The Rigusu-Ril hangar was abuzz with an assortment of audial input. The sounds of conversation in an assortment of different languages, the hum of ship engines powering up or shutting down, and the echo of metal-plated footsteps as lifeforms of all shapes and sizes marched to and from their ships to the pedestrian ramps in the back. It was more commotion than Hadrizahens was used to, and though it was overstimulating to take all of the data in, he still found himself dizzy with excitement over everything he heard and saw.
The hangar was arranged in such a way that the ramps were easily accessible to any and all who needed to move out of the way of any ship traffic. There were two platforms overlooking the hangar that extended further inside the space station itself, each located on the opposing side of the hangar to the other. Each served a distinct purpose on the space station. Each platform had two access points, but the easier to reach access points were towards the back of the hangar, away from any ships arriving or taking off. The Rigusu-Ril station tractor beams usually kept ships flying at a safe height for most life forms to pass underneath without fear of head injury, or worst case, full decapitation, but the thrust from the engines and pull of the tractor beams themselves could make for a very awkward and unbalanced walk for anyone who attempted to take the forward ramps. That was why Hadrizahens followed Traveller Entity Theus towards the back of the hangar without question, even though the Infinity Hawk was parked far closer to the forward ramps.
Hadrizahens had been to this space station once before, when arriving after he was assigned his new designation. He had been unable to explore the greater space station in full, however, as he wanted to make his best first impression on his new superior. That, and Merchant Entity Taudi had neglected to inform Hadrizahens exactly when a transport would be arriving to take him to the planet's surface, so Hadrizahens deemed it best to wait in the public transit area of the space station so he would not be late. Despite not getting the chance to explore, Hadrizahens had a basic understanding of how the Rigusu-Ril station was laid out and what could be found where. After all, the Rigusu-Ril I solar system was an outer rim territory that dealt with quite a few pirates and outlaws as a result. Their economy wasn't particularly booming as a result of all of the hazards in their area. Therefore, there was no need for a grand space station with multiple floors and hangars. The Rigusu-Ril Station served the solar system just fine, and very rarely reached capacity except on special occasions or religious events. There was no need for multiple hangars, designated quadrants, or multiple levels to the space station. The two platforms served just fine. Thanks to the single hangar, it was easy to orient oneself inside the space station as well. When receiving directions, all one needed to understand was that the hangar entrance/exit was referred to as the stern.
The starboard side of the space station was where most of the life forms congregated. It made the most sense, for business, as the starboard side was where the main public transportation hub was also located. Any life forms that lacked a private space fairing vehicle of their own would have to go through customs to purchase tickets and board smaller transport vehicles to one of the planets' surfaces, or a larger vessel for intergalactic travel. Wayfarers of all types would come through this portion of the space station, though not in particularly high numbers, searching for supplies or perhaps a place to rest or get themselves a drink. The merchants and vendors were ready for whatever opportunity came their way. They would descend upon travellers like a swarm, offering wares and boasting the best selection in the solar system. They were technically correct in their advertisements, but that didn't guarantee their products to be the best in the business. Lack of trade often meant very little merchandise flow. Sometimes, products would go bad, springs and gears would get rusty, but at least in an official and regulated space station like the Rigusu-Ril Station, one wouldn't need to fear accidentally acquiring illegal merchandise from a black-market vendor.
This was in part thanks to the Guild presence at the Rigusu-Ril Station. With the guilds came extra job opportunities of various types for idle hands that might otherwise busy themselves with criminal activities, as well as the security detail that Guild representatives often took with them. Hadrizahens himself didn't know much about the three Guilds aside from their names and services, as he was never required to know at his old designation and no one from any of the Guilds would come to his outpost. They were an illustrious and prestigious organization that held sway throughout the entire galaxy. They were notoriously difficult to join, as they held themselves to a standard above commercial enterprises. They had to in order to ensure loyalty amongst themselves, as there was no single species that dominated any group. There was no religion or creed one needed to uphold to become a member of any of the three Guilds, only notoriety and an above reliable work ethic. For that reason, Hadrizahens had very little knowledge or dealings with any of the Guilds.
Though the Guilds were often referred to as a whole, and often had dealings amongst each other, there were three separate branches that offered different services to the general public, and asked for specific payment in return. The Explorer's Guild was focused on furthering the reach of sentient life and the knowledge that could be shared amongst it. Their influence could be spotted in all great new discoveries, if one bothered to look deep enough into historical records. Those in the Trader's Guild preferred to busy themselves with economic prosperity, increasing the wealth of society as a whole, as well as themselves. They were possibly the most prosperous beings in the galaxy, but wealth and economic fortune followed in their wake for all. Finally, was the Mercenary Guild. Every society had their own law enforcement of sorts, every space station had security, every important vessel had defence systems, the Galactic Federation handled many cases of injustice or criminal activity from across the known galaxy. Still, sometimes the long arm of the law was not enough to bring justice to all of the wrongdoers. Sometimes extra security was needed, more firepower, or a specific target brought to justice outside of the law. The Mercenary Guild was filled with some of the best bounty hunters, body guards, and soldiers for hire across the galaxy. They were an intensely intimidating bunch, especially in the eyes of the peaceful Korvax race, as they made their name with the blood of others, but they were damn good at it. Hadrizahens would have been lying had he said he was not nervous to interact with this particular branch of the Guilds, even if Theus would be the one doing the talking.
While all of the traffic in the hangar was heading back and forth to the starboard platform for commerce or drinks, Hadrizahens followed closely at Theus's heels as they turned towards the port side. He noticed, at the top of the ramp, stood a guard. On their plated armor was the insignia of the Mercenaries Guild, reflecting in the blue hangar light brilliantly for all to see should they question their purpose or motive. As they approached, the guard inclined their helmeted head towards Hadrizahens and the Traveller. Traveller Entity Theus did not falter, but Hadrizahens quickly looked down at the floor rather than risk angering the guard. There was a distinct chance that Hadrizahens was not allowed to be within the Guilds' property, and that he would not be allowed to continue with Traveller Entity Theus. He desperately hoped that would not be the case. Rather than think about it, or the piercing and accusatory glare he was getting from the guard at present, Hadrizahens busied himself with noticing the details on the design of the walk ramp. Perhaps, if he looked innocuous enough, he would be permitted to accompany Traveller Entity Theus without any fuss.
"Hault." The gruff, deep voice that could only be the guard's called out suddenly. Hadrizahens' audio scanners instantly registered the language the life form was speaking to be Vy'keen. The size of the guard certainly supported the assumption that it was part of the large, robust warrior race, but there was no way to know for certain thanks to the helmet it bore.
Hadrizahens and Traveller Entity Theus stopped obediently in their tracks. Hadrizahens heard the clanging of the metal-plated boots worn by the guard hitting the slip-resistant flooring as they approached. In Hadrizahens' meek opinion, each footfall seemed far more heavy than necessary. Hadrizahens and Traveller Entity Theus clearly understood that the guard was the current authority; it seemed superfluous to flaunt it.
"State your business with the Guilds, stranger." The guard ordered, stopping in front of Traveller Entity Theus. The guard had guessed correctly that the Traveller would be the one with business with any of the Guilds, but perhaps not thanks to deductive reasoning. Hadrizahens had a distinct impression that the guard was now purposefully ignoring him. Admittedly, he was fine with being ignored by the large alien lifeform with a loaded weapon at their hip. After all, the ramp was commanding so much more of his attention. How fascinating it was that someone had installed pulsing orange light strips along the sides of the ramp to warn pedestrians about the edge? Fascinating and non-confrontational! Much less intimidating to look at than the frightening amount of height that the guard had over them thanks to its position higher up on the ramp.
"Guild business." Traveller Entity Theus said simply, opening the red container they still held in their arms. The guard leaned forward uninterestedly to look into the container as the Traveller retrieved the data chit that had been shown to Hadrizahens earlier. "A successful mission."
The guard eyed the chit for a moment longer, perhaps considering temporarily confiscating it for a security scan. "Your affiliation with the Mercenaries Guild?"
The Traveller then produced a badge from one of the pouches attached to their belt. It fit in the palm of the Traveller's glove and glinted in the light, though not as impressively as the guard's insignia. Clearly, Theus had not put the time or effort into polishing it the same way that the guard had.
"Journeyman Mercenary Theus." The Traveller replied, still impressively unintimidated by the guard.
Hadrizahens tried his hardest, but he simply could not keep his attention on the railing of the ramp and walkway. Not once the guard moved closer to take the badge away from Traveller Entity Theus for closer examination. He looked up at the guard as they carefully inspected the Traveller's badge, stirring nervously. What reason did the guard have to suspect the Traveller of fraud now? What did they stand to gain by lying about a Guild affiliation this far out in the outer rim? Hadrizahens felt his systems revving up in response to his heightened anxiety, but the Traveller remained calm.
"It is in order, I trust?" Traveller Entity Theus inquired formally.
The Guard pulled their attention away from the badge and looked at the Traveller once again, this time with clear disdain. The sudden jerk of their head told Hadrizahens that the guard was displeased by the entire affair. They had taken offense to the tone of Traveller Entity Theus's voice, Hadrizahens could tell just from a preliminary scan of the guard's blood pressure. It could have been in response to a perceived air of superiority from the Traveller, but why should that insult the guard? Traveller Entity Theus had every right to assume themself more important than a lowly guard of the Mercenaries Guild, and the guard should know that. Couldn't the guard see that they were addressing a Traveller? Not that Hadrizahens was about to call the guard out on their lack of respect.
"It checks out…" The guard finally snarled, shoving the badge back into Traveller Entity Theus's hand. "But I have my eye on you, stranger. Don't try anything."
"I would not dream to." Traveller Entity Theus replied in a tone that Hadrizahens thought was still quite formal and polite, but only seemed to make the guard more cross. However, the guard did step aside to allow Traveller Entity Theus to pass without any further harassment.
Hadrizahens stepped carefully and slowly to the side, afraid that any sudden movements might trigger the sleeping wrath of the guard. He intended to give the irritated alien a wide berth as he followed quickly behind the Traveller, but he was stopped in his tracks by a frighteningly bulky arm knocking into his chest plate. Alert messages flashed in his processor as he entered a heightened panic state. Barely able to work up the nerve, he looked up to see the guard staring at him through the alert pop-ups behind his screen.
"You're not allowed to pass." The guard growled. Hadrizahens thought he detected a hint of vindictive glee in their voice, which only caused him to panic more. This guard was most certainly going to use Hadrizahens to take out their frustration with the Traveller. And Hadrizahens was a much easier target for such things than Traveller Entity Theus was. Both Hadrizahens and the guard were well aware of this fact. Thankfully, Traveller Entity Theus had not made it more than a few steps away without Hadrizahens. They turned around and glared at the guard intently.
"The Korvax is with me." Traveller Entity Theus said with a firm, even tone. Hadrizahens hadn't spent much time with the Traveller Entity thus far, but he knew enough about the mysterious being to detect the tone of warning in their voice. It would have been more than enough to stop Hadrizahens from proceeding with any task that he had been doing. It unfortunately did not seem to have the same effect on the guard.
"The Korvax doesn't have clearance to enter Guild property." The guard answered smuggly, knowing their vindictive actions could easily hide behind rules and regulations without being questioned. They knew how to work the system to their advantage, and Hadrizahens got a feeling that this would not have been the first time the guard had done so either.
This visibly angered the Traveller. They leaned forward and lowered the tone of their voice as they spoke next. "The Korvax. Is with me. I have clearance."
"Your badge doesn't say anything about a plus one. No one's badge does." The guard laughed coldly. "Your little friend is going to have to go somewhere else."
Hadrizahens could sense the irritation rising in the Traveller, and predicted that it would be unlikely that the Traveller would back down from the altercation now. If he wanted to keep the situation from escalating into violence, Hadrizahens would have to intervene. He would never forgive himself if he was the sole reason for the Traveller receiving some sort of black mark on their record at this space station. Though he wished it otherwise, he knew he had no choice.
"I will wait at the ship… My attendance is not required." Hadrizahens offered nervously, hoping that Traveller Entity Theus would find the solution suitable.
"Your attendance is requested and preferred." Traveller Entity Theus responded, much to Hadrizahens' dismay. He had offered the Traveller Entity an easy way to back out of the argument, and the Traveller had either not noticed or completely ignored it. He felt helpless now, knowing that there would be little he could do to stop the inevitable. If the Traveller didn't throw the first blow, the overly-aggressive Vy'keen guard would.
"You're in no position to make requests, JOURNEYMAN." The guard jeered. "That's a shiny new badge, isn't it? Did you just come out of your apprenticeship last cycle?"
Hadrizahens took a step back from the guard, wishing with every fibre and filament of his casing that the guard had not heckled the Traveller further. He wished that Traveller Entity Theus had simply accepted his offer to return to the ship. He was fine with returning to the ship. Yes, Hadrizahens was deeply curious about what the Guild officiated side of the space station looked like, but not enough to bend any regulations or get either of them into trouble. He wasn't sure what was about to happen next, but should things become violent, he preferred to stay out of the way.
"I have been doing other work. Mercenary work is not the only thing to do when you have any intelligence." The Traveller answered, their tone rising in agitation.
"Intelligence? Yeah right. You can barely speak a full sentence in Korvax. I bet your Vy'keen is even worse, otherwise, you'd be using that instead. You have no business talking about intelligence, bud." The guard said with a laugh. They made a show of trying to look casual and unguarded, but the sudden, slight increase in the guard's body temperature told Hadrizahens that they were tensing up and ready for fists to be thrown. Oh, if Travellers were at all guided by the wisdom of The Atlas, Hadrizahens desperately hoped that this Traveller Entity knew better than to get into a physical altercation with a guard. They'd both be evicted from Guild property, if not arrested.
But there was something else in what the guard had said. Something that had taken longer than it should have for Hadrizahens to register in his information banks.
Had the guard said that Traveller Entity Theus could not properly speak Vy'keen OR Korvax?
Hadrizahens only had a moment to act, lest his courage leave him completely. This was far beyond anything that Hadrizahens had ever dared to do in the past, but he seemed to be making a new habit of reckless behavior in these recent cycles. Why break his streak now?
"I am terminating this discussion. The parameters for my patience have been exceeded." Hadrizahens suddenly spoke up with bravery very unlike anything he had ever shown before the Traveller's influence. Ignoring the shocked and confused looks from the guard and Traveller Entity Theus, Hadrizahens continued. "I am Translator Entity Hadrizahens, I am designated to accompany Mercenary Journeyman Entity Theus to the Guild for proper dealings. They are in the process of learning the languages, but they have requested a linguistics escort to avoid any grammatical errors or miscommunications."
The guard was taken aback as they stared at Hadrizahens, clearly trying to work out whether or not Hadrizahens' explanation was one they would have to seriously consider. "You didn't mention that before… Neither of you did."
"Affirmative. Disability Protection Acts and Diplomatic Treaties include certain personal protections. They indicate that any one person is not required to describe the nature of any language disadvantages they may have, or provide proof or disproof of their linguistic abilities. Journeyman Entity Theus knows enough to communicate on a basic level, and could have successfully navigated any social interactions as such. However, your misconduct has resulted in my intervention." Hadrizahens stepped towards the railing and looked out at the hangar beyond. It was much easier to maintain his facade if he was not looking at the guard. He hoped that his refusal to make eye contact would be interpreted as formal disapproval rather than his casing being so overridden with nervous energy that added stimuli might cause him to overheat.
From what little Hadrizahens could tell, it appeared to be working. He could tell by the tone of the guard's voice that they were growing more uneasy when Hadrizahens started loosely invoking Federal protections and Treaties. "...Misconduct-..." The guard stammered. "...I was just trying to do my job… and keep unauthorized personnel from harassing our hard working Guild Representatives…"
"By mocking an associate and blatantly restricting their ability to communicate effectively?" Hadrizahens inquired. He chanced a glance in the guard's direction and was instantly rewarded with the sight of them recoiling. He was still terrified, but the ploy was working so smoothly that Hadrizahens couldn't help but receive a slight electric thrill through his systems. He was pulling it off. Somehow his insane plan was working, and it was working well. He did not risk a glance towards the Traveller for fear of breaking character. Instead, he returned his gaze to the hangar and crossed his arms across his chest with a sigh. The fear that was now radiating off of the guard was almost intoxicating.
"I didn't mean anything by it…" The guard muttered, their voice breaking in worry.
"That statement is unlikely to be true. But my designation was not told to you in advance, so perhaps we are also at fault in this circumstance. Approve our passage and your misconduct will not be reported to your superior, or to the Interspecies Union branch of the Galactic Federation." Hadrizahens said, attempting to make it sound as though he was extending a compromise to the guard rather than utterly manipulating them into doing exactly what he wanted. "...Provided this behavior pattern does not continue into the future."
"Y-yes, of course! My apologies to both of you…!" The Guard stammered, all but leaping out of Hadrizahens' way as they bowed their head respectfully.
Hadrizahens nodded his head in return, clasping his hands behind his back in a very official manner as he proceeded. He joined Traveller Entity Theus, who looked utterly dumbstruck, further up the ramp.
"Proceed, Mercenary Journeyman Entity Theus. You should not keep your contacts waiting." Hadrizahens spoke, hoping to shake the Traveller out of their blank stare. Without the Traveller Entity matching his confidence, Hadrizahens feared his facade would falter at the most critical moment. He had never lied in the face of an official of any kind before, and he was not certain how much longer he would be able to keep himself from dissolving into a ball of nerves.
The Traveller shook their head, straightening themselves out with a cough to clear their airway and dispel any lingering social tension. It was not the most graceful of recoveries, but it served well enough to keep the guard fooled. "Yes. You are correct."
The Korvax and the Traveller then marched the rest of the way up the ramp. Though Traveller Entity Theus walked behind Hadrizahens, the Traveller was the one to set their new pace. Hadrizahens was only too aware of the sound of footsteps behind him and followed suit gratefully. He doubted he had much left in him to make sound decisions with his rapidly fraying nerves. Together they walked at a speed that was not suspicious but would still get them out of the eyesight of the guard as soon as possible. Hadrizahens was hyper-aware of the Traveller right at his heels as they ascended steadily to the main platform. He didn't dare say another word or look back. Not even once the two of them had turned away from the ramp and lost sight of the guard completely. Hadrizahens was determined to put as much distance as he could between himself and the guard. The further away they got, the more his fear took hold. Hadrizahens was running on panic fumes and had passed the point of rational thought.
A hand suddenly came down on Hadrizahens' shoulder and clasped it tightly, causing him to jump and let out a very embarrassing little sound of surprise. He was then pulled off to the side of the walkway, away from where passersby might hear their conversation. Hadrizahens found himself placed behind a very large decorative plant out of the way of foot traffic.
"You lied to that Mercenary guard." Traveller Entity Theus said in a low, even, and worrisomely unreadable tone. It did nothing to help Hadrizahens calm himself.
"I do not wish to discuss this so close to where the guard is stationed." Hadrizahens fretted, pulling himself out of the Traveller's grip. Hearing the condemnation spoken aloud, by a Traveller of The Atlas, no less, was more than he could peacefully bare at the moment. He needed to move. His automatic fight or flight response programming was kicking in now that the immediate call to action was through, and the energy overflowing his system was making him unbearably restless.
"We are undetected here." The Traveller reassured Hadrizahens firmly, grabbing him once again by the shoulder to pull him back into place. Right in front of the Traveller, facing that cold, unreadable, lightless visor. Hadrizahens could not escape now, he had to answer for what he had done.
"Yes, affirmative. I fabricated a lie. Against my better judgement. I do not know what came over me, I do not usually lie to respectable figures of authority." Hadrizahens stammered in shame, looking anywhere but at the Traveller. He knew the lights on his visor were flashing an alarm yellow to match his feelings, but there was little he could do to stop them. He couldn't bear to admit to his transgressions to a diety's face anymore than he could deny them in spite of what was witnessed. "Forgive me, I don't know why I would-"
"No, stop…!" Traveller Entity Theus quickly interrupted. Hadrizahens chanced a glance up at the Traveller, not hearing any anger in their voice. Instead, he heard an unexpected glee. "That was amazing!"
"...You …aren't mad…?" Hadrizahens asked incredulously.
"No. The opposite." Traveller Entity Theus huffed a single laugh. "You made him believe every word. You are very clever. And brave."
Not only was Hadrizahens not in trouble, but the Traveller had called him both clever and brave. Since it was coming from the Traveller, Hadrizahens was inclined to believe it. He had acted quickly and deftly in a moment of need, and he had done so without hesitation. The Traveller was right. Any feeling of remorse for his actions were flushed from his mind to be replaced with a deep self-satisfaction and addicting excitement. The Traveller was pleased with him. He had done well. The Traveller had said so. A delighted hum started to emanate from his casing as his memory banks kicked in to record the proceedings. He would not forget the Traveller's praise. Not for a thousand external storage units worth of data.
"Do not get too full of yourself, Translator Entity Hadrizahens." The Traveller teased, clearly having noticed the humming sound coming from Hadrizahens. It was embarrassing, but Hadrizahens was still too high on his praise to care much. "Distracted minds are slow minds."
"Of course." Hadrizahens agreed, lessening his outward appearance of satisfaction for the sake of the Traveller's teasing. There was nothing the Traveller could do if he continued to savor the memory to himself, though. It gave him confidence that he might not otherwise have, and wouldn't Traveller Entity Theus prefer to have a companion who was confident rather than one who needed constant reassurance?
Perhaps sensing that Hadrizahens was still lost in self-gratification, Traveller Entity Theus spoke up once more. There was still a vague amusement about the Traveller's voice. "Come on, we need to go ahead."
Gesturing to the archway that opened up before the two of them, The Traveller indicated that Hadrizahens was to first. To what end, Hadrizahens was not entirely sure, but he did appreciate the sight that greeted him once he passed from the walkway into the main Guild hub. The path opened into a grand room with a vaulted ceiling that Hadrizahens estimated must be at least 50% taller than that of the other side of the station, where the commerce took place. He could estimate this with a fair amount of accuracy because there was a grand balcony to their right that overlooked the hangar below. The black alloy flooring extended clear across to the other side of the expansive room, somehow seeming even more polished than the rest of the space station. There was not a single scuff mark or smudge anywhere on the mirror-perfect surface, and it reflected the blue stripes of light along the ceiling perfectly, creating an odd underglow effect wherever light was present.
The treaded path from the ramp continued into the room, splitting off in two main directions, one stayed close to the railing, which Hadrizahens noticed with awe lacked any sort of fingerprints or vandalism of any kind. The other path broke off at a right angle to the left, into the room, and then took a sharp right along the side of the wide corridor. The path was lined with little glowing planters, domed in a glowing blue, self-contained atmosphere. Each planter displayed an exotic plant from the planets in the Rigusu-Ril solar system, or so Hadrizahens assumed. He recognized a fair amount of the flora from Cireenob XV, some of which were among his favorites. The plants varied in size and type, but they were mirrored along each side of the path and gave a very organic yet organized air to the space. The contrast between the polished metal floors that mirrored the exotic plants in their bubbles of light and gas was perfect. Strips of blue lights sectioned off small areas within the large room where comfortable looking chairs and benches could be found situated around small, octangular tables as well as beautiful lounge tables with glass tops that contained an array of soft, gridded, blue lights. Each bit of furniture was contoured with a white light that melted in with the blue lights in the station. Along the front and back walls of the corridor were banners, streaming down elegantly and displaying multiple colors and designs that Hadrizahens could not recognize, but it did add to the prestige of the place. The Guilds took their work seriously and would not settle for the presentation to suggest anything less.
"Impressive?" Traveller Entity Theus asked, taking a few steps to stand beside Hadrizahens while the Korvax took in the sights.
"...It is far grander than this Entity's memory banks recall the commercial side of the station being…" Hadrizahens observed unastutely. "...The upkeep and janitorial costs must be equally notable."
"The Guilds have better funding." The Traveller commented, looking around at the decor as though seeing it in a new light. "Is that all you noticed?"
Suddenly worried that he had somehow offended the Traveller due to his lack of awestruck response, Hadrizahens began to backpedal. "No, there is more…! The decor is more appealing, and scans of ratios and distances between furniture and blocking would suggest that more care was put into layout design in this section of the space station. The Guilds clearly wish to set themselves apart from the more convenience-oriented design of the commercial portion of the station. That is not to say that the Guilds do not care for convenience, it is just more apparent that they have-"
Hadrizahens stopped his flustered observations as soon as he noticed the Traveller's body language more carefully. He was frustrated to see that Traveller Entity Theus was completely relaxed and showed no signs of aggression or frustration, and had Hadrizahens bothered to note these signs in the first place, he would have known that the Traveller was teasing him once again. He was also beginning to pick up on the Traveller Entity's tell. Their head was tilted casually to the side as they lazily observed Hadrizahens, as the Traveller always seemed to do when they found Hadrizahens particularly amusing.
"Please. Continue talking. Tell me more about the design." Traveller Entity Theus urged with a lift to his voice that Hadrizahens could now unmistakably identify as a poorly hidden laugh.
"The Traveller mocks this Entity." Hadrizahens sulked.
"No, I only play." Traveller Entity Theus chuckled. "You make it easy."
"You take advantage of my ignorance."
"I enjoy your innocence. Things I have seen a million times are new to you. The universe holds wonder for you still." The Traveller explained gently, placing a hand on Hadrizahens' shoulder reassuringly before moving on ahead. Hadrizahens was left to ponder the Traveller's words more carefully. While he still did not appreciate being the butt of every joke, he did feel better about his lack of experience. For a life form that could be as ancient as time itself, and one that had been across the expanse of the galaxy and back, there must be charm within naivety. For that reason, Hadrizahens decided to allow the Traveller their jokes. At least some of them. But Traveller Entity Theus would have to be equally naive to assume that their teasing would be allowed with no consequence. Hadrizahens was not a vindictive or spiteful Korvax, nor was he used to talking back to superiors. Merchant Entity Taudi would have never allowed for back talk from a worker. Traveller Entity Theus was not Merchant Entity Taudi, though. And Hadrizahens felt more comfortable with allowing perhaps a few moments of wit in response. Especially after his brush with the guard where Traveller Entity Theus had been so pleased with his cleverness.
"The guard mentioned that the Traveller Entity lacked a full grasp on the Korvax language. Is this true?" Hadrizahens asked with a very thin veil of innocence to his tone.
Traveller Entity Theus stopped and glanced back at Hadrizahens before he clearly thought better of making eye contact of any kind with the young, intelligent Korvax. The Traveller seemed to be completely aware of the very obvious trap. "...Why do you ask that?"
"Traveller Entity Theus communicates in broken sentences. Observed data supports the Guard Entity's theory." Hadrizahens replied simply and mechanically, using his more formal Korvax tone to emphasize his point. The data did show that the Traveller spoke strangely, even for an organic.
"Korvax language is broken and precise. It... differs from organic speech." Traveller Entity Theus answered quickly; too quickly, and the Traveller knew it.
"You have not mastered the Korvax language, have you?"
"Not mastered…" The Traveller said with a dry, humorless laugh. They crossed their arms over their chest in what Hadrizahens assumed was either a subconscious gesture of defense or defeat. Perhaps both.
"You are not fully comfortable with the language." Hadrizahens corrected himself, knowing that the Traveller would be more receptive to admitting their fault if Hadrizahens took on a softer tone.
Finally, Traveller Entity Theus gave in. "No… I am not."
It gave Hadrizahens a strange sensation of joy to witness the Traveller admit to not being a perfect being. Not that the Traveller had ever upheld their own perfection, or demanded others to bask in it. At least, not that Hadrizahens had ever observed. But Hadrizahens had always assumed that a Traveller would be more akin to a flawless being like The Atlas itself. It made his scientific mind race with numerous possibilities. Rather than turning Hadrizahens' interest away, the revelation only spurred further intrigue in the young Korvax. This otherworldly being that had allowed Hadrizahens to travel with them had traits that Hadrizahens himself could relate to. What this could mean on a biological level, as well as a spiritual level was simply fascinating to speculate about. What purpose did The Atlas have for creating beings so close to Itself that were so similar to the other beings in the universe? Hadrizahens had to conduct closer observations. He had to know more.
"What language do you speak?" Hadrizahens asked curiously.
"It does not matter. No one understands my words." Traveller Entity Theus answered shortly. The Traveller was still not looking in Hadrizahens' direction, and the sharpness of his response indicated that they were uninterested in continuing that avenue of conversation. Hadrizahens did not press. He understood why the Traveller would be sensitive. If there was a language that the Travellers shared amongst each other, it must be a very underused language. Travellers were rare, and Hadrizahens had every reason to believe that not even other Travellers saw very many of their own kind. If any at all. If Hadrizahens thought about it, there was nothing in the vast knowledge of the Convergence that stated definitively if there was meant to be more than one Traveller at a time. It must be lonely for the Traveller to speak a language that they could not share with others. Instead, Hadrizahens decided to offer an avenue of inclusion rather than remind Traveller Entity Theus of their isolation.
"Your knowledge of the Korvax language does not have to stagnate." Hadrizahens suggested. He was pleased to see the Traveller turn their head slightly to look in his direction. He had earned their attention. "I am fluent in the language."
"You would teach me?" Traveller Entity Theus turned to face Hadrizahens fully now. Hadrizahens was delighted. "Even though you are not really a Translator Entity?"
"Affirmative!" Hadrizahens struggled to keep his voice to a normal speaking volume. His excitement was compounding quickly at the thought of imparting knowledge to a Traveller. How in the entire galaxy had he ever become so lucky? To have the opportunity to teach such a being something that they did not already know. He wished he could contain himself better, but he could see his own reflection in the perfectly polished flooring. He knew that the surge of electricity through his systems was causing his visor lights to glow even more brightly at the mere thought of sharing linguistic data with Traveller Entity Theus.
"Alright. I accept." Traveller Entity Theus stated agreeably. "A fair trade for what I will teach you."
Hadrizahens was both confused and overwhelmingly exhilarated. "What knowledge will the Traveller Entity impart upon this Korvax?"
"A surprise." Traveller Entity Theus seemed to smile. "If things go correct, you will have an answer by the end of the day."
Hadrizahens couldn't wait.