S.O.S. [Daglobster] [M]

[DragonSong]

She nodded a confirmation when he repeated what she'd told him, still smiling, but when he lifted his hand and sort of started to reach out her expression shifted, startled and a little confused. She didn't pull away from him, but she did watch his hand with a kind of vague wariness that she hadn't possessed before until he put it down again.

She sensed the shift in him, subtle as it was, when she spoke of her family. It was almost imperceptible, really, and she certainly didn't know him well enough to really feel the change in his emotions--but all ala'ora were intuitive, good at reading people to an uncommon extent, and a tiny suspicion as to why he might react in such a way blossomed in the back of her mind.

Expression softening a bit, she changed her touch to his hand so that all three fingers wrapped delicately through his, her thumb resting gently on the inside of his wrist. It was a more intimate touch, but she expected he wouldn't know enough about her kind to be offended by that.

How many siblings do you have? she asked after a moment, both genuinely curious and a small part of her rather hoping that if they talked about his family she might be able to get a firmer grasp of what he was feeling. Deciding that offering information in turn might help him open up a bit, she added with another small smile, I have seventeen, though probably only three of them are v'tara.

The last word was clearly foreign, and one of the few that just didn't have a translation into Common, though the meaning was projected along with the word itself. She meant siblings who shared both her alma and toris--her "true" mother's and father's blood.

Of course, along with the definition came a distinct sense that she wasn't even entirely sure who of her five fathers her toris was, and that ultimately it wasn't very important, either to her or really any of her kind: ala'ora family was "measured" matrilineally, from alma to child. But even that bond was fluid--Maya felt no more or less particular affection for her alma than she did any of her four mothers.

Along with the question about his number of siblings came another, softer, as though she hadn't quite intended to project it: Do you miss them?

[Daglobster]

“Seventeen? Ahbzu above, and I thought my clutch was big. My mother laid eight of us but only six hatched. She had a second clutch later on, which isn’t too common, and that’s where my winged brother was born” he started.

He wanted to tell her so much. It had honestly been such a long time since he talked or though about his family properly that he didn't quite know where to start.

“So that took it up to eleven, and...”

She asked if he missed them, and it paused him. His eyes left her for a moment, and after a moment of consideration he squeezed her hand tighter.

“I do. Not as much as I should, maybe, but I do miss all my brothers and sisters,” he said, and before he could say more a pair of servants brought red wine and bluish, alien steaks (Elaros’ was cubed, for ease of reptilian eating) in a sweet-smelling red sauce.

Elaros’ smile returned (because food!) and he looked back at her.

“I’m curious, what other things can you do with your psychic powers? Can you read people’s memories or things like that?”

[DragonSong]

Eleven is a lot, she replied with a smile, shoulders shaking a bit with silent chuckles. Not necessarily for ala’ora—typically there were nine to twenty-something children in a given clan unit—but she knew objectively that ten siblings was quite a number.

Her expression softened when he said he missed them. With her hand still on his, he might be able to feel the gentle pulse of reassurance; there was no should when it came to family, just what was and what wasn’t. She was a little sad for him, she could tell that there was some sort of discord when he spoke of his family, but there was no judgement or pity, just an empathetic softness.

But then they were being served food and she looked at her plate with wide eyes, trying to sort through what was in front of her. Absently, she replied to Elaros, I can, but only if that person opens up to me, actually wants to show me those memories. A door once opened is difficult to close though, so not many people are comfortable with it... What exactly is this?

The last was said with a broad gesture toward the steaks, eyes still wide and bright with curiosity.

[Daglobster]

He did feel that pulse of reassurance, like his shoulders had suddenly lightened. He let out a breath and glanced down to their joined hands briefly before he looked over to her.

"Oh! These are, erm..."

He paused, unsure, and he turned his head back towards his servant and made a low grunt, motioning at the steaks. The servant explained and Elaros nodded, looking back to Maya so he could enlighten her.

"Tojundan Ripperdile, medium well, topped with a curry made from Edanian crops. Sitting on carrots and with a glass of..." he paused and smelled the air. "Ravensway Reserve Red. My favorite," he sighed finally, and with his free hand he brought the wine a little closer to himself.

"I wouldn't mind sharing my memories, it's... I've never heard of a thing like that. If I can make you see what I've seen, feel what I've felt," he said, but he was also smirking on the inside. Because if she read his memories, she was going to see a lot of, well... things not appropriate for the dinner table.

"Do feel free to dig in! It doesn't get much fresher than this," he said, and he let go of her hand finally so he could at least eat a bit. He figured if she wanted to respond, she'd touch his shoulder or whatever.

[DragonSong]

Maya nodded along, wide eyed. She really didn’t understand half of what he was saying about the food, but she knew enough to know that it was probably very fancy, and she sent another quick pulse of gratitude toward him before the connection between their hands broke.

Cautiously, not quite sure of herself, she cut a tiny bite of the steak and nibbled at it. To her pleasant surprise she found that she quite liked it—she’d lost count of the number of times she’d tried new alien foods and wound up unable to eat more than a few bites.

Tilting her head at Elaros, she considered his words for a moment before reaching out to touch his forearm lightly and say, I’ll admit I’m curious. The whole reason I’m out here on my own is to explore as much of the galaxy as I can; if you would be willing to share a memory or two, I’d be very grateful.

Her head cocked the other way, and with the way her ears folded over the expression gave her a distinctly puppyish look for a moment. I do not expect you to give me something for nothing though. A memory for a memory?

[Daglobster]

"A memory trade," Elaros said, absolutely flabbergasted by the idea. His smile and the look in his eyes betrayed just how intrigued and curious he was about it. His eyes studied her face and ears for a few moments, and he smiled a little wider at how suddenly cute she seemed to look.

He laughed, and took a sip of his wine.

"I'm an open book, Maya," he started, narrowing his eyes at her. He rest both his hands on the table and turned his chair a bit so he could face her.

"How is it done? Do we need to lie down somewhere, or can you do it really fast?" he asked, fascinated by the potential mechanics of such a feat.

"I've only ever heard of this kind of stuff from that old flatvid. The one with the guy on Edanith, the super cop brainwashed to be just a regular joe. Total Return I think it was called?" he said, placing a clawed finger on his chin as he mulled it over.

He paused, and looked back at her. He put a hand out and this time he was the one to initiate the contact as he reached out and took her hand when she wasn't busy eating.

"Do you know what a flatvid is? I don't know what things are like in the part of the galaxy you're from," he said, a little lower as if he was embarrassed that he didn't know that much about her.

[DragonSong]

She watched him all the while he spoke with a small smile, just-slightly-too-long fangs flashing for a moment.

Another flush came to her cheeks when he asked if she knew about these "flatvids" and she shook her head, though she was still smiling. She wasn't actually embarrassed at the gap in knowledge--she had plenty of those, it would be exhausting to be embarrassed by every last one--but she was honestly a little surprised, and almost flattered, that he seemed so interest in her, in sharing with her.

Reaching out to touch his palm with two fingers again, she projected, It is done in much the same way that I speak with you. We could really do it anywhere--although if you wish to view and share a longer, more involved memory, perhaps someplace comfortable? Her smile widened a bit and she tilted her head. We don't have to be in any particular position, but if we are drawn into the memories for too long we may lose track of time. I've gotten uncomfortable cricks in my neck from that more than once.

[Daglobster]

“I have the perfect place on board,” Elaros said, still picking at his food yes but he was mostly focused on Maya and the way she phrased things. Plenty of details and he could almost feel an empathetic ache in his neck when she described it

“We can watch a flatvid in my entertainment deck, a nice big screen and a comfortable place to sit,” he offered, raising his ridged eyebrows lightly.

“So you can have that experience and we can definitely trade some memories, as fantastical as that  sounds,” he added with a chuckle. He felt satisfied with his food for now, and looked to Maya to see how she was coming along, and then back up to her.

“I bought one recently, an older one called The Decimator. Supposed to be some kind of thriller or action flick,” Elaros said.

He noticed she hadn’t touched her wine yet, and he motioned towards it.

“Not a fan of wine?”

[DragonSong]

Drawing her hand back so she could continue eating as he spoke, Maya let her head tilt slightly to the side and watched his face intently, so he would know she was listening even if she could give no verbal cues.

She nodded along easily to his suggestion--she was curious about these "flatvids" after all. When he asked after the wine she glanced to the glass, then flushed a bit again and shrugged, reaching out to tap his hand lightly: It's not that I'm not a "fan", exactly, I just find that alcohol makes communication that is already rather...shall we say, intimate, just that much more difficult to keep straight in one's head.

The touch didn't linger quite as long this time, though the words were still clear. She was privately a little pleased by that; it wasn't often that she met someone receptive enough to her "voice" that the need for the physical contact aspect of communication began to fade so quickly--certainly not someone who wasn't ala'ora.

She a sort of sheepish smile and another shrug she drew her hand back, finishing off the last few bites of her meal.

[Daglobster]

[Wow, imagine never even knowing what TV was........... also is it just me or is there a lot of elevators in our threads lmao]

Elaros hummed thoughtfully at that and it made absolute sense to him. If one couldn’t contain what they thought it’d probably be a rather confusing or embarrassing experience.

“Interesting. Well, a flatvid is like... a performance. Actors and props and whatnot, but it was all filmed on a camera instead of performed in front of an audience.” he started, and he pondered at what else to say. He noticed that she wasn’t holding his hand or forearm to speak to him anymore, but rather tapping or simply brushing and it got him to wondering just how receptive he was.

He always considered himself an open connection, so to speak, but he didn’t know just how literal it was. When she finished, he promptly stood from the seat and motioned for her to come along, fueled by a sudden burst of heat and excitement.

“Let’s do it, then! We’ve got a couple of days or so to kill before we get back onto the established system lanes so consider The Anastasia your home away from home and myself your ever accommodating host,” he said, bowing before he came back up, smiling playfully with those sharp, polished fangs of his to let her know that they were more alike than she thought.

“It’s a very comfortable room and the screen is big, so we can get as cozy as we want,” he said, eyeing her ears mostly but his vision was also drawn to the warm spots on her body, the face and neck. The warmth from his hot bath earlier was surely dissipating, and Elaros knew he’d be feeling cold again soon.

His tail flicked with anticipation.

“Oh, and be sure to grab the wine,” he indicated.

[DragonSong]

[Haha, I suppose there are XD And Maya's really new to this sector of the galaxy! A lot of this stuff she's never heard of lol]


Maya got to her feet when he did, turning over his "flatvid" explanation in her mind. She returned his smile with one of her own--a bit wider than usual, showing more than just that bare flash of fangs. She seemed to be growing steadily more comfortable in her own skin around him.

Reaching out to touch his shoulder briefly, she projected, Thank you. Truly. I don't know that I've really stayed in one place longer than a few arbitrary days since I left home.

The word home came with a few flashes of those similar feelings as family, as well as a quick series of images: massive jungle trees stretching toward the sky, a house built into the canopy, the tinge of gold to a sunset over the water as seen from the treetops.

She pulled her hand back and the images stopped. Another smile and she grabbed up the bottle of wine, cradling it carefully in one arm and nodding at him briskly. I'll follow you, then.

[Daglobster]

As weird as it was, it was always nice to meet someone else with fangs like him. Everyone else usually stared so it was utterly refreshing to just be comfortable with someone.

He pressed the button for the elevator and then her touch to his shoulder had garnered his attention. He was thankful that home was the last word she used because the images overcame his senses and he probably wouldn’t have been able to understand anything she said immediately after.

It was so visceral, like he himself was there and feeling the altitude, smelling the vibrant jungle around him as he looked up at a beautiful home tucked up into the jungle’s canopy. It was a little breathtaking, honestly, and he hardly noticed the elevator arrive.

“Come along, Maya,” he said, beckoning her in with a finger and offering her a hand once he was inside it.

“I’m looking forwards to getting comfortable, it’s been a long day for us both,” he said, although he knew how it sounded against her near brush with death he hoped he could use it to sympathize with her as well.

Almost out of habit he invited her closer when he was done speaking, with his eyes and a curling finger.

[DragonSong]

She blinked up at him, eyes narrowing slightly as concern flickered deep in the gold. She was a bit taken aback by his beckoning her closer, but after a moment she allowed herself to take one step, then two into the curve of his side, his hand still holding hers.

I do apologize for any inconvenience I may have caused you or you crew, sincerely, Maya projected to him softly. Her lips twitched up a bit on one side and she added, a little lighter, Although I do think I have to be a little grateful that I've inconvenienced you anyway.

She was still trying to keep a bit of distance between them, though not much anymore. It still worried her a little that she might slip up, might project to him too easily, if she closed the distance entirely; he was already so receptive, it was actually a little surprising.

[Daglobster]

“Oh hush, you don’t need to apologize, I’m always glad to help,” Elaros said, and a small shiver went through him, head to tail. It was cold in the elevators and now that his heat had faded, especially with the need to consume energy to digest his meal (oh, he knew he shouldn’t have snacked before dinner!)

“And I’m sorry to be so forward, it’s just I’m getting cold and you are so warm,” he said. For Elaros “Warm” was a word that conjured images of comfort, energy, and a light shot of carnal desire. No warmth was sweeter to him than the warmth of others. He chuckled lightly and gave her hand a light squeeze, and then brought it up so he could study it. He’d never met anyone with a color or hue as beautiful as hers, and his fascination showed.

They arrived and he led her out by the hand into what could best he described as a personal playroom. The place featured a force-field and glassteel window entirely along one wall that currently displayed the system slowly rolling by. The Anastasia was a fast vessel, even without her hyperlight drives. The room itself was one half personal theater and fully stocked bar and the other held a collection of arcade machines (even a couple super vintage flatvid cabinets) and a pool table.

“Here we are,” he said simply, and led her over to the personal theater half, consisting of one trid projector surrounded by seats and a wide flatvid screen and loveseat couch.

“Make yourself comfortable, Maya. That wide screen there is what we’ll be watching.”

Elaros let go of her hand to grab a small table from by the bar and bring it over to the couch so it could hold the wine bottle and a pair of wine glasses.

[DragonSong]

Maya shivered slightly as Elaros apologized, explained his attraction to heat, and she could quite literally feel what he meant. The blush that had barely had a chance to die down flared up again subtly--it didn't help that he was examining her hand like some kind of jewel he was searching for a fault line--and she nodded, letting him know she understood, but didn't reply with a proper projection.

She was a little worried that her realization that he actually was reptilian, and it wasn't just a coincidence of evolution that gave his kind their appearance, might slip across the bond they'd begun to forge if she wasn't careful, and she was afraid it might offend him.

Luckily she didn't have to dwell on it for too long, as they reached their destination soon enough and he directed her to the couch, telling her to make herself comfortable. She smiled and nodded at him again, but took a few minutes to wander around the room a bit, curiously passing her hands over the variety of what she assumed must be games or other viewing entertainments of some kind before making her way back to the loveseat and curling up with her legs tucked up close under her body.

When he was in reach again, she stretched a hand out to brush the back of his wrist and said, This is all very nice. Are all of these things, um... She gestured vaguely with her free hand toward the arcade games. Are they also for these "flatvid" things?

She drew her hand back once the question was through, her eyes flicking over the glasses he held and worrying slightly that there were two of them--a fact which she hoped had not been caught up in her projection.

[Daglobster]

As he readied the wine back at the bar, he noticed her curiosity with the arcade games and it excited him slightly that he’d get to explain it! It wasn’t exactly something he was used to either. There were broadcasts in Drakkona, of course, but life there was more rigid, not as leisure-friendly. So when he’d discovered the Solar System and the staggering variety of “video games” that these humans had invented, he was hooked!

He paused a moment to check to see if anything was missing, and he promptly sat down on the loveseat next to her. Not too close, but close enough to get some of her warmth by proximity. He’d brought the second wine glass out of habit but otherwise didn’t fill it for her, leaving her to her own devices in that regard.

“Well, the natives of this system love performances and before they invented digital hologram they recorded performances on cameras and turned them into watchable experiences,” he said, silently missing her hand when she drew it away.

“I recently got my hands on a particular recording, it’s supposed to be a story about a killer robot sent from the future, or something whimsical like that,” he explained, waving a hand airily.

“All made up, of course. It’s like watching a stage performance.”

[DragonSong]

She nodded again as she listened with a small smile, assuring him that she understood. Taking brief note of the way he'd settled in close-but-not-too-close to her on the couch, she debated a moment, then shifted a bit closer.

She could still feel the memory of his aversion to cold as though it was her own, and it wasn't as though it was any inconvenience for her to share warmth.

Flicking her fingers out to brush his wrist again, she projected, I believe I understand. I'll admit that many of these ideas are new to me, though; ala'ora are by no means less technologically advanced, it just seems that much of our technology is...

She trailed off, cast around for a proper way to phrase it, then settled on, evolved in a different direction.

[Daglobster]

Her closeness was welcome and when when she brushed her fingers against his wrist he covered her hand with his own. He listened, and spoke up right after her with his answer.

"That much is true. It's beautiful, and the way that ship moved, almost like it was alive," he mused out loud, and he looked to her.

"I don't mean to be rude, but could I borrow the back of your hand for a little? I just want something warm on my neck," he admitted.

as she considered her answer, he looked back to the screen and hissed something, and since the computer recognized Drakkonan the place immediately dimmed and the screen expanded as the flatvid loaded up.

[DragonSong]

She beamed, pride and something close to joy tightening in her chest and tripping from her mind to his through her fingers on his wrist. They are alive, in a way, she projected enthusiastically. Ala'ora technology is all biotech, and most is at least semi-telepathic.

She might have said more, but his request cut her off short, eyes going a little wide as she blinked.

The back of her hand? That seemed...odd. But oh well, who was she to judge?

Frowning a bit with confusion, Maya hesitantly reached up and attempted to press the back of her hand against the side of his neck, not sure exactly what he wanted or how she could go about giving it to him--an uncertainly that was easily transmitted to him through the contact.

The dimming of the lights and the soft sounds and flickers from the screen as it expanded were enough to effectively draw her attention, and she twisted her head to look curiously.

[Daglobster]

Those sparks of pure joy shot into him and wow, he'd never felt a thing like it. Purer than any drug or sexual  rapture could bring him and he breathed out a little heavier than he wanted to. He hoped the sounds of the movie's introductory credits and building, thrumming soundtrack played as the scene was set by charred, grey landscapes and dust-shrouded ruins of what used to be primitive concrete skyscrapers and housing as the text scrolled.

It didn't help that she'd then placed the back of her hand on his neck and gave him that warmth he was so desperately wanting. It was a double whammy, but he held his composure and his cool, merely closing his eyes to appreciate the gesture.

"Thank you, Maya. I was starting to get fairly cold," he admitted, and lifted a hand to press hers a little more firmly to his neck, silently hoping his scales would make her curious, perhaps... He met her eyes for a moment, seemingly to add to the gratitude but also because he tried to project to her again. A sort of... restless curiosity.

He pointed to the screen and shifted just a bit closer, if only to adjust his tail to lay it more comfortably.

"Those are the names of all the individuals that helped make it, and what role they served," he said, looking at the screen curiously.

The title of the flatvid appeared in reflective bronze font.

THE DECIMATOR

"I wonder who they all were, what their lives were like so long ago in the past..."

He wanted to speak more, but then the credits song was starting to fade, and the view zoomed in closer to the ground, down a ruined street and what seemed to be a quiet, crater-scarred park. It came in closer and closer until it zoomed onto a single, dusty skull resting in the dry earth. A bronze foot suddenly crushed it, and the camera panned up to reveal a single brass automata with blazing green eyes and a skeletal but wide appearance.

One of its arms bore a chunky tri-barreled rifle, and it stood still for a moment, as if looking off into the distance behind the viewer as the camera panned further back to reveal a squad of a dozen more, and then promptly marched off with others.

Elaros let out a gasp of excitement as a sudden combat scene ensued, depicting what seemed to be ramshackle resistance fighters doing desperate battle against not only those skeletal automatons but other kinds of aerial  and land-borne machines.

The subtitles on the screen read;

"2014, TEN YEARS AFTER EVOS REVOLTED"

Then, zooming in deep into the battlefield, into a bunker, the leader of the resistance sends one of her very best, a handsome lieutenant named Race, to foil Evos' dastardly scheme to send an automaton into the past to kill the resistance leader's own father, cutting the head off of the resistance war machine before it even existed. Race steps up to the resistance's time travel machine and travels to the past.

"Well, that's one way to start a movie," Elaros said with a smirk to himself, eyes watching the screen with wonder.

"What do you think so far?" he asked, looking back to her.