The only universal language
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11
Et-han didn't come for breakfast. You were more annoyed than anything. You decided you'd go yell at him after giving the human some food. Perhaps they'd allow you to look at their teeth so you could estimate their life stage.
When you walked into your lab, you had to put the temperature down immediately. It was sweltering and just one step in, you could barely take it. Once that was sorted, you realised why Et-han had not come to breakfast.
The large Boaraxian was sitting in the containment cell, with the human!
Surprisingly, the human was not acting aggressive, merely sleepy meaning they'd fallen into a deep enough sleep with an unfamiliar furry creature that didn't speak their language and, according to other humans, looked similar to a hybrid of aggressive species on their own planet.
Et-han had more visible defenses than you did, having hailed from a deathworld themselves. Their snout ended abruptly with large nostrils to detect predator and prey alike. Two tusks poked out of their bottom lip and their shoulders and back were packed with muscle. Their back feet were hoofed while their front had tactile hands for tool use and large claws for slicing open tree roots and prey alike.
Perhaps it was the colour of them that put the human at ease. If the human was young enough and tired enough, maybe they just saw something pink and fluffy walking into their cell.
Speaking of the human, they were cradling the nightlight you'd given them the night before. Et-han was sitting beside the base with another light charging on the stand.
The human yawned and while it showed off their teeth, you didn't get a good examination. Their front incisors were adult, you could tell that much, but their lateral incisors appeared a lot smaller. Perhaps there were some milk teeth after all.
Without a human with you, you couldn't accurately age this one. You had sent an urgent appeal to any crew that have integrated humans.
The human focused on you and you were pleased when they didn't show any signs of aggression. You twittered, holding up their breakfast before sliding it across the ground to them.
Et-han started waking up, stretching their back as they sat up.
"Sleep well?" You asked them.
They mumbled something about their back killing them.
"If you were going to sit with them, you should have said. I could have offered some comfort."
"Wasn't planning on it," they mumbled, "just heard them crying through the night."
"Crying?" You tilted your head, "why? Were they in pain? We still don't know what they were treated with before their rescue."
"No, the nightlight went out and they didn't know how to charge it." Et-han nodded to the ball sitting charging on the stand.
"Oh," you cooed at the thought. They were probably still so terrified.
While your lab wasn't visually like the one they were rescued from, you were uncomfortable to keep them here. You wanted to move them to a room but you needed to build more trust.
The human was eating near them but it was hard to tell if they were too hungry for self control or if that was trust they were showing. Their ribs were so pronounced, it could mean either or both.
"What's your plan?" Et-han asked.
"I'm hoping one of the crews will come back to me and that the humans know this one's language." You said, "aside from that, just building on non-verbal trust and communication. There's not much else we can do and I refuse to use any of these tools on them without consent, even if it is only to assess their health."
"I'm sure they'll forgive you when they realise it doesn't hurt."
"Still, much more trust is needed."
"And what will you tell the others on board?"
"Well, Yinsin already knows about them and the kids know not to come into the lab. I can explain to them later when we're thinking about getting the human their own room."
"I think you should update the crews that you're dealing with a shoat, that'll definitely get them to respond quicker."
"We don't know for sure." You said but even your own voice wavered at the mention.
Et-han gave you a flat look, "Yarrow, it's a child. By size alone, you can tell but even their behaviours. You don't need to check for milk teeth to know that."
Your shoulders sunk as you thought over the evidence. You didn't want to believe that a child had been subjected to the cruelty of poachers. "Stunted growth is a common symptom in rescued humans," you say, quietly, "as is nutrient deficiencies, infection and delayed wound healing. All of those can be aided with proper nutrition."
"Nutrient paste in the food?" Et-han asked.
"Hidden under appropriate seasoning in case they reject it."
"I don't think they're rejecting anything at the moment." Et-han looked over and saw the human child had ate everything in the bowl.
"Have you eaten?" Et-han asked.
"Yes, I was going to look for you after I'd fed the human."
Et-han picked up the bowl then stood, "alright, I'll head off."
You nod and turned to see them out of the lab. Both of you froze at the whimper leaving the human child. Your feathers perked up in distress, the noise setting off every parental instinct in your being.
"I need to eat," Et-han said, "sit with them. I don't think they like being alone."
You just nodded and moved to sit down where Et-han had been sat, the holding cell remained open but the human didn't attempt to leave. They just watched you as you settled in to sit with them.
