Spitten

Quib was sitting at a small round metal table by the back of the control room, mindlessly polishing a jar with a small smile on his face. Mira couldn't decide if this was good or bad for him. Mira had not really even meant to bring him with her. But at least her degree in psychology might finally be of some use. Now, don't misinterpret this, a degree in psychology is nothing to laugh at, no, the main thing was that being a fugitive in space doesn't attract very many patients. And in normal circumstances, you shouldn't have any relation to the patient, but this wasn't a normal situation, or at least she hoped it wasn't. so she had to improvise.

“So, how are you?” Mira asked, trying a little too hard to sound friendly.

This got Quib to stop polishing the jar, and sarcastically replied, “Oh you know, I'm doing just fine. I woke up, took a stroll down the city, helped a seemingly innocent stranger find her way, got chased by assassins trying to kill said stranger, and ended up getting kidnapped by her as an attempt to save me. But enough about me, how are you?"

“Right,” Mira was a little rusty and the odd situation did not help her any either “sorry about that.”

“Hmf,” was the only thing Quib said back, before continuing to polish the jar, now slightly more vigorously.

So Mira decided to go a different route and ask about the jar Quib kept going back to, because it could be important for his mental health, and definitely not because Mira was super curious about it.“ So... what's in that jar?”

“ I don't know” Quib said, already annoyed.

“What do you mean you don't know?” Mira asked, persistent.

Quib was almost offended by the idea that he was lying. “I mean, I don't know, it's, just a thing that I picked up,”

Mira leaned in a little to try to get a look at what was inside, the jar in question was full of something that glimmered slightly under the harsh lighting as pinks, purples and blues flowed throughout, but no matter its beauty. A sealed jar full of who knows what, is no longer just comfort, it could be dangerous.“Alright, just, don't open it”

Mira was worn out and needed time to think. whatever is in the jar didn't seem like something that needed to be dealt with at that minute. Mira walked over to the controls at the front of the ship and pressed a couple of buttons putting the ship in level one lockdown, that way Quib wouldn't be able to start driving, and so Mira could keep an eye on what he was doing.“I'll be down in my study, if you need anything ask the ship first”

And with that, Mira headed down the stairs and off to her study to lay down for a bit.

Mira had not only piqued Quibs interest in the jar, he was feeling quite spiteful. The jar had never seemed odd to Quib. there were lots of little knick knacks around when he was in the OST and this had just been another one, but now it could be a tool, or at least take his mind off things for the time being. At first he decided to just watch it, and when it didn't do anything Quib opened the jar, still nothing. he had nothing better to do so he put their finger in it. the goop was almost the same temperature as the air around it, and Quib could feel it swirling around him finger. Quib pulled him finger out of the goop. there was no residue left over. he looked at the jar again and nearly jumped at the sight of a pinky purpley eye staring up at them. the goop started swirling with color. In a panic, Quib closed the jar as fast as he could.

“Umm, ship?” Quib said through heavy breathing, his heart almost in his throat. Nothing happened.

“Uhh ship… hello”

At the front of the ship a holophone flashed on, showing a concerned Mira.“What's up Quib?” Mira asked, in a calm, nonchalant tone, even though she was fearing the worst.

Quib couldn't think of anything to say.“Ummmmm” he said, stalling for an explanation.

Mira had no idea what was happening, but she knew Quib wasn’t going to tell her. she wasn't going to take any chances.“I'm coming up, ok?”

The jar was swirling with all sorts of colors, and Quib was just standing there, as if saying, “What? I didn't do anything.”

“You opened it didn't you,”

Quib really didn't like being accused, whether or not it was justified.“It hasn't done anything, well, other than this that is” Quib gestured towards the now slightly calmer jar.

Mira couldn't understand how her passenger was so calm holding a jar full of whatever that is, it didn't matter, if that thing exploded the only place on the ship that would be safe would be the containment cell.

“Give it to me”

“Why?” Quib still wanted to know what this was and wasn't going to let this stranger ruin his chance at knowing.

“I'm not going to do anything but put it in the containment cell, you can even go in there with it if you want” it was the best thing Mira could do, she couldn't land, it was still too soon after the whole Mars ordeal.

Quib gave in, “Fine.”

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Mira input the code to open the metal cell door. Quib went in and put the jar on the floor before opening it again, then the two went to the main room to view it. It didn't take long for the eye to appear again. Mira watched in awe as the thing looked around the small metal room. It glanced around one more time before knocking the jar over, sliding out, and taking the shape of… a person? Mira and Quib, were now both standing just inches from the one-way glass of the cell, amazed by what they were seeing. It had a human shape, standing about 4 feet tall, with baby pink skin and even lighter hair, its eyes were the colors of the galaxy, and it was, blushing? Blues and purples flowed across its face as it slid down the wall to sit on the ground.

Mira was the first to say anything.“What, is it?”

Quib replied in awe, but still with their usual snippy attitude

“Once again, I don't know”

Quib had seen a lot of different sentient beings, but nothing like this. Even the lab raids never had this kind of thing.

Mira snapped out of her intrigue, realizing that this was a living thing with thoughts, feelings, and presumably needs.“How long has it been in that jar, Quib?”

“How am I supposed to know, I didn't put it in there.” Quib wasn't even really supposed to have it.

“Then what do we do?” Mira said, trying to stay calm and collected, but obviously flustered.

In the OST it was the psychologists that dealt with this sort of stuff, all Quib did was go out on missions.“No idea, i'm not a phycologist”

Mira knew what right thing to do was.“Fine, but you’re coming with me”

Mira grabbed Quib by the arm and dragged him to the door before he had a chance to answer, that way, Mira wouldn't have time to change her mind. As soon as Mira opened the door to the cell the thing moved to be as far away as possible, it turned an almost gray color, with Pinks, purples, and blues spreading across its face, its form trembling.

“We are not going to hurt you.” Mira said as she took a careful step forward.

“No more experiments?” it questioned in a very soft voice.

Mira could hear fear in its voice but that may be due more to the difficulty it was having keeping its form together. “What is it talking about?” Mira asked Quib with genuine concern.

Quib was annoyed by how much Mira thought he knew, he knew just as much as Mira did.“I don't know”

“Quib, are you sure you don't have any idea what it could be talking about?” Mira pleaded.

Quib realized how desperate Mira was and thought for a minute before saying “well, it could be from a lab raid I guess, but nothing came from jars as far as I know, that's all I can think of”

“What raids? What are you talking about?” Mira questioned

Quib didn't know if he wanted to tell Mira about them. the lab raids had been some of the biggest ones in the OSTs history, and the most recent, there had been smaller ones since then but nothing super noteworthy came out of those. “Before I joined the OST, there had been a huge lab raid, the most experiments ever saved at one time, but like I said there wasn't anything like this”

There was nothing else to do, mira didn't have enough information and wasn't going to put her ship in danger.