Ivea slowly began to open his eyes but was met with a wall of pain. He grunted loudly as he tried to sit upright.
"Whoa now! Just lay back down, your body's not fully healed yet. Doctor Michel!" Ivea could hear a female yelling out to a Doctor but he didn't know who this woman was.
With his vision swimming so badly he couldn't make anything but smudgy figures out he simply laid in place in wait of the Doctor.
"He's awake? My that was a fast recovery. Alright let's see here…" The Doctor's voice was so thick with accent that Ivea couldn't hope to understand what the woman was saying. He could feel her hands probing the areas where he was shot.
"My word, he's already fully healed. Infection's minor. I think he's made a full recovery, thanks largely to his suit I'm sure. It's been a while since I've seen a Quarian before." The woman said almost as though she were in awe. Under any other instance Ivea would've probably blushed under his visor.
"Alright you should be fine to stand up now." The Doctor finally said as she stepped back. Gradually Ivea's vision began to return as he sat upright on the table and swung his legs over the edge.
"I…Thank you." He groaned putting a hand to his visor. As he continued to blink his vision became clearer and clearer. When he looked back up he saw two Human women before him, the Doctor to the right and another to her left.
The Doctor had short red hair with sharp facial features and wore red and white clothes which Ivea believed Human doctors wore as a custom.
"Doctor?" He asked to make sure. When she nodded he continued, "Thank you for all you've done. I'm in your debt." The doctor let out a chuckle and waved her hand.
"Nonsense, I'm just glad you survived. Wouldn't do for you to think all us Humans are thugs eh?" Ivea blinked struggling to understand her through her accent. After a few seconds he finally comprehended what she said.
"Ah, yes thank you again. I'm actually fascinated with you Humans." He said with a chuckle. Then his attention went to the woman standing beside the Doctor.
The Human had dark brown hair tied what looked to be tightly behind her head. Her skin was an almost pale white with a hint of tan in it undoubtedly from being on a ship for extended periods of time. She had a curvy frame and a very strong stance. Everything about the way she stood and the very air around her seemed to emanate with a feeling of power and she could use it.
The clothing she wore was a navy blue with the sleeves of the shirt rolled up to the elbows and black combat boots. Ivea eyed the clothes for a split second and noticed the Systems Alliance symbol on the shoulder. So it's a standard military wear then? She also appears to be a marine.
"I'm…sorry but I don't know who you are…Ms. is the term?" Ivea was embarrassed but he hadn't exactly studied the Human language and what to call one you're unfamiliar with.
But the woman seemed…amused? This puzzled Ivea more than he could explain.
"I…I'm sorry did I offend you?" He quickly stammered out. He felt his body heating up as he began to rub the back of his helmet nervously.
"Oh no, sorry I've just never been asked that before. Yeah with anyone else Ms. is correct but you can call me Sam." The woman said with a smile. Ivea blinked and cleared his throat.
"Oh ah yes…Sam. Do I er…know you?" He asked shifting unsteadily on his feet. Keelah good thing she's not a Quarian. That shift would've given me away! But then he saw that she had noticed the shift in his stance. He narrowed his eyes as though it would allow him to see into her mind.
"Yeah I'm the one who pulled your ass outta that alley." She reached her hand out causing Ivea to look at her hand then up at her. Before he could ask she explained, "Oh yeah not used to Humans, just grab my hand and shake."
Ivea blinked in surprise. "G…Grab your hand? Keelah I've only just met you and…" She was laughing again! Ivea couldn't see what was funny about him not wanting to rush into anything!
"Damn this is gonna take a while to get used to huh? It's a Human custom to shake hands when you meet someone new." Slowly and hesitantly Ivea reached up and grabbed her hand as they both shook.
"I'm sorry it's just that…touching another Quarian is a very…intimate thing." He awkwardly put emphasis on intimate. Sam chuckled this time rather than full out laughing.
"It's just a hand shake doesn't mean I wanna get in the sack with you." Ivea frowned in confusion.
"What does a sack have to do with touching?" She sighed rubbing her forehead.
"This is definitely going to take a while. Didn't catch your name by the way." Before he asked anything he pushed aside his new confusion as to how she intended to grab his name. Probably a human thing.
"My name is Ivea'Liak nar Lavenya." Her expression was…strange. Almost at though it were twisted.
"That's a hell of a mouthful, what's your first name?" A sigh escaped his lips which was quiet enough for his visor to not pick up on it.
"First name? Erm…well Ivea did come first so…that I'd assume." Her face seemed to return to normal then smile as she nodded. Humans have very strange faces…
"I can do that, Ivia." He couldn't help but wince at the butchery of his name.
"Erm…not quite. Eiveeeeeya." He pronounced slowly then motioned for her to repeat.
"Ivea?" He let out a laugh before he could contain it.
"Great! Now I should uh probably go…somewhere." He sighed at the end realizing he had no idea where to go for this stupid Pilgrimage. Sam seemed to pick up on it immediately.
"I can't have you go out there and get yourself shot again Evya. You're gonna come with me and my friends." Ivea sighed as she butchered his name once more.
"We'll have to work on the name." He said shaking his head. She shrugged with her face seeming to twist again but only with one corner of her mouth. They have so many expressions! Ivea turned to the Doctor and held out his hand. She smiled and shook his hand.
"Thank you again Ms. Michel without your help I'd probably be…not well off." He shuddered to think of it. Michel replied with a simple 'No problem' then Sam dragged Ivea outside the clinic.
Once more he stood in awe at the sheer number of species around here and yet no one seemed to notice.
"C'mon they should be waiting at Flux." She waved him forward as she began to walk. He jogged a couple of steps then walked beside her.
"Won't your Captain be angry if you bring some Quarian with you?" Ivea asked looking around at all the people, the lights, the shops, everything! As much as he didn't want to admit it it was great to be out of the cramped ship and out in all this activity!
"Nah I'm on shore leave right now. So I've got a few days. Lucky you. Or unlucky you since you're gonna be dragged around by a group of hard core marine women eh?" Honestly Ivea was frightened. Not for violence but of just how completely different these Humans seemed to be from Quarians. But at the same time it was also exciting. Little had Ivea known just what a club like Flux was really like.