Day 47: Greenhouse [4th Shift]

[mitase]

Entering the greenhouse was almost like coming home, and Hanatarou had been looking forward to this shift for that reason. Everywhere else in the building was strange and confusing (and often dangerous) but in here was the familiar scent of soil and sun-warmed plants with the musty sort of enclosed-space smell overlaying it. His expression turned

Comments

[cmdr_exposition]

"We never really figured out what their interest was," said Hayes, and if he sounded a bit miffed that was because he was. The whole history of abduction for experimental purposes had never really endeared the Ariloulaleelay to him before, and especially not now; in fact, if not for all the distinctly Earth-normal touches, never described by any of their targets, ever, he might have suspected them of having a hand in this.

But that wasn't the most interesting thing the Admiral had said by far. It was a mark of just how bizarre Hayes' life had become that this story didn't even strike him as particularly unlikely- just infuriating, to the extent that he could even get any angrier at the Institute staff. "I've heard of people getting very uneasy in Hyperspace for no clear reason," he said slowly, aware that this probably wasn't going to be much help but feeling the need to contribute something. "Mostly espers- but no visions like you're describing, and nothing following them back into Truespace."

It could simply be artificially-induced hallucinations, he supposed... but beyond finding out whether or not they could do that, he couldn't think of any experimental reason to do so. He wasn't quite ready to believe that this whole setup was just to indulge some sadism, however often he'd caught himself comparing them to Ilwrath.

[wantsyourzex]

Hayes didn't sound appreciative of the Arilou's interest. The fact that ZEX related more to the Arilou in this scenario made it hard to sympathize. Who wouldn't be enchanted by humans? This place had certainly done some work in making him hate some humans (the doctor who had torn out his eye, in particular), but the visceral reaction he still got at the sight of them was harder to deny. They appealed to him, someplace deep and primal, and there wasn't any way to make that stop. He was as drawn to them as he should have been to his own species, and he sympathized with any species that felt the same. Surely the Arilou were a similar case?

"But didn't you speak with them yourselves? I only saw them during the War... I assumed you knew something about each other." Although a species keeping secrets from another wasn't an impossible scenario to imagine by any means.

Unfortunately, Hayes's comments didn't back up his theory... that left the Shofixti as the last member of their reality who might. ZEX's lack of familiarity with human expressions meant he rarely could hide how he felt; his face fell now. "It's a shame my Captain isn't here... he must have known something about Precursor technology with that great ship he flew. Maybe he would have heard something..." It seemed unlikely, but really ZEX just wanted him back in general, and this provided another convenient reason for it.

[cmdr_exposition]

Hayes shook his head. Being allies certainly should have led to understanding, but with the Arilou, that just wasn't the way it worked. "They never talked about themselves. We were a bit too busy at the time to press the point, but they absolutely match the descriptions of strange beings who used to briefly abduct and alter humans at certain points in our history."

Now, ZEX's talk of a Captain hadn't really caught Hayes' attention before. The possessive references had rather given him the impression that it was an old VUX subordinate, possibly his flag-captain or something. But this big Precursor ship thing was just too much of a coincidence. "Hold on, is this the same Captain you were talking about before?"

[wantsyourzex]

"Really? Hmm." Odd, he'd always imagined their relationship as more symbiotic than that, but then again he'd just been an observer. He'd suppose that a human would know more about this sort of thing than he would, although he probably would never know anything for sure without speaking to an Arilou himself, and somehow that seemed unlikely.

ZEX blinked curiously at him. His human Captain was so solidly fixed in his mind that it hadn't occurred to him that someone might not know who he was talking about. "Yes, of course. My dear human Captain." With great fondness that quickly enough turned sad. "It's a shame he isn't here any more."

If only he had done something differently...

[cmdr_exposition]

Hayes went cold at that. They'd said they'd lost people, and he hadn't inquired further, figuring that two people he didn't know would probably know someone else he didn't know. And out of all the people Hayes knew, the Captain would be the last person he would have imagined in a place like this. It just didn't fit the context. He was free.

He should probably say something- if only to confirm what the Admiral seemed to be saying- but nothing was coming. This wasn't just sad- everything about it was wrong.

[wantsyourzex]

ZEX didn't want to recount what had happened to him; he rarely wanted to think about it all, not that that stopped intrusive memories of his Captain's death regardless. Human minds dealt with trauma in strange ways.

The images of it flashed through his memory, still painfully clear, and ZEX sighed again. He missed that human... his most prized possession and he was taken from him so unfairly.

It looked as though their time this shift was running out either way. He stood up, feeling a lot older than he had a few minutes ago. "There's no use in dwelling on things that won't change, I suppose. I'll see you tonight then, correct?"

He had to keep looking forward.