did he bend so much with so many bones? It all seemed horribly uncomfortable. When xe drew xyr tentacles away, it was with yet more confusion. Xe looked at xyr tentacles where xe had touched him. "Aiae?" No, what was that horrible word he'd used? Not being able to make that sound was going to be a problem. Xe was going to have to improvise a solution. "Wa-click-er?" Xe looked closer at his skin, getting what was probably uncomfortably close to his shoulder and then his face. Xe poked curiously at his forehead. «How did you get wet?»
Unless…
"Wa-click-er?" xe asked again, this time slower and with a hint of suspicion, flushing pale green around xyr eyes. «Oh, Roan, please tell me you're not excreting something. If this is supposed to teach me a lesson about touching specimens without my gloves, there are better ways.» With a buzz of resignation, xe rubbed xyr tentacles on xyr clothes to try and get them something like clean.
Xe looked down the hall toward xyr other rooms, then back to the door. "No Roan," xe agreed, though thoughtfully. "Pha… Roan phe Uala… okay?" Xe stressed 'and Uala', unsure if that would help. "Roan phe Uala okay." Xe gestured to the both of them as well as the hallway, hoping that this time he would understand xem a bit better.
Trying to follow his logic could still be difficult. "Roan no kenah," xe said, though uncertainly. In part because xe wasn't sure if he was asking, and in part because xe didn't know. He didn't seem dangerous to xem. His display in pointing to random objects and declaring them dangerous did not help matters. "No kenah, a'ish," xe countered when he pointed to another scanner, because letting him believe those were dangerous seemed dangerous in and of itself.
Uala didn't understand the gesture when he offered xem his hand. Xe did not accept as he'd intended, instead wrapping tentacles around his wrist to turn it this way and that, looking at it in mild confusion as xe rose higher. Two tentacles still remained holding the much-abused stuffed toy. «What's wrong with your hand?» xe asked. «Is there something you wanted me to see? I'm sorry, Roan, I just don't understand you sometimes. It looks fine to me, but I don't really know.» Xe stood in the manner of an inflating balloon, tentacles drawing in closer and pulling upright. Then xe deflated again when xe realized xe'd made xyrself taller than him, going back to a more agreeable and full-figured height. «Oh! Maybe you were asking for your friend back? You seem to like it a lot. I don't blame you, either.» Xe carefully set the toy back in his hand.
He looked so sad when xe scolded him that xe almost regretted it. "A la u'a – Roan no weh. Okay Roan." Xe attempted to push his shoulders back to where they seemed to belong. How did he bend so much with so many bones? It all seemed horribly uncomfortable. When xe drew xyr tentacles away, it was with yet more confusion. Xe looked at xyr tentacles where xe had touched him. "Aiae?" No, what was that horrible word he'd used? Not being able to make that sound was going to be a problem. Xe was going to have to improvise a solution. "Wa-click-er?" Xe looked closer at his skin, getting what was probably uncomfortably close to his shoulder and then his face. Xe poked curiously at his forehead. «How did you get wet?»
Unless…
"Wa-click-er?" xe asked again, this time slower and with a hint of suspicion, flushing pale green around xyr eyes. «Oh, Roan, please tell me you're not excreting something. If this is supposed to teach me a lesson about touching specimens without my gloves, there are better ways.» With a buzz of resignation, xe rubbed xyr tentacles on xyr clothes to try and get them something like clean.
Xe looked down the hall toward xyr other rooms, then back to the door. "No Roan," xe agreed, though thoughtfully. "Pha… Roan phe Uala… okay?" Xe stressed 'and Uala', unsure if that would help. "Roan phe Uala okay." Xe gestured to the both of them as well as the hallway, hoping that this time he would understand xem a bit better.
RE: Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 11-03-2015
Roan bit the inside of his cheek to suppress a grin when his attempt to help Uala to her fee--er...tentacles...was misconstrued as wanting the stuffed animal back. In retrospect, it was silly of him to have offered. Xe was quite capable of mobility. He took the toy into the crook of his elbow anyway, ridiculous or not.
Being reassured xe was alright was a bit of a production, all waving tentacles and prodding limbs. But when Uala asked about water and started poking at him, he sighed. Sort of water. Salt water...ish. "It's hot," he explained, because they hadn't established a common word for temperature differences, nor sweat, a function xe didn't seem to share.
Xe didn't seem to notice the difference in the hallway, either, how much more stuffy it was than the lab though...so either xyr natural state was to not notice temperature--or this was normal. Not knowing which end of the galaxy was up was getting mighty annoying.
But Uala certainly noticed sweat. And was obviously repulsed. He sighed and straightened his shoulders, trying to put the apology on his face in case xe didn't understand his words. "Sorry..."
"Hallway," he said with a sweeping gesture up and down the corridor where they stood. "HOT." He wiped his hand over his brow, then fanned himself with the same hand. "But okay," he agreed with a nod. "Roan phe Uala, okay." Phe! And! He had this one, he was sure of it, xyr own gesture all-encompassing. He backed toward the lab, if only to get somewhere less humid, where he would be a little less offensive to his captor.
He froze, midstep. True, Uala had been keeping him locked up, but he'd assumed given the recent threat it'd been for his own protection. But he was out of the lab now, and not locked to the floor and...and there were other, possibly non-death-dealing doors. Sweat aside, a man trapped aboard an alien vessel sort of owed it to himself to explore and find another way out, didn't he?
The Academy would say so. The Academy would probably demand he go through the Death door and go kung fu on everything on the other side. Regardless of their motives.
Roan preferred to know what drove his enemies before he fought them. And given the language barrier, it could be mighty difficult to do much more than escape.
He tugged on a loose end of his hair, nodded, then quickly sidestepped into the closest open doorway. Because "captor" was a much less preferred term than "host" and "temporary protector".
RE: Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 11-28-2015
"Sorry," xe repeated – that seemed like his apology word? He always looked sort of sheepish when he said it. "No sorry," xe attempted. "Okay Roan." Xe patted his head gently, sticking to the fluff and not his skin. Just to be safe.
"Alway? Huh. Hallway. Hallway hah..." Xe clicked, but it didn't quite work as well as a substitute at the end of the word. And xe had not the faintest idea what the words xe was repeating meant. He was... wiping the fluid from his skin? Flailing at himself? Maybe trying to dry his skin back out?
Something about the hall was making him wet, and he did not care for it any more than xe did. That was what xe was getting from this.
«I think we're just going to have to get you back to a less wet room,» xe said ruefully. One of them was just doomed to be uncomfortable no matter what, it seemed like. To encourage his movement back toward the lab, xe sort of tried to herd him with xyr tentacles. Of course, xe was also trying not to touch his skin, so this meant xe pushed him gently along by his hips in order to keep xyr tentacles on his pants. «I know I said I'd keep my tentacles away from here, but that was before you started leaking, and I don't think you have any genitals in these spots.»
Hopefully. Ship save xem.
Both sets of eyelids blinked rapidly as xe adjusted to the brighter light of the lab, pupils shrinking back down to slits. «Here,» xe said, still herding, «let's finish up that exam, okay? I think that will help clear up a lot of confusion for me, and maybe then we can communicate better. Although, wait.» Xe stopped for a moment to grab another towel, and attempted to use it to buff his skin dry. «Ah! Roan, why are you so big! That makes this much more difficult than it needs to be. And your muscles! You don't need this many, you really don't. Now there's all these... crannies. And I really don't know what this is supposed to be.» Xe poked at his bellybutton with the towel before giving up, draping the towel over his shoulders so it would be easier to push him along.
«I can't pick you up, so you're going to have to do this for me,» xe said as xe left his side, patting at the top of the exam table. "Roan, okay? A'ish, a'ish."
«Just lie down here, and I promise I'll be done soon and it won't even hurt at all. You can even keep holding onto the toy. If that helps.»
"Alway? Huh. Hallway. Hallway hah..." Xe clicked, but it didn't quite work as well as a substitute at the end of the word. And xe had not the faintest idea what the words xe was repeating meant. He was... wiping the fluid from his skin? Flailing at himself? Maybe trying to dry his skin back out?
Something about the hall was making him wet, and he did not care for it any more than xe did. That was what xe was getting from this.
«I think we're just going to have to get you back to a less wet room,» xe said ruefully. One of them was just doomed to be uncomfortable no matter what, it seemed like. To encourage his movement back toward the lab, xe sort of tried to herd him with xyr tentacles. Of course, xe was also trying not to touch his skin, so this meant xe pushed him gently along by his hips in order to keep xyr tentacles on his pants. «I know I said I'd keep my tentacles away from here, but that was before you started leaking, and I don't think you have any genitals in these spots.»
Hopefully. Ship save xem.
Both sets of eyelids blinked rapidly as xe adjusted to the brighter light of the lab, pupils shrinking back down to slits. «Here,» xe said, still herding, «let's finish up that exam, okay? I think that will help clear up a lot of confusion for me, and maybe then we can communicate better. Although, wait.» Xe stopped for a moment to grab another towel, and attempted to use it to buff his skin dry. «Ah! Roan, why are you so big! That makes this much more difficult than it needs to be. And your muscles! You don't need this many, you really don't. Now there's all these... crannies. And I really don't know what this is supposed to be.» Xe poked at his bellybutton with the towel before giving up, draping the towel over his shoulders so it would be easier to push him along.
«I can't pick you up, so you're going to have to do this for me,» xe said as xe left his side, patting at the top of the exam table. "Roan, okay? A'ish, a'ish."
«Just lie down here, and I promise I'll be done soon and it won't even hurt at all. You can even keep holding onto the toy. If that helps.»
RE: Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 12-10-2015
One corner of Roan's mouth kicked up at Uala's reassurance, not missing the fact that xe refused to touch his arm again. "Sweat's not my favorite thing either," he admitted aloud. After a workout session it felt good, a side effect that meant slamming weights and sand bags around had been effort well-spent. But he certainly didn't want to stay that way perpetually. It was always better after a nice shower, toweled off and dry.
He hadn't seen a shower--or any other amenities, which was really going to prove a problem when he had to pee--in the room xe had been keeping him. Not even one of those lab-emergency things, which might have just meant that there weren't any dangerous chemicals. Maybe in this room--
The humidity seemed harsher in the doorframe, which wasn't promising. A private domain, perhaps, in an environment more suited to Uala's alien biology? Before he could venture further, Uala's tentacles draped over one hip, then the other, and he nearly jumped out of the pants xe clung to until he realized his path was being gently averted. Back to the original room. "Okay," he said with a cautious nod that he hoped wasn't giving permission for anything...untoward...and proceeded in front of xem. "For now."
Because he did, after all, have responsibilities, regardless of his own discomfort.
The difference between the hallway and the lab was all the more startling now that he was in the drier atmosphere. It was like his lungs had had a weight lifted from them; Roan had been so focused on the aggressive alien and Uala's collapse he hadn't even noticed it'd become almost oppressive to breathe until he'd been granted freedom once more. "Might need to find a breather," he murmured to himself. He didn't bother to stop his grin as Uala poked at him with a towel, all manner of tuneful sounds pouring forth. The equivalent of a scolding, perhaps, or general huffing discontent with his human reaction to xyr more native environment. When xe abandoned the task, he picked up where xe left off, rolling the towel down his spine, over his sides, and finishing up over his abs and arms as they walked.
Having just started on his neck, Roan lifted his head when Uala said his name. A soft brown gaze followed the length of tentacle to the table. He swallowed hard.
Well, yes, he was okay. And so far, he was alive. "Okay," he agreed. "A'ish," came more tentatively, as he was trying to discern why that was in question. "Uala a'ish?"
Maybe Uala meant it reassuringly. Less, 'you're still alive for now, right?' and more, 'guess what? You're alive!'
Whatever the inflection it was clear that he'd delayed getting on the table long enough. Xe kept patting and Roan shifted his weight on the balls of his feet. It was his turn. Both Uala and the unfortunate stuffed animal he still had in one hand had taken theirs; it was a simple scan. Debating a cheeky placement of the animal in his stead, Roan shook his head. Uala had been in the process of sharing xyr own makeup before chasing out that aggressor, and it had been equally clear then that the point of interest was himself. He owed xem. And it was best to get this over with at any rate. Maybe Uala would be so distracted by the results that he'd be able to move around even more freely. Or swim around, more like.
He grimaced.
Without further argument Roan set the toy and towel at the end of the table and hauled himself up, inadvertently brushing xyr tentacles as he did. "Oh, Novae take it..." He was going to be written up on so. many. infractions. for being abducted and ALLOWING an alien to prod at his biology. The Academy didn't exactly find "xe kept me alive" to be an acceptable reason to play nice. "I don't suppose you'll tell me what you plan to do with this information once you've got it on your logs..."
RE: Intelligent Life [Closed] - Tindome - 12-24-2015
If having someone in xyr suite was strange, having someone in xyr living quarters was infinitely stranger. Logically, if Roan was going to still be in xyr care when xe was sleeping, xe was going to have to keep him somewhere. Xyr original plan had been to keep him locked in the box he'd come in, but he seemed very opposed to that idea. But letting him wander into xyr room… no. Xe just couldn't. If he were just some cute fluffy mammal, maybe, but not a person.
The fact that he got so nervous every time xe touched his clothes did not help matters at all. What did he think xe was trying to do? Xe'd tried to reassure him that xe wasn't trying anything… untoward. Apparently he had been thoroughly traumatized. Xe supposed xe might feel the same way.
He also hesitated to get on the table, perhaps for the same reason. Which was much less explicable. "Uala a'ish," xe agreed. «What could I even do with you on a table?» xe asked, mostly to xyrself.
… except his species probably mated very differently. So maybe they could do something on a table, where he was from.
Goodness.
His skin brushed xyrs, and xe withdrew xyr tentacles with a faint flush of green around xyr eyes.
Best not to think about that kind of thing. This was purely scientific. Very scientific. Xe'd examined plenty of specimens before, more thoroughly than this. Xe just had to try and ignore the fact that he was a person. Was all.
Easy.
"Novae?" xe attempted, because he seemed to say that a lot. Maybe xe was wrong – maybe that was his apology word. Maybe he had many apology words. Maybe his people were very polite, because otherwise they would all kill each other with their many enormous muscles. «Here, you're going to have to… hm.» Gently xe coaxed him into a different position so that he could lie down, easier and safer than the alternative. «I'll try not to take too long, okay?» Xe patted cautiously at his skin to encourage him to stay lying there, brushing stray strands of hair from his face before it occurred to xem that xe possibly shouldn't.
Science. Yes. There was science to be doing.
Xe retrieved another set of gloves to sheath xyr tentacles, since needles would be penetrating skin and xe didn't want him getting any infections. «Oh, I almost forgot! I should do this now, it will be easier – here, this is just – your brain is in here, right? I don't know how to ask you where your brain is. I feel like that might make you nervous.» Nonetheless, xe slid a thin piece of metal resembling a headband along his forehead to rest along his temples, then patted his head again. «There, see? This is all very safe.» A quick touch activated it, let xem see on a side screen the way electricity lit up his brain.
Xe swabbed his skin with sanitizing fluid, for the same reason that xe wore the gloves, unwrapping the first needle and mulling over where to put it. The first needle was always hardest, since xe had not the faintest clue yet where his organs were. Organs xe had no desire to penetrate.
With anything.
«I hope this isn't where you keep your kidneys,» xe said, feeling his shoulder before pushing the needle into the hollow of muscle beneath bone. Xe supposed xe'd know if xe'd done anything wrong if he seemed hurt. Xe checked the screen with his brain activity, anyway, to be sure it didn't look like anything unusual was happening. Xe activated the needle, and the screen – previously still displaying the frozen image of xyr own anatomy – suddenly refreshed. Not that it had much of an image to show, but it was enough to see that xe hadn't accidentally poked anything vital.
«I can almost see your heart!» xe said, delighted. «Oh, goodness, look at all those bones. There's so many of them! Some of them are so small!» Xe was already unwrapping another needle to place it in the same spot on the other side of him – and then another for lower along his abdomen, always just within range of where xe could already see. it resulted in a bit of overlap, but that just helped clarify the image – better that than sticking needles in blind.
If Uala had been aware of the existence of acupuncture, xe might have comforted him with the similarity. But then, that would also require xem to be able to communicate things to him successfully.
«Are those your lungs? They're very impressive. That really is all muscle. Roan! I don't know how… I mean. Goodness. Is that…? Why do you have so much intestine! This seems very inefficient! Where is all of your fat hiding! Is it in your legs?» Soft tentacles felt along his hips above his waistband to try and find the best spot for another needle, because he once again had a lot of bones to try and work around. Some of them jutting. Which seemed uncomfortable. When xe'd managed to get them arranged to xyr satisfaction and activated, xe looked to the image that had resolved itself on the screen.
«Well, it isn't perfect, but that's everything down to your… uh.» Xe started to blush green again, full lips pressed together in faint mortification. «Down to your – yes. That.» Xe tilted xyr head to avoid looking directly at the screen – well, one specific part of the screen – and reflexively tried to cover xyr blush with xyr tentacles. Xe stopped short, because the gloves meant xe didn't want to touch xyrself. The tentacles on xyr head curled, not quite covering xyr eyes. «I – oh, no, I'm being very silly, I'm sorry, this is – oh, dear.» Xe made xyr way to the controls with haste. «I'll just save what I have so far and then I can take that off the screen and… and… yes.»
Science had its limits.
The fact that he got so nervous every time xe touched his clothes did not help matters at all. What did he think xe was trying to do? Xe'd tried to reassure him that xe wasn't trying anything… untoward. Apparently he had been thoroughly traumatized. Xe supposed xe might feel the same way.
He also hesitated to get on the table, perhaps for the same reason. Which was much less explicable. "Uala a'ish," xe agreed. «What could I even do with you on a table?» xe asked, mostly to xyrself.
… except his species probably mated very differently. So maybe they could do something on a table, where he was from.
Goodness.
His skin brushed xyrs, and xe withdrew xyr tentacles with a faint flush of green around xyr eyes.
Best not to think about that kind of thing. This was purely scientific. Very scientific. Xe'd examined plenty of specimens before, more thoroughly than this. Xe just had to try and ignore the fact that he was a person. Was all.
Easy.
"Novae?" xe attempted, because he seemed to say that a lot. Maybe xe was wrong – maybe that was his apology word. Maybe he had many apology words. Maybe his people were very polite, because otherwise they would all kill each other with their many enormous muscles. «Here, you're going to have to… hm.» Gently xe coaxed him into a different position so that he could lie down, easier and safer than the alternative. «I'll try not to take too long, okay?» Xe patted cautiously at his skin to encourage him to stay lying there, brushing stray strands of hair from his face before it occurred to xem that xe possibly shouldn't.
Science. Yes. There was science to be doing.
Xe retrieved another set of gloves to sheath xyr tentacles, since needles would be penetrating skin and xe didn't want him getting any infections. «Oh, I almost forgot! I should do this now, it will be easier – here, this is just – your brain is in here, right? I don't know how to ask you where your brain is. I feel like that might make you nervous.» Nonetheless, xe slid a thin piece of metal resembling a headband along his forehead to rest along his temples, then patted his head again. «There, see? This is all very safe.» A quick touch activated it, let xem see on a side screen the way electricity lit up his brain.
Xe swabbed his skin with sanitizing fluid, for the same reason that xe wore the gloves, unwrapping the first needle and mulling over where to put it. The first needle was always hardest, since xe had not the faintest clue yet where his organs were. Organs xe had no desire to penetrate.
With anything.
«I hope this isn't where you keep your kidneys,» xe said, feeling his shoulder before pushing the needle into the hollow of muscle beneath bone. Xe supposed xe'd know if xe'd done anything wrong if he seemed hurt. Xe checked the screen with his brain activity, anyway, to be sure it didn't look like anything unusual was happening. Xe activated the needle, and the screen – previously still displaying the frozen image of xyr own anatomy – suddenly refreshed. Not that it had much of an image to show, but it was enough to see that xe hadn't accidentally poked anything vital.
«I can almost see your heart!» xe said, delighted. «Oh, goodness, look at all those bones. There's so many of them! Some of them are so small!» Xe was already unwrapping another needle to place it in the same spot on the other side of him – and then another for lower along his abdomen, always just within range of where xe could already see. it resulted in a bit of overlap, but that just helped clarify the image – better that than sticking needles in blind.
If Uala had been aware of the existence of acupuncture, xe might have comforted him with the similarity. But then, that would also require xem to be able to communicate things to him successfully.
«Are those your lungs? They're very impressive. That really is all muscle. Roan! I don't know how… I mean. Goodness. Is that…? Why do you have so much intestine! This seems very inefficient! Where is all of your fat hiding! Is it in your legs?» Soft tentacles felt along his hips above his waistband to try and find the best spot for another needle, because he once again had a lot of bones to try and work around. Some of them jutting. Which seemed uncomfortable. When xe'd managed to get them arranged to xyr satisfaction and activated, xe looked to the image that had resolved itself on the screen.
«Well, it isn't perfect, but that's everything down to your… uh.» Xe started to blush green again, full lips pressed together in faint mortification. «Down to your – yes. That.» Xe tilted xyr head to avoid looking directly at the screen – well, one specific part of the screen – and reflexively tried to cover xyr blush with xyr tentacles. Xe stopped short, because the gloves meant xe didn't want to touch xyrself. The tentacles on xyr head curled, not quite covering xyr eyes. «I – oh, no, I'm being very silly, I'm sorry, this is – oh, dear.» Xe made xyr way to the controls with haste. «I'll just save what I have so far and then I can take that off the screen and… and… yes.»
Science had its limits.
RE: Intelligent Life [Closed] - danixiewrites - 01-03-2016
"Oh, no," Roan insisted. "Nooooo Novae." Teaching an alien to curse was even worse somehow in his mind than letting xem in on human anatomical knowledge--and though the Academy professors would disagree with his priorities, they couldn't contest the fact that curse words were not particularly helpful for translation purposes. "Novae...no Uala. Oh!" He brought a hand up to snap his fingers. "Novae kenah!"
He grinned widely, satisfied that he'd conquered another word, translating it -flawlessly-. Humans, after all, had multiple words for the same thing. Why wouldn't an alien?
Although registering the fact that xe was trying to make him more comfortable, Roan was as ignorant of Uala's discomfort as he was fascinated by the display on the opposite side of the table. The needles only stung for a moment, tiny little things that pricked. Not even close to a blip for a man used to brawling. Probably wouldn't bleed long when they came out, if at all. It did, however, make his forehead scrunch. When Uala had used the needles before, had it hurt even a little? It hadn't seemed to, but then, they'd been interrupted and perhaps he'd missed xyr indication of pain.
The band around his skin pinched with the expression and so he let it go, trying to relax, hoping it would be over as soon as Uala had xyr pictures. But there seemed to be ever so many more needles than he'd expected, more than one for some portions of his body, and his eyebrows climbed despite himself. "Are you telling me you're almost done? I think you have quite a lot on the scans by now."
He turned his head to watch Uala as his digestive tract lit up on the screen. Xe was turning intriguing colors now, flitting between what he thought must be normal, to excited, to...embarassed?...and back again. He hummed in the back of his throat. Excitement, he could understand. Xe seemed to be the equivalent of a scientist--studying the alien, after all--and what scientist wouldn't be excited about new information? But the other hue...he frowned. Why would that be back?
Tentacles tapping about his hips clued him in on the dilemma. "Need more places?" Xe didn't want to invade his personal space again. He could help with that, didn't particular want xem to start prodding needles toward his genitals by mistake at any rate.
Patting a strangely sheathed tentacle with the tips of his fingers to reassure xem, Roan smiled. With no further warned he moved appendages not yet poked with sensors while trying not to disrupt the ones that were already in place, gripping one pants leg with the toes of the opposite foot and tugging helpfully upward until the fabric bunched over one knee. He repeated it on the other leg and nodded to Uala, wincing only slightly as the needle in his shoulder jostled about. Oops. Even a human doctor would scold him for that. Still, he gestured with his index fingers toward his legs and asked, "Okay?"
It maybe didn't help as much as he thought it would, given xe had pulled away to cover xyr face in apparent despair of him, and the almost neon shade of green infusing xyr body. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I was just trying to help." His stomach chose that moment to remind him it was there, seeming to echo his words as it grumbled far too loudly in the alien room.