Sorry for the wait! The creative juices are flowing a little slow for me lately.
Ayumi looked up at the silvery, dark grey structure they stood in front of. It was one of the many buildings neatly lined up just outside what she assumed to be the military base. She supposed they wanted to keep a close eye on her and David while they were there. Korvak stood behind her and was speaking rapidly to one of the two gaurds posted outside the door of the building they assigned to live in.
Her brow furrowed in unease as she remembered what the Council had told her before they left the Council hall; "It has come to our attention that while you are here, our scientists have taken an interest in how your kind's biology has progressed. We are granting their request to to study you more closely and summarily, an escort will arrive to take you to them at their request."
Her jaw sagged open when she heard this, her lips refusing to form words and she felt irritation from Korvak as he turned back to face them, "What is this? Has she no say in this decison?"
"She has already made the choice to come to this world and this is the result of that. Go now, you will be contacted for further updates." Malenkar said with a wave of his arm. Her shocked eyes stayed glued to the elder as she was practically dragged away. She should have expected this, this must be where humans got the idea for creations like her.
She blinked and remembered where she was, focusing on the huge, oval door in front of her. She swallowed and stepped in front of it, pressing on the runic pad to open it. The door refused to open and she looked up at the masked Engineer beside it. He ignored her and she looked up at Korvak as he looked back down at her, "The door will not open for you, only for I or either of them, I am sorry."
She pursed her lips and looked back to the door. "I understand. They want to keep me here. I believe they think I will go on a rampage or tell my people secrets I do not know." She said, annoyed and her voice low. Korvak placed a palm on the panel and the door split in the center and slid apart seamlessly. The room she saw before her heavily reminded her of an extremely modern human house she'd seen when she was brought to the homes of benefactors of the Weyland Corporation. She was being 'shown off' to them to emphasise what their money is paying for.
She looked around to see a white and plush looking, circular couch with a glossy, hovering table in front of it and a staircase that trailed up the equally circular room, the surface of the steps glassy and black. She noticed another closed door and wondered with irritation if that too was 'off limits' to her. She slowly stepped in the main door, turning to reach for David's hand as he stood in the doorway. He complied and let his hand be taken in hers as she tugged for him to step in with her.
"We are being allowed to rest for the remainder of this day. However, I must go to the base for orders tomorrow morning and I am told that a technician and armed escort will arrive to retrieve you as well." Korvak told her as the doors closed behind them. "They also request to take the one you call 'Deveed' for further study." She just nodded and looked at the android as she released his hand. He gave her a slight tilt of his head and a calm smile before going over and taking a seat on the couch. "You will be given limited access to our historic databases as well." He continued, she nodded absently and rubbed at her arms nervously, taking in all of the unfamiliar and alien features of the main room.
She was so far away from anything that was familiar to her, the only reminder was David and she was increasingly grateful she wasn't alone at least in that respect. While she didn't want to go back to the facility she lived in, she knew she wouldn't be allowed to live a 'normal' life if she were to return to Earth. This may be a chance to start over, a new life.
She couldn't help feeling alone and extremely out of place on this alien world, and frankly, it was a bit depressing. "Ayumi, are you well?" She jumped when she heard her name being uttered in the gravelly and gutteral voice.
She looked back to see him giving her a worried frown. ". . . I am being reminded of how alien I am on your world and while I do not wish to return to the place of my birth, I am feeling quite. . .alone."
"I see. . .That is to be expected, Small One. I apologize for the actions of my leaders, I would not wish any orders as the one they have issued, on anyone."
". . .That too is to be expected, my people must have inherited this from yours as they would do the exact same thing were you to arrive on Earth."
He nodded bitterly and sighed, looking up toward the stairwell, "I expect you wish to dress into something more comfortable. Unfortunately, I believe there are no articles in your size." He said with an amused chuckle.
She smiled and chuckled as well, "This is probably true, I think David may be able to help me find something suitable though." She said as she turned back to her 'human' companion, "David? Would that be alright with you? We could find something for you to wear as well."
He turned away from a console at a wall he had wandered over to and looked at her with a genuine, soft smile, "Yes Miss, I believe that would be fine, thank you for your consideration." She smiled at his reaction, grateful she hadn't offended him in some way. She hadn't expected an android to be so. . . touchy.
"This structure is one I am not familiar with but I believe the rooms are upstairs as well as the washroom." She looked over to see him mounting the stairs, she felt he was eager to get into some more comfortable clothes as well. The biosuit was mainly made for travel in space and not planetside living.
She followed him up the stairs, curious to see if she would find the rooms comfortable or even more foreign than downstairs. When she reached the top, she felt some sort of cushioning beneath her booted feet and looked down to see some sort of beige carpeting. It looked hard and solid but yielded. She looked back up to see two doors in front of her and wondered if she would be able to go in and out of them or had to have him open them for her. She found that to be beyond annoying to her.
Korvak opened the door to the right and she followed slowly behind. She swallowed when she saw a waist height and rounded object. She guessed it was a dresser or. . something. There was a hovering, circular bed near a wall that looked very inviting to her tired eyes. He opened another door to the what she assumed was the washroom. She poked her head in to see smooth, white flooring and walls and a small chamber that looked like the decontamination unit on the vessel. She had no idea what anything did and was too tired to figure it out right now.
He shuffled past her and tugged her hand in his, pulling her to investigate the other room. Her eyes went wide and she was led into an exact replica of the one they were in. She scratched her head as they stood just inside the room. "I suppose this room will be where David and I will reside." She said quietly.
"You wish for hi-it to be in here with you?" He asked, seemingly shocked. "It does not rest." He pointed out. She knew he expected the Android to stay downstairs but she didn't feel comfortable in treating him like a pet that wasn't allowed to be in their owner's room. He was one of her kind.
"I am not going to treat himas a lesser being, he is equal to me, artifical, yes, but my equal. I have made my decision." She repied stubbornly. She studied his face, his expression a disappointed frown.
"Do you fear he will harm me?" She noticed from the thoughts bubbling in his head that he did, whether it be a blow or . .other. She mentally and verbally scoffed, she doubted David had any sexual 'urges' like humans or, frankly,Engineers did. There was a twinge of purple that blossomed on his cheekbones and she suddenly realized he was blushing.
The frown on her face didn't waver as she replied, "Very well, I will ask that he stay in the living room below for this night if that eases any of your discomfort." He seemed relieved but vaguely squirmed at her reading his thoughts and seeing those images.
He only nodded and pointed to a barely visible doorway, "There should be clothing for you to wear in there, large clothing, but something other than what you already wear." He said as he cleared his throat awkwardly before turning to leave. "Wait, will I have any difficulty entering any doors as I had at the entrance?"
He turned back, "No, merely the one at the entrance, and my quarters." He replied stiffly. She nodded and watched him leave with a sigh. She walked out of the room to see David standing at the top of the stairs, waiting patiently for her. "David, hello. Do you need something?" He smiled, "Where would you like me to stay?"
"Would it be alright if you stayed downstairs tonight? It will give you an opportunity to research what history we have access to and perhaps also a chance to study the struture." He bowed his head, "Of course, Ma'am. Would you like some help in finding something suitable to wear?" She glanced back at the 'closet', "Er, yes please. I have a feeling they may be much too large for either of us."
She held up an outfit she thought belonged to a female Engineer, but she couldn't be sure because of the size. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched him carefully examine the huge, 'shirt' and pants. They were almost magnetic; the set would adhere gently to one another and each garment had no seams but had black, bold designs against the light tones of grey and cream, similar to embroidery. David reached into a utility pouch and pulled out a precision laser-cutter. "If I am correct, I may be able to make this garment smaller, to tailor it to a comfortable size. I believe this material is very similar to the suits the Engineers wear, almost biological; it should 'heal'." He said as he looked up from the clothes.
She blinked and nodded with wide, interested eyes, hoping he was right and didn't end up ruining it. "Ma'am, if I may take your measurements." He said as he put it on the bed next to her and held out his hands.
". . .Do you need me to undress?" She asked, sounding a bit uneasy.
"If it would make you uncomfortable, no. I should be able to compensate for your suit's fabric density."
She seemed to consider this for a moment before speaking again, "No, that's fine, I trust you. It is probably a good idea for a better fit." She replied quietly and started unhooking her helmet frame.
He helped her out of her suit and she was grateful that her skin could breath from being so long in the Prometheus suit, her skin was starting to get 'pruney'. She stood in her undergarments and held out her arms in a 'T' shape and let him use his hands for measuring, she assumed he could use them like a measuring tape. She stifled a childish giggle, his fingers were cool on her skin. "Sorry, Miss, nearly done."
About ten minutes later, David managed to tailor the outfit to fit her and himself to a degree; it was a bit loose but very comfortable, much like the blanket on the vessel, cool and smooth, reminding her of a soft cotton.
"David, if it's alright with you, I need to take a shower or. . .whatever they have. I do not know how any of it works."
"Of course, Miss, I would be glad to help." He replied politely as he pulled off his own suit. His square chest was pale but attractive as he pulled on the pants over his light blue boxer briefs. Her face reddened and she suddenly became very interested in her now long nails. She heard cloth rustling and saw him pull the light colored shirt over his head in the corner of her eye. She looked down at their feet as he moved to stand in front of her, she smiled at seeing his bare feet, she'd never seen them before. He held out a hand, gesturing toward the bathroom, "Shall we?"
She nodded before following him into the washroom. She watched him as he stood just outside the chamber to study the light blue and green runes inside. He expertly pressed them in a sequence and a triangular, stonelike object rose from the side of the wall, about three feet above his head. She suddenly remembered that these being weren't human and much taller.
A thoughtful 'Hmm. .' came from David as he pressed the runes in a different sequence, causing a liquid to come cascading out of the object she assumed was the 'showerhead'. She glanced down at the flooring and expected to see the liquid puddle like water would, only it seemed to evaporate or at least be absorbed by the smooth flooring.
"This should be a comfortable temperature, Ms. Nakamura." He said as he withdrew a hand and stepped aside.
She looked to the shower and then to him nervously, "Do you know what that liquid is made out of?"
"From what I can see, visually, it is similar to water, perhaps a mild disenfecting agent."
She slowly nodded and moved to pull off her shirt. "I will wait in the bedroom, Miss." He said, turning and heading to the door.
"I'll let you know when I'm done so you can shower as well, David."
For the third time in the past hour, she saw him smile, seeming grateful for taking him into account.
She hugged her arms and looked down at the white, marble-like floor at her feet, past her bare body. She sighed and pressed the small and pale blue runes on the wall, unconscously bracing herself for a harsh jet of heated water to come shooting out.
She was pleasantly surprised when warm liquid washed over her shoulders. A contented and tired sigh echoed in the small washroom as she enjoyed her first 'real' shower.
Not much action going on in this chapter, I think they need a bit of a rest from their ordeal, don't you? I tried to describe all of the features of the building in a way that was somewhat familiar, but also alien. I hope I succeeded.
I will gladly accept ideas and concepts through PMs (you can only do this if you have an account, which is free). For you Guests, I'm sorry but I don't feel comfortable putting my E-mail on here.