Captured Angel

Trea’k found the thing on the other side of the protective glass to be utterly fascinating. Of course, it also had the potential to be horrifically dangerous; their prior encounters with the strange creatures that Dustin believed this entity was connected to had all ended in **** and several near fatalities including that of Trea’k’s mate. But the concept of a creature so akin to both herself and Bleu and yet so different to them both had the Vex’ess envoy captivated.

“You said that you were cut off from a cluster; from what my mate has informed me, we should probably start our discussions there. How do you feel about what has happened?” Trea’k began, swiping her tablet to a clean page ready to make notes as she spoke. The entity now known as Defia tilted it’s head to one side before responding in that clear yet sing-song voice that the counsellor thought was quite charming but apparently non-insectoids found disturbing.

“Statement - this unit is unsure of feelings. Biological lifeforms recognized as having biochemical reactions leading to differing interpretations of events and actions. Synthesis of this process was prohibited by the greater cluster. This unit has yet to derive a consistent result as to whether to implement similar processes now that I am rejected.” Sure enough, there was no emotion in the words, and Trea’k’s chitin rattled on the tablet as she made some quick notes before glancing back up at Defia.

The… what should they call it’s species? That was a good question. Trea’k gave what she hoped was a comforting smile - sometimes, even with her more human face since evolving into an envoy non-Vex’ess looked worried if she smiled, so who knew how a pile of nanites would react? Fortunately, Defia didn’t seem to be influenced either way by the gesture, and so the counsellor continued her questioning by raising the point of Defia’s species.

To Trea’k’s surprise, Defia gave a low whine and shook it’s head, as if trying to clear a headache. “Statement - information regarding the greater cluster is largely corrupted. Unit priority insufficient at time of separation from secondary cluster to archive requested data. Actual species name unknown, secondary designation requires frequencies inaudible to unit Trea’k. Please hold; I am scanning the data I have received on linguistics to identify a suitable string for general use.”

With that, Defia’s body slumped, the glow of it’s eyes fading as it seemed to be looking internally at whatever information it had gained from scanning Rye’s tablet. Trea’k let it take it’s time, retrieving a glass of water for herself while she waited. She’d reached the halfway mark of the water before Defia sat up again and turned back towards her with an answer.

“Unit designation Defia has identified a suitable descriptor for the clusters in accordance with request from unit Trea’k. Identification, approximate translation would be ‘Fractals’. Additional information - species is composed of clusters within clusters, concept of mathematically infinite patterns suggested as closest human language approximation.” With that, Defia fell silent, apparently waiting for another request from the counsellor.

Trea’k tapped the chitin on one of her arms thoughtfully. Extracting information from Defia was both easy and challenging at the same time; the fractal creature was eager - if such a word could be applied - to assist, but every question ran into a wall of differences between the way their different species understood the universe that was stretching Trea’k’s skills. Still, she had a job to do, and if the entity wasn’t in emotional distress, the next thing would be to pick it’s brains…

As the insect woman was thinking that, Defia’s shoulders suddenly straightened, and it turned to look at Trea’k directly rather than with the tilted head it had always used so far. “Statement. This unit wishes to ask a question; permission requested from senior unit to query data and to assist with decision processes.” Trea’k blinked; four eyes opening and closing in order before she responded with a nod of her head; given what Defia had told Dustin about the reasons it had been expelled from it’s cluster, while it might not have had emotions that particular query must have been difficult for it to make.

At Trea’k’s permission Defia moved closer, pressing one pitch-dark hand against the glass. “Statement. The majority of lifeforms seen on board so far are bimodal in appearance. Addendum, observations indicate several senior units have formed reproductive bonds with the prime unit. Statement. All units demonstrate elevated stress symptoms when interacting with unit Defia. Query. Would adopting a binomial form reduce stress in other units? Analysis indicates likelihood, however unit Defia unclear on specifics of cluster configuration.”

Trea’k turned the concept over in her head for a moment, then nodded once more. “I believe that adopting a more human-like appearance would help reduce stress among many of the crew. Humans will bond with anything; the more human you appear up to a point they refer to as the ‘uncanny valley’, the more likely they are to be on your side. What exactly are you unclear about regarding the configuration of the crew? I can provide you with a diagram if it would assist?”

Defia shook it’s head, before attempting to mirror Trea’k’s earlier smile. Jagged black spikes in the place of teeth made the effect far more menacing than the Vex’ess was sure the Fractal had intended it to be, although her thoughts were rapidly overtaken by what Defia said next. “Statement. All units so far observed as being senior in rank have demonstrated behaviours indicative of a reproductive bond with the prime unit. Unit Defia is currently operating under nodes designation Bleu and Trea’k. Query. Is reproductive bonding a prerequisite for advancement to core node status? Statement. Data on tablet provided by unit designate Rye appeared to indicate conflict between prime unit and Fractal clusters. Directive-statement. Unit Defia wishes to assist. Countermeasure to cluster treatment of unit Defia required. Statement-query. I wish to be of service, how best to ensure node status elevated to provide maximum assistance?”

Trea’k was glad that she’d not had a mouthful of drink as the Fractal creature ran through it’s thought processes. Staring at the ceiling for a moment, the Vex’ess woman pondered how best to answer. Oh, she knew full well what her mate would say; that much was obvious - he’d want Defia to be it’s own self, not to form around his desires. Equally, the creature seemed to want to take a more human form to allow it to better work with the rest of the crew, and if that was the case… The Vex’ess woman glanced back at Defia’s ears - although more like the antennae of a network station than actual ears in form, their long angular nature did put her in mind of Meli.

Sighing to herself, the Vex’ess woman inclined her head to Defia. “In answer to your question; being intimate with Dustin is not a requirement for authority - several members of the senior crew either took some time or have not and are never likely to join his relationship. I believe as I said earlier that adopting a more human appearance will help with your interactions with the rest of the crew, but the captain will want you to be true to yourself first. If you wish to become more female or male, I believe he will accept that as well. Regarding your desires for what sounds like **** - these are understandable, and I’ll work with you to process them over time.”

For a moment, Defia stood there, head tilting from one side to another and back before nodding seemingly to itself. “Unit Defia acknowledges the information received. Statement. The tablet unit Rye provided contained multiple files I do not believe she intended to be added to my data stores. Analysis of those files containing data relating to the senior crew indicates probability of this unit enjoying one form of binomial appearance over another. Statement. Please do not inform Rye that I have seen them; I believe she would be mortified.”

Trea’k blushed; she was pretty sure she knew exactly what Defia was talking about - that had been Rye’s personal tablet after all, and the engineer did love making her home movies. While the Vex’ess woman was idly curious as to whether it had been the very first one with Meli, Emely and Rye or the one that the bunny girl had talked her into making more recently that the Fractal was talking about (those two being among Rye’s favourites and thus likely to be on the tablet) she was more interested in what Defia said next.

“Statement. This unit has reached a consensus on multiple vectors. Permission requested for time to action form adaptation; I will likely be unresponsive for approximately four hours during this process.” The plea was clear, and Trea’k couldn’t see any reason to reject it. A final nod of the Vex’ess’s head was all it took for Defia to turn and walk over to the low bed that had been included in place of the grav sled in the now far smaller secure chamber. Lying down on it, the Fractal raised one hand in a thumbs up before slumping back, the glow of it’s eyes fading to mere pinpricks.

Trea’k called Dustin back down to the medbay a little over four and a half hours later. Entering, he saw his lovebug sitting sipping a cup of tea, eyes flickering towards the glass periodically. Looking in the direction Trea’k was staring, he began to say “how is it doing…” but the view on the other side of the glass stopped him in his tracks. Trea’k’s amused sounding comment of “I think she’s doing rather well all things considered” barely cut through as he fought an instinctive reaction to rush into the quarantine chamber.

On the far side of the glass, Defia sat, half curled into a ball with her arms wrapped tight across her chest. The woman - at least, she looked like a woman to Dustin - was now dressed in a Solar Ascent jumpsuit, the zipper only pulled about halfway up. Her curves filled out the outfit in a rather interesting way as far as Dustin’s hind-brain was concerned; his fore-brain however remained focused on Trea’k’s next words. “Defia’s still a little in shock right now; apparently she reconfigured her dermal arrangement to better replicate nerve endings on a human but hadn’t been prepared for the amount of extra sensations that would bring. Once she’s finished reconfiguring internally, we should be able to talk further with her.”