VII.
-o0O0o-
"Do you play chess?"
Amy's thoughts returned to the present. "Huh?"
"Do you play chess," the Kapoaka in the blue uniform repeated. With that short curly hair and that voice it could be a female one, so definitely not the one tasked to take her blood. Her face was empty, but she seemed to wait for an answer, so Amy tried to remember the question. "Chess? One of my therapists tried to teach me, but I suck?"
"Why would you suck at a chess piece. As far as I know humans can't digest cellulose. Or can they? Your games are made traditionally out of wood, right? Or do you use metal? But you can't digest those either."
"It means, she's bad at it, " interrupted the medical assistant Amy already came to know yesterday. She refused to learn his name. He greeted her and launched directly into questioning and the routine of the examination she already knew. The other Kapoaka patiently stood by, observing everything with interest. Amy hated those black eyes, seizing her and picking her apart. Nothing like Sheela's comforting, trustworthy gaze.
When the needle left her arm, he started to smear some rubber-like cream on the wound, which instantly sealed off. That was different to the Band Aid from yesterday. "She's all yours, Urma-syu."
So it was a woman.
"Oh, I just wanted to clear up my question," Urma dismissed. "You do play chess, right?"
"Why do you want to know that?"
"Urma," hissed one of the guards standing around in a corner of the room.
"What? I just-"
The security officer was with swift steps next to her and interrupted her. "Not like that."
Then she did the traditional greeting. "Aleha-le. I apologize for my friend's rude behavior. We had a discourse on that matter. Being the scientist she is, she instantly went into research, I'm afraid."
Urma's eyes went wide. "Right. Urma-le. Head scientist Bioelectric Development. Sorry. If you don't play chess, I can teach you," she added.
"That has nothing to do with your research," the medical assistant commented sharply.
"I don't remember any orders prohibiting contact on a social level, Njadu," Urma shot back. "We exploit that poor girl enough. She is not a resource but a sentient being."
He sighted and rubbed his temple. "I know. Sorry, It's just Sikhu-syu."
All three Kapoaka ended the sentence simultaneously, even if only Njadu used the honorific.
"Yes, "he smiled tiredly.
"So, he's always like that," Amy carefully probed. It seemed none of the Kapoaka she had met so far liked him.
"Corha-jun could hold him back a bit more," lamented Njadu. "I haven't slept in four days and that was before the new data from Lady Amy came in."
"You can always go to Level Beta-0R3 and sleep properly."
Njadu huffed and left. Urma clicked her thounge. "Lazy Buffoon. Sikhu wouldn't allow him to work if he was that sleep deviated. He's ruthless and efficient. His team always needs to be on the top, so he at least cares for them properly. That's the only reason why Corha still allows him to continue his work."
"He's out of control ever since our commander needed to withdraw," Aleha explained, "he was a decent person when the hives conscious backs him. Add his student's death to the mix and, well." She shrugged.
"And that he lost all hope to ever save anybody, until you turned up and presented him the Opportunity not only to redeem himself but accomplish the most important deed in the medical history of the universe and be able to spread it," added Urma.
Amy sighted. "Sheela hinted at that, too."
"Wait. Sheela? As in Sheela, Sheela?"
Amy nodded, surprised by Urma's astonishment. " I think?"
Aleha slapped Urma's arm. "Stop projecting that thought-pattern, she can't feel or identify that. Besides, she's a human accompanying a Time Lord. Of course, she met Sheela."
"Why? Is that something special," Amy asked suspicious.
"Oh, she's just very busy. You rarely see that Kapoaka ever around, except when she has a task involving you. Don't get used to her presence."
"She said that, too," Amy smiled but felt a pang of sadness. She liked Sheela.
Both Kapoaka grinned back and one could clearly see they had no Idea how facial expressions worked. It looked terrifying and hilarious at once. She giggled.
"So, want to learn chess," Urma repeated her question.
"What's with chess and you," Amy shook her head disbelievingly.
"Time Lords like playing chess. And I'm good at it."
"The Best," added Aleha.
"There are two Time Lords on the ship and I never was able to play against Sheela and Rhotu. So that's not completely proven, however a seemingly adequate assumption," Urma corrected.
Amy smiled, depicting the Doctor in a game of chess. "I don't think the Doctor couldn't sit still long enough to set up the board."
"I actually saw him playing against Corha just a few hours ago."
"Really?"
Urma nodded enthusiastically.
Amy once again seized up the two Kapoaka before her. Aleha, with her stiff and military stance, simple and grounding presence and her open steady gaze, taking everything in and clearly being able to react to anything at once. Urma, with her laser like focus and caring for a morality a lot of people on his ship seemed to lose, despite being a scientist. Or maybe because of it.
But most of all, they didn't want to socialize with her because they felt guilty of what Sikhu was doing.
"Ok. But one question first. Why were you asking me?"
Aleha signaled the other Security officer in the room that she would bring Amy back, then swiped her hand before the sensor opening the doors into the corridor. "A bet. I won, by the way."
"What? You didn't. She can play chess!"
"She is bad at it, so she can't"
"Ridiculous. For that statement to happen-"
The two continued bickering, fully trusting that Amy would follow them. Which she did.
The Doctor did say this hive was unlike any he had met, and from what he had told her, they really were. Except Sikhu, but she successfully avoided him up until now.
Perhaps those three days were going to turn out not as bad.
KD 29092018
