Waves Start to Form

Issac awoke, his hair felt more thick than usual as he ran his hands through it. His back, however, felt amazing. It was as if he was floating on a cloud, and he was unusually warm even though he had no blanket draped over him. He groaned as he arched his back, his body hardly willing to rise from slumber as his eyes finally opened. Several shafts of light shone down around him from between strange, curved pillars. He rubbed his eye as he sat up, shaking the confusion of his waking mind to gather some more logical thoughts. He placed his hand against the surface over his head, remembering now the events from last night. He stepped out from between La'ala's fingers, his eyes following her arm towards her chest and then up to her face where she looked back towards him with a slight smile. 

"Morning." She said, her slight smile broadening. 

"Morning." Issac replied. 

She rolled onto her back, her other arm reaching towards a bedside table where she plucked Issac's shirt and pants between her fingertips before placing them down in front of him. "Sorry for being such a tease last night." She apologized, "The drinks, and the smoke, got me very intimate. But I have my rules." She continued with a sigh. 

"N-No problem. I would have been no good anyway." Issac said just over a mumble as he climbed into his pants. 

La'ala giggled, "I am sure plenty of girls would like to steal your first time...with one of us that is." 

Issac looked up towards La'ala, "Have...you ever?"

La'ala's eyes drifted to the side, "Once, well with only one partner." They shot back towards Issac, "You sort of reminded me of him. A younger version of him, also probably smarter in many ways." She laughed.

"Oh, I see." Issac said, his fingertips fastening the last couple buttons on his shirt. "Is it normal? For like humans and Neko to date?" 

La'ala shrugged her shoulders, "To date? Not so frequently. Sex though is a different story. Everyone wants to try it. And not just Neko and human."

"I can still hardly imagine what it would be like." Issac said, he tried to keep his eyes off of La'ala's body as she pulled the covers away from herself. She did not sleep in the nude, but she was certainly close enough to it. Issac could still vividly remember what it was like climbing over her stomach and back when he was under the influence of the drug from last night. He wished he had that sort of confidence when he was sober. He had practically initiated the whole thing, not that La'ala was resistant. 

La'ala smiled, "When the time comes." She positioned herself in front of him and lowered herself so her face filled nearly his entire field of vision. Issac leaned forward, feeling her warm breath as her lips approached him, a shiver running down his spine as their soft surface nearly swallowed him from the outside world, her fingertips holding him in place gently. She pulled away, "There I ago again, teasing." She sighed again, "And not just you." 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Atrix peered out into the living quarters of the ship, they remained still and quiet, because of this she let out a sigh of relief. She did not dislike her companions, yet she felt comfortable when she was alone. It was the only time that the squirming and throbbing in her chest subsided completely, and her mind was able to function in a way that she felt was normal. Her feet strode delicately along the cool floors until she arrived at a large, comfortable chair. She pulled her legs up into a cross legged position, her tail curling onto her lap as she closed her eyes and took a deep inhale. 

"Hello." A feminine voice called into the otherwise quiet room. 

Atrix's gray eyes shot open and she glanced around herself, "H-Hello?" She called out to the unknown voice. It slowly pieced together in her mind that the voice was that of the ships computer which she had heard several times before. She let out a sigh as she closed her eyes again.

"I would like to ask you a question." Richata continued

Atrix bit her lip, growing agitated at the ships computer. She tried to refocus on her breathing. 

"Hello?" The ship persisted. 

Atrix groaned, "What?" She felt a slight weight on her chest, but tried to push it away. It was only a computer, after all. 

"I just find you very curious." 

The squirming, the slight ache. She closed her eyes, if she did not interact with it the computer couldn't interact with her. 

"Issac explained that you have a malfunction. But you have been entered into my data base as a crew member. I find that to be strange." 

The engineer. She was a malfunction? He thought she was faulty. Talking behind her back. Explaining why she was the way she was. The dull ache became more severe, the squirming made her want to scratch at her chest. Her face became hot, and then cold, and then hot again. Her palms sweat and her breathing became shaken. She could not escape it. Not even when she was alone. Judging her. All judging her. For her talents, for her lack of talents. There was no escape no matter where she was. She wanted to get up and leave, but her brain could not connect with her legs so she rolled onto her side and tried to bury herself into the chair. 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Richard eyed his brother curiously as they rode back towards the ship on the cities human transit. No one had made any comments when La'ala carried Issac from her room and into her kitchen where Kikata had been cooking breakfast and heating up a sort of tea. But many glances were shared. "So?" He pushed, nudging his elbow into Issac's side. 

"Hm?" Issac hummed. 

"What happened?" 

"With?" 

Richard rolled his eyes, "With La'ala." 

"Oh...nothing really. We mostly talked." Issac replied, leaning his head back against the rear window, his eyes having trouble focusing on anything outside of the Pod. His face did not reveal the pleasant memories of the last night, it was such a strange and new experience, and the fact that it was partly sexual had given him a rather nice boost of ego. 

"Almost twenty two years old and you still can't talk about it." Richard laughed.

"No, I mean...we did some other stuff. I mean, but not sex or anything." 

"No? But you slept with her?" Richard grinned. He was impressed, La'ala was an attractive girl, very attractive even.

Issac brushed a strand of hair that had fallen near his eye, "I guess, I slept on one pillow while her head rested on another." 

"So just kissing?"

"It was strange, but yeah, just that." 

Richard chuckled, "I remember my first experience with that." There was a long silence as both brothers seemed to sink away into thought. 

"Do you ever miss being with a human girl?" Issac asked curiously. 

Richard glanced out the window, "I would never dream of another." He said, speaking slowly and purposefully. He turned back towards Issac, his mouth opening, but closing again as he faced forward, "Well, I'm glad you are off to a good start out here." 

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Kikata strode up the landing ramp, sending a quick message to Richard to let him know that she had made it back to the ship. A few quick turns after she had entered the ship brought her to the community quarters. She sighed, always feeling relieved to be back home on the ship. Though her relaxation quickly left her as she heard the sound of a faint whimpering. "Atrix?" She called out. There was no response but she noticed movement in a chair across the room. She dropped her bag onto a table and rushed towards Atrix, who was curled tightly in a ball, her face pressed into the armrest of the chair. "Atrix!" Kiakta said again, her hand gently falling onto the girls shoulder, "What's wrong, what happened?" She continued. She spoke softly, trying her best to relax her. Finally Atrix's head turned towards Kikata, her gray eyes fogged over and bloodshot. Kikata's thumb gently stroked her shoulder as she guided her to a more upright position. "What's wrong?" She said again, her other hand now gripping Atrix's. Atrix's eye darted towards the door before falling back towards Kikata's. "You want to go to your room?" 

Atrix nodded. 

"Okay." Kiakta said, rising to her feet. 

Atrix pulled her hand away from Kikata's before following her back towards her room. The small pet she had rescued bounded towards her, Atrix dipped down gracefully and took the creature in her hands before she sat down onto her bed. 

They sat silently for a few moments as Atrix seemed to gain a little more control. 

"So." Kikata finally spoke. "What happened?"

~ ~ ~ ~ 

Richard and Issac entered the ship. Both felt a little fatigued from the night before and the ride back to the ship. But as they walked through the hallways towards their own rooms Kikata's voice called through the radio system, "Richard, can I talk to you real quick?" 

Richard halted and glanced towards his brother, "What did I do now?" He asked, laughing as he patted his brother on the back, "See you later." 

"Alright." Issac said as he entered the ships shuttle. 

"Welcome back, Issac." Richata's voice was heard before the shuttle door closed. 

Richard pondered what Kikata wanted with him as he made his way towards the doorway that led to her room. Once inside he hopped on the small transport and took it towards her table where she sat waiting for him. "So?" He said once he was within earshot. 

"Atrix...had a little incident." 

"What?" Richard asked, "Did she leave the ship?" 

"No. It was with the ship's computer." 

"She break it?" 

"Richard..." Kikata groaned.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just trying to piece it together." 

"Well let me tell you." Kikata took a deep breath, "The ship's computer...questioned Atrix about her disorder."

"Well...that's odd." 

"What's more is...it seems like Issac told the computer that she had a malfunction. Or something of that nature."

"Oh." Richard said, rubbing his chin. "Look, I'll go have a talk with Issac."

~ ~ ~ ~ 

"She what?" Issac said, hardly believing what he had just heard. His brother seemed angry, though did not yell as he spoke. 

"The computer." Richard said, "Seemed to have transmitted a conversation you had with it to Atrix." 

"No...No that's not how it went. The computer asked me about Atrix yeah, but I told the computer that Atrix was fine."

"Then why did it ask her if she had a malfunction. In fact it didn't even ask. It told her so. Issac, Atrix is very fragile...you basically crippled her." 

Issac ran his hands through his hair, "I-I don't know. I'm sorry...I'll try and fix this...as soon as I can." 

Richard made his way towards the door, "Good. This really can't happen again. I'm sorry to be such an ass about it."

"No. It's my mistake, I guess." Issac watched as Richard left the room. Once he was gone Issac spoke, "Richata?" 

"Yes, Issac." 

"Why did you tell Atrix that she had a malfunction." 

"I was simply trying to deduce why she is listed as a crew member of this ship." 

"Well. Don't do that." 

"Are you angry with me?" 

"Yes, slightly. Atrix has a condition and you triggered it. From now on do not bring that up, or Atrix's purpose on this ship. Understood?" 

"Yes, Issac. I am sorry. I will not bother her again."

"Good."