Disclaimer: I am not the owner of District 9. I am a depraved psycho who writes porn (now with plot) staring hermaphrodite aliens.
Warnings: Body horror, violence, sexual content and language
A.N.: If you guys don't want to leave a long ramble on the reviews, but have something to say, I think you can comment on the blog. Plus, if any of you can draw and want to help out, I'd love some artwork to post on the blog, XD. Okay, on to the story! More society, my salutatious senbons!
Poleep-speak:
Niklaket: Leader caste, nobility (green Poleepkwa)
Teklad: Medic, doctor (blue Poleepkwa)
Graketd: Royal guards and Advisors (yellow Poleepkwa)
Lexcrant: Messengers (white Poleepkwa)
Krelaktyden: Military (red Poleepkwa)
Peclastr: Worker drones (beige, gray, brown, black Poleepkwa) Still not racist!
Jikrenkld: King, Primary Leader
Hekrandrt: Queen, Vice President Figure
Yetrkl: Family
Riklasnt: Parent/s
Claxrictrrrr: Term of Endearment for Offspring
Hecrtkl: Poleepkwa crying.
Rekhalat: Poleepkwa marriage.
Gajltri: Word that designates an action. Begins with F in English.
Chapter Seven: Security Guards (Panda Bear-Owl City)
"Thank you, Darren, Terry, er…" I falter, staring at the graketd in front of me. Bugger, what's his name again? I look at him, waiting for a name to click with the face. "Mitch, Jikrenkld." Oh, that's it! "Right! Sorry! Mitch." I knocked on the door of the hut before turning back to the three graketd. "Thank you for protecting me, guys. That'll be all for today I think." They just nod and leave.
I turn back to the door. "Are you two doing anything pornographic?" I hear a disbelieving sound and an embarrassed trill. I don't think that we're ever gonna forget what they were doing last time I walked in without knocking. Not that I know what they were actually doing, 'cause, ya know, apart from 'insert organ of one into hole of another' I have no clue how Poleepkwa have sex. Or date. Or get married.
I make an amused sound as I see them, sat on opposite sides of the hut, obviously to prove some kind of point. Jeez, maybe I should move out. Give them some space? "It's getting worse. I've not met half of them and I've already run out of memory space. How do I remember who's … civilized and who's not? There's just … too much to take in at once." I slump down on my nest, exasperated.
Kieran squinted slightly, which I'd learnt meant he was trying to remember something. "I saw a human the other day, one of the volunteers, with markings on his skin. When I asked him, he said they were tattoo." Kieran sounds out the unfamiliar human word slowly, trying to get the feel of it. "I thought about that, but it would just be marking you, like MNU did."
Kieran looked at me, tipped his head to the side; confusion. Then just shook his head. "You don't understand. This." He tapped the MNU stamp. "This is a mark of suppression, imprisonment. Being marked by our Jikrenkld, that would be an honor to us." It's my turn to tip my head to one side, thinking about what Kieran told me. In the end I just sigh. "I'll think about. What's for supper?"
XxCxWxX
"What do you think?" I ask, fiddling with the toy car. "I, at least, would be honored to bare your mark, Wikus." I feel myself getting all embarrassed. As friendly as I am with Jack, I still remember the time that, after he held me, he, well, I'm not actually sure what that was. I think about that jock in my high school, who tattooed his girlfriend's name on his arm, and push the thought away.
"There's something else." Jack looks up from his brothers, who are scuffling with each other on the floor. "It's Al and Kieran. I think they're getting serious." Jack's eyes lit up. "Ya think they'll become rekhalat?" Aaaaaaaaand, there goes my head again.
"They'll … er, partner, promise themselves to each other." I look at him, still quizzical. "What does that entail, exactly?" Jack taps his tentacles on his knees, thinking. "Well, two Poleepkwa and their yetrkl gather before one of the niklaket and vow to not couple with others and protect each other and their offspring from any danger that they may face." Oh, so kinda like marriage. I nodded at Jack showing that I understand.
He has to leave for a second, to settle a dispute between the boys. When he came back, there was a mischievous glint in his eyes. "So you think they've gajltri yet?" He whispers. I do a very good impression of a cough before it degenerates into laughter. I shake my head as I make slashing movements with my hands, because I can't speak. It's been so long since I laughed properly. It's probably the same for Jack, 'cause in the end we both end up slipping down to the floor, at which point we're ambushed by spiky little bundles of childish fun, wanting to know what's so funny.
After untangling ourselves from the boys and seat ourselves back down, Jack looks at me, almost cautiously. "Maybe, when we move to the new district, you could, ya know, share with me? It'd be doing me a big favor, actually; I'd get help with the kids, I wouldn't be so worried about you…" He trails off, looking away again. Wow, that's really nice! He wants in your pants! That's stupid; he's been practical, and helpful and nice and friendly… Plus, I don't even have pants!
"Um, that'd be great, Jack!" Jack makes a happy noise, and Zeke looks up. "What's happening?" He looks between us. "C'mere." He beckons. "When we move to the new district, I was wondering if you guys would mind Wikus sticking around, ya know, with us." Zeke looks unconvinced, but Zack jumps up and down on the spot. "Really? Really, Wikus, you're staying?" Oh, wow, that's kinda adorable. "Yeah, Zack, I'm sticking around for a while." As Zack wriggles up into my lap and wraps himself around me, I look over at Zeke. "If that's all right?" Zeke shrugs. "I guess." That'll have to do for now. I'll grow on ya, kid.
XxCxWxX
I draw a life-size sketch of a Poleepkwa in the dirt, using Jack as a model. I draw the front back and both sides, doing my best with what I've got. "Thank you." I mummer when I'm done. I look at it, tipping my head sideways, in a gesture that's now incredibly familiar, and start to sketch.
XxCxWxX
"Okay, I just need you to sit still and be patient. Can you do that?" Jack, again my volunteer, is sprawled out on the dirt floor of Al's hut, next to my makeshift kit. He gives me an affirmative click, then rests his head on his arms and looks at the floor. I dip my tentacle, the tip trailing a scrap of rag, into a bowl of paint and carefully begin trailing it over Jack's exoskeleton. The paint dries as I go along, carefully working up to the intricate marking I'd perfected on my sketch.
XxCxWxX
I breathe out slowly, my gills flaring slightly, and step back. It's actually rather good. I based my drawings on what some of the older Poleepkwa told me about our home. They told me that, like Earth, there are many different habitats and that the hive all the Poleepkwa in the district came from was in the middle of a densely forested area. Most of them mentioned the vines, not only because they were aesthetically pleasing, but also because they were very useful for making things.
It had started out simple enough, but had ended up rather complicated, the intertwining vines not seeming to finish, just running endlessly from where they began at the base of what could maybe be called Jack's spine. It had ended up symbolizing what I wanted it to. That we were proud to be different, to be Poleepkwa and that everyone who bore this mark could proudly contribute to our ramshackle little colony. "Is it any good?" Jack asked, looking over his angular shoulder. "It's perfect."
TBC
Lots of Love, Phe xxx
