Judgement – Best served cold; Hors d'oeuvre
by Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek
Post Details
::ON::
Three security officers, two men and a woman led by a trill, dragged and shoved the tall bokkai out of the bar. She was bright yellow, her hair almost white, her hands cuffed behind her. She hadn't changed much since he saw her last. "I didn't do it" she snarled at them as she struggled in their grip. "You're wasting your time! Gabriel put you up to this didn't he?" The security guards ignored her, pulling and heaving as they manhandled her to the turbo lifts.
Draylin Tal wasn't an optimistic person by nature. In fact, by the amount of planning to prevent failure that he did, one could label him as an obsessive pessimist. But as he watched the tall Bokkai, kicking and screaming injustice at the way she was being manhandled and dragged from her peaceful life by Security in front of the gathering crowd, the El Aurian allowed himself the surprisingly lighthearted thought that maybe life was good.
==Alderbaran Star Dock, 3 years ago==
"Yolanthe?....Yolanthe!"
The tall woman turned from staring through the airlock window to the young doctor, finally remembering that the person he was calling to was her. "Sorry. Miles away."
"So I see." Dr Dorain smiled at her, and held out a small carryall. "I replicated you some extra clothes, some bathroom sundries, a few other bits you may need."
Yolanthe's green tinged skin took on more grey at the thought of more federation fashion. The black blouse and pants they had given her were normal by federation standards, but she felt uncomfortably shrouded, with only the skin of her hands. face and neck on display. Her own people relied on the ever shifting colours of skin tone as important part of communication; covering up was considered rude, and in the steaming jungles where Yolanthe was born, Bokkai wore very little indeed. But now she had to blend in, conform. "thank you," she said weakly.
"Now remember, public replimats are free, as are most federation bars and hostels. Don't take berths on Ferengi ships, they pay appallingly badly." Dorain shuffled his feet for a moment. "You shouldn't go out there alone."
She resisted the urge to pat him on the head. "I'll be fine."
"If you're sure." He cycled the airlock, and let her out onto the stardock.
A lot of federation culture seeped onto Cherulan. Films and novels, news feeds, current affairs programs, but even knowing the many worlds of the federation engaged in such strange and impossible practices as male emancipation hadn't prepared her for the sight in front of her.
There were so many men. Dozens, Hundreds. Countless men. More men just in this part of the star dock than was owned by any six tribes put together. It took her breath away. It didn't matter that most of them had funny ears, or funny noses, or funny foreheads or that most of them came in a range of colours from oil to sand that just made them look like the walking dead, they were identifiably male. And they were just walking around, unaccompanied. Some of them even had weapons. Seeing it on the entertainment channels was one thing, In real life it was another. It felt completely wrong.
More than a few were looking her way, she was taller than most of them, and slowly cycling through a barrage of colours as a rainbow of emotions ran through her. She felt a bit like a walking lava lamp. For a moment she felt almost overwhelmed. She'd grown up in a jungle where the only thing more deadly than the fauna was the flora, had faced loss of limb or even life more times than she could remember and it had never really touched her. But this was something else This was the brave new world she had to inhabit, filled with new rules, and new standards and expectations, and oh so many men.
Without realising, she was rubbing her wrists. The bruising had been vanished away by the doctor's tools, but she could still feel it. For a moment she wondered if whatever dark fate the Andorian had had in mind for her might not have been easier to deal with than having to build a new life out of this.
She gave herself a mental slap. She'd faced worse and overcome. She would adapt. She needed money, or whatever passed for money in the federation's infamously post consumer society, and that meant a job. And you didn't get anything done by standing around gawping at men. She hefted the kit bag onto a shoulder, and picked a direction at random, intending to wander the starbase until she found someone or something that could help her take the next step in building her new life.
Fifteen hours and two months. It had been fifteen hours and two months since his last job and Draylin couldn't keep his nerves in check anymore. He was getting restless. The cooling down periods between his jobs had grow shorter over the years he'd been doing this, but now even he thought it was ridiculous. If he carried on like this, he could come into danger of getting caught.
Sitting back in his chair and downing the drink he had ordered, Draylin looked around the Promenade, his natural instincts singling out the easier targets. The ones who, when gone, wouldn't be missed. His eyes finally fell on a young man, Trill, judging from his spots. No older than 20, skinny, in clothes that told Draylin he wasn't just your regular man.
'Security,' Draylin decided internally, moving on. Standing up, he thought it was best he leave the area. The last thing he wanted was for that Security officer to get a good enough look of him. Paying the waitress, he pulled at his coat to adjust it before making his way down the crowded promenade. When it cleared a bit, Draylin's senses picked up something odd. Glancing to the side, he saw a familiar youth walking after him, trying to keep quiet. But of course, Draylin sometimes felt things others didn't, even when on medication.
Deciding to test him, he moved quickly to the side and walked down a nearby corridor that connected him to the part of the promenade that connected to the docking ports. The human adolescent was still following. Daniels. A common mugger he knew everyone on the station would be happy to see 'disappear'. It was the perfect opportunity. For him to both do some public good, and to make sure he didn't get back to work so soon after his last job. Adjusting his coat so that his sedative hypo was at hand, Draylin slowed slightly, wanting to make sure Daniels caught up with him near one of the darker areas.
Unaware of his danger, Daniels pressed towards the el-aurian, reaching into his own pocket for the stunner he kept there. It required close contact, but that meant it could avoid station scanners. The el-aurian looked unaware of him as he dawdled to gaze in some shop windows. As they closed on the service tunnel between an empty unit and the ferengi credit exchange, the boy took the palmed scanner from his pocket.
Mimicking his gesture, Draylin ran his fingers over the warming metal cylinder of his hypo, licking his lips as he felt Daniels inch closer to him. He could practically smell him.
They passed the entrance to the tunnel. It was then that boy seemed to trip, stumble and shove Draylin into the darkness. The palm stunner didn't land in quite the right place though, and failed to make body contact. Instead, his clothes fizzed with static electricity.
But the electricity was enough to set Draylin's skin, and nerves, on fire. His nostrils flared as he fought against his instincts to just floor the kid and rip his heart out, and instead he tried to make it appear as if Daniels had the upper hand.
Satisfied that his prey was down, Daniels pulled out a switchblade, leaning over to cut away the chain around Draylin's neck.
Draylin's nostrils flared as he gripped the dagger in his hand and made a movement forward to slide the blade into the young man's chest when he was suddenly aware of another, unfortunate presence.
"Get away from him."
The speaker was a woman, one used to being obeyed, though not necessarily giving orders. Daniels didn't take his eye from the chain he was trying to saw through. "Piss off, bitch."
A violet hand took the boy by the shoulder and hauled him back. "I don't want to have to hurt you."
Daniels turned, Draylin forgotten, and lunged for the speaker. A woman, taller than the boy, taller than most men, and a shade of velvety violet Draylin had never seen in a being before. Daniels' stunner lashed out, but at the same moment her hand came up, sweeping the stunner aside, and then her elbow came across, smashing Daniels' nose and sending him spinning into the wall. She grabbed the back of his shirt, and ran him against the wall a second time before the boy dropped like a stone. The whole thing took less than a second
She stepped over the unconscious mugger, and offered Draylin her hand, which was now a dark yellow, "Need some help?"
The 'victim', a tall man with platinum blond hair, white in this light, looked at her offered hand with what could only be described as disbelief. A look she would no doubt believe was there to show how relieved and shocked he was to be 'rescued'. But deep down, where what little emotion Draylin possessed lived, anger was bubbling. Anger and disappointment, melded together to create the look of utter disbelief in having been denied release from his tension. He looked up from her hand to her expression, the fair, unique features of her face permanently seared into his mind.
He stood up slowly without her assistance. She was taller than him, but not by much. Draylin was a well built, tall, intimidating man even by his appearance. He looked into her eyes, his own obscured by the dark shaded glasses he wore, even in this dark corridor.
She didn't seem intimidated by him at all. In fact, she looked worried for him. "hurt or injured?" she asked. "Anything at all?"
Draylin looked her up and down, seeming to take in her appearance for the first time. "I'm fine," he assured her.
She examined him for damage, then looked down at Daniels. She turned a shade of orange. "Oh dear, I think I've broken his nose."
"Who cares? He should count himself lucky that he's not dead," he told her, "Come on, lemme buy you a drink or something. Least I can do for you," he offered, hoping she would accept. He was curious to learn more about his 'saviour'.
"Are you sure? Don't we have to find him a medicine-woman or something?" she asked, uncertain of what was supposed to happen now.
Draylin looked down at the young man, who was groaning in pain. He turned back to look at the Bokkai and pointed to Daniels. "Fuck him. He'll live. Unfortunately," he added. "His legs work, so he can go to the doctor himself. But he won't," he explained. "So just leave him and let's get a drink." With that, Draylin stepped over a moaning Daniels and began going down the Promenade, glancing briefly back to see if the woman was following.
She stood over the stricken boy for a moment, agonising over what she should do. A man in pain tugged every social more and guilt pang she possessed. But at the same time she was angry he had tried to hit her, and concerned about the young man he had been attacking, who seemed determined to play it tough.
Making up her mind, she came to a compromise. She reached down to Daniels, and reset his nose with a sharp tweak. He howled once and fell back unconscious. Then, she hurried after Draylin, blurring through shades of green, gold and orange, as her conscience and her nerves vied for attention.
Smirking as he saw the woman was following, he looked over at her. "That's quite a trick," he observed, watching her skin change color. "I have to say, I've never seen one of you before and that's saying something because I've been around a while."
She shrugged. "My world's on the outside edge of the galaxy, and we don't really travel much, as a species. I doubt there's been more than a hundred of us off world in a century." She looked at him. "Are you a human?"
"No," Draylin shook his head in reply, leading her into a bar. Nodding to the Yridian bartender, he motioned towards the table they were going to and the man began mixing his usual drink for him. Draylin sat down at the table and lightly pushed out a chair with his foot for the tall alien. "I'm El Aurian. And what do you call yourselves, anyway? As a species?"
"Bokkai." She sat down. "I don't know you, as a species." She shrugged. "Beyond the entertainment broadcasts we pick up, I don't really know any species. I can guess the common ones. But once you get past human, vulcan, klingon, Andorian," at the last her skin went from purple to yellow and back again in a second. "Then I'm guessing."
"We'll I'm not exactly El Aurian either and I'm not a half-breed, so just consider me...unique," he explained with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
She wasn't sure what he meant, but smiled back. "Alright." she fished around for soemthing to say. "I'm Yolanthe. What do I call you?"
"Draylin," he replied. "So how come you're so far away from home? And all by yourself."
He could see her calculating what she was going to tell him, her skin becoming a golden yellow, her hair the colour of butter. "I had to leave. Get out, see the universe." her response was clipped and screamed do not want to talk about it
Draylin nodded, his small empathic sense telling him he was onto something. "I understand. Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone to truly grow beyond the place you were born in."
He didn't miss the burst of grey that was quickly suppressed by the yellow again. "Sometimes things just happen, and even if you do everything you can, it isn't enough." She looked away, towards a viewing window, staring out at the stars. "So here I am, no plan, no purpose."
"Everyone has a purpose," Draylin told her, reaching up to take off the sunglasses he wore and finally uncovering his eyes. His black pupils were dilated and bright in the darkness of that particular corner of the bar. But what really stood out was the diamond ring that encircled it, changing color from pink to blue to gold as his head moved, finally settling on a pale pink as he looked straight at Yolanthe.
"You just have to find yours again," he said.
"but where to start?" she asked, talking more to herself than to the man in front of her. "No money, no contacts. I don't really have any sort of skills that would be useful in the federation. I'm good for manual labour, and thats about it."
"Well you have to start somewhere," Draylin told her with a shrug, leaning back for a moment to observe the intriguing woman in front of him. She really did look magnificent. "How about this? I have a friend out in the docking bay. I think she could use an extra pair of hands to load and unload the cargo. It's not glamorous, but she'll pay you. And she's a woman, so there's no chance she might force you to do anything besides lug boxes around," Draylin explain. "Plus, you'll meet plenty of people around the docking bay, so it should help you network at least a little."
Draylin wasn't sure why he'd decided to help her. Even years in the future, he'll still catch himself wondering just what drove him to actually lend a hand to someone he'd met only a few moments ago. Someone who had foiled a perfect plan of his. Part of him often rationalized it as pity, but that was wrong. He didn't feel pity. In fact, he didn't feel much of anything. But, a small part of him, however deeply buried it was, felt sympathy for her. She was unique and lost in a whole new world she'd been sheltered from her entire life.
Just like he was all those years ago.
She smiled at him, and the yellow blurred away into a bright sky blue. "That's very kind of you. I hope its not trouble for you?" Help from a man. It was the second time she'd ever had any. It wasn't so bad after all.
"If it was trouble I wouldn't have said anything," Draylin explain as if it were obvious. "Besides, it's a rough station, no Fleeties for lightyears. No girl should be left to just fend for herself. The pimps from the sublevels will come crawling out of the woodwork the minute they catch wind of one," he explained, sipping the drink in front of him. "So you watch yourself and don't trust anyone."
She wasn't entirely sure what he meant. Prostitution was one of the most alien concepts she had ever come across and was only vaguely aware of the details. "I think I can handle a few men," she reassured him. "What about you. You're young and pretty. Aren't you bothered about the... pimps?"
Draylin laughed. "Of course not. They're smarter than to try anything with me. But thank you. I don't think I've ever been called pretty before," he chuckled. "And I'm not young. I'm almost three hundred years old," he told her with a smile.
Her jaw dropped. "No? Wow." She was at a loss for words. "What do you do with all that...time?"
"You find ways to fill the time," Draylin told her, downing his drink. "Plus, it makes you very laid back to know you won't die anytime soon."
"I bet. So, what are you doing now."
"I'm kind of in transit," he said as neutrally as possible.
"I know how that works." She paused, staring at nothing, lost in thought for a moment.
Finishing his drink, Draylin observed Yolanthe for a few quiet moments before offering her a small smile and standing up in one fluid movement. "Come on, I'll walk you to the docks and introduce you to my friend personally," he told her, paying for them in the meantime and sliding his glasses back on.
"thanks." She stood, her full height making him look short in comparison, and they headed out of the little cafe, towards the docking rings. Plenty of life moved past them, all so different to what she was used to, and so much of it male. This was going to take a lot of getting used to. Perhaps more than she could manage.
As they walked slowly down the promenade of the station, Draylin watched the Bokkai out of the corner of his eye, unnoticed by the woman herself. He ran his eyes over her oddly colored skin, part of him wanting to reach out and touch it to see if the color would rub off, like a painting. He suppressed the childish fascination and knew he could wait. He watched her expression. Reaching for her, he placed a gloved hand on the small of her back.
"Don't look so worried," Draylin told her, guiding her alone. "I'll take care of you."
She laughed then. "I'm sorry." she said, choking the sound abruptly, "but where I come from, women look after men. I find the idea of the other way around... strange. Not sure I could get used to it."
The corners of Draylin's mouth rose in a small smile. "Well, think of it this way. You're lost and I'll help you find your way?"
"I can manage that." She smiled back at him. "Guess I should be grateful that if I getting help from a man, you're pretty normal."
"Yeah, pretty normal," he nodded in agreement.
::OFF::
A JP Between
Yolanthe Ibalin
Fresh of the Boat
Draylin Tal (NPCed by Maja)
Ever helpful
by Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek
Post Details
| Title | Best served cold; Hors d'oeuvre | |
| Mission | Judgement | |
| Author(s) | Alderman Yolanthe Ibalin & (G) Arrain - Lieutenant Arrienye t'Merek | |
| Posted | Wed Mar 09, 2011 @ 6:01pm | |
| Location | Aldebaran Stardock | |
| Timeline | SD36 1230/Flashback - 3 years ago |
Three security officers, two men and a woman led by a trill, dragged and shoved the tall bokkai out of the bar. She was bright yellow, her hair almost white, her hands cuffed behind her. She hadn't changed much since he saw her last. "I didn't do it" she snarled at them as she struggled in their grip. "You're wasting your time! Gabriel put you up to this didn't he?" The security guards ignored her, pulling and heaving as they manhandled her to the turbo lifts.
Draylin Tal wasn't an optimistic person by nature. In fact, by the amount of planning to prevent failure that he did, one could label him as an obsessive pessimist. But as he watched the tall Bokkai, kicking and screaming injustice at the way she was being manhandled and dragged from her peaceful life by Security in front of the gathering crowd, the El Aurian allowed himself the surprisingly lighthearted thought that maybe life was good.
==Alderbaran Star Dock, 3 years ago==
"Yolanthe?....Yolanthe!"
The tall woman turned from staring through the airlock window to the young doctor, finally remembering that the person he was calling to was her. "Sorry. Miles away."
"So I see." Dr Dorain smiled at her, and held out a small carryall. "I replicated you some extra clothes, some bathroom sundries, a few other bits you may need."
Yolanthe's green tinged skin took on more grey at the thought of more federation fashion. The black blouse and pants they had given her were normal by federation standards, but she felt uncomfortably shrouded, with only the skin of her hands. face and neck on display. Her own people relied on the ever shifting colours of skin tone as important part of communication; covering up was considered rude, and in the steaming jungles where Yolanthe was born, Bokkai wore very little indeed. But now she had to blend in, conform. "thank you," she said weakly.
"Now remember, public replimats are free, as are most federation bars and hostels. Don't take berths on Ferengi ships, they pay appallingly badly." Dorain shuffled his feet for a moment. "You shouldn't go out there alone."
She resisted the urge to pat him on the head. "I'll be fine."
"If you're sure." He cycled the airlock, and let her out onto the stardock.
A lot of federation culture seeped onto Cherulan. Films and novels, news feeds, current affairs programs, but even knowing the many worlds of the federation engaged in such strange and impossible practices as male emancipation hadn't prepared her for the sight in front of her.
There were so many men. Dozens, Hundreds. Countless men. More men just in this part of the star dock than was owned by any six tribes put together. It took her breath away. It didn't matter that most of them had funny ears, or funny noses, or funny foreheads or that most of them came in a range of colours from oil to sand that just made them look like the walking dead, they were identifiably male. And they were just walking around, unaccompanied. Some of them even had weapons. Seeing it on the entertainment channels was one thing, In real life it was another. It felt completely wrong.
More than a few were looking her way, she was taller than most of them, and slowly cycling through a barrage of colours as a rainbow of emotions ran through her. She felt a bit like a walking lava lamp. For a moment she felt almost overwhelmed. She'd grown up in a jungle where the only thing more deadly than the fauna was the flora, had faced loss of limb or even life more times than she could remember and it had never really touched her. But this was something else This was the brave new world she had to inhabit, filled with new rules, and new standards and expectations, and oh so many men.
Without realising, she was rubbing her wrists. The bruising had been vanished away by the doctor's tools, but she could still feel it. For a moment she wondered if whatever dark fate the Andorian had had in mind for her might not have been easier to deal with than having to build a new life out of this.
She gave herself a mental slap. She'd faced worse and overcome. She would adapt. She needed money, or whatever passed for money in the federation's infamously post consumer society, and that meant a job. And you didn't get anything done by standing around gawping at men. She hefted the kit bag onto a shoulder, and picked a direction at random, intending to wander the starbase until she found someone or something that could help her take the next step in building her new life.
Fifteen hours and two months. It had been fifteen hours and two months since his last job and Draylin couldn't keep his nerves in check anymore. He was getting restless. The cooling down periods between his jobs had grow shorter over the years he'd been doing this, but now even he thought it was ridiculous. If he carried on like this, he could come into danger of getting caught.
Sitting back in his chair and downing the drink he had ordered, Draylin looked around the Promenade, his natural instincts singling out the easier targets. The ones who, when gone, wouldn't be missed. His eyes finally fell on a young man, Trill, judging from his spots. No older than 20, skinny, in clothes that told Draylin he wasn't just your regular man.
'Security,' Draylin decided internally, moving on. Standing up, he thought it was best he leave the area. The last thing he wanted was for that Security officer to get a good enough look of him. Paying the waitress, he pulled at his coat to adjust it before making his way down the crowded promenade. When it cleared a bit, Draylin's senses picked up something odd. Glancing to the side, he saw a familiar youth walking after him, trying to keep quiet. But of course, Draylin sometimes felt things others didn't, even when on medication.
Deciding to test him, he moved quickly to the side and walked down a nearby corridor that connected him to the part of the promenade that connected to the docking ports. The human adolescent was still following. Daniels. A common mugger he knew everyone on the station would be happy to see 'disappear'. It was the perfect opportunity. For him to both do some public good, and to make sure he didn't get back to work so soon after his last job. Adjusting his coat so that his sedative hypo was at hand, Draylin slowed slightly, wanting to make sure Daniels caught up with him near one of the darker areas.
Unaware of his danger, Daniels pressed towards the el-aurian, reaching into his own pocket for the stunner he kept there. It required close contact, but that meant it could avoid station scanners. The el-aurian looked unaware of him as he dawdled to gaze in some shop windows. As they closed on the service tunnel between an empty unit and the ferengi credit exchange, the boy took the palmed scanner from his pocket.
Mimicking his gesture, Draylin ran his fingers over the warming metal cylinder of his hypo, licking his lips as he felt Daniels inch closer to him. He could practically smell him.
They passed the entrance to the tunnel. It was then that boy seemed to trip, stumble and shove Draylin into the darkness. The palm stunner didn't land in quite the right place though, and failed to make body contact. Instead, his clothes fizzed with static electricity.
But the electricity was enough to set Draylin's skin, and nerves, on fire. His nostrils flared as he fought against his instincts to just floor the kid and rip his heart out, and instead he tried to make it appear as if Daniels had the upper hand.
Satisfied that his prey was down, Daniels pulled out a switchblade, leaning over to cut away the chain around Draylin's neck.
Draylin's nostrils flared as he gripped the dagger in his hand and made a movement forward to slide the blade into the young man's chest when he was suddenly aware of another, unfortunate presence.
"Get away from him."
The speaker was a woman, one used to being obeyed, though not necessarily giving orders. Daniels didn't take his eye from the chain he was trying to saw through. "Piss off, bitch."
A violet hand took the boy by the shoulder and hauled him back. "I don't want to have to hurt you."
Daniels turned, Draylin forgotten, and lunged for the speaker. A woman, taller than the boy, taller than most men, and a shade of velvety violet Draylin had never seen in a being before. Daniels' stunner lashed out, but at the same moment her hand came up, sweeping the stunner aside, and then her elbow came across, smashing Daniels' nose and sending him spinning into the wall. She grabbed the back of his shirt, and ran him against the wall a second time before the boy dropped like a stone. The whole thing took less than a second
She stepped over the unconscious mugger, and offered Draylin her hand, which was now a dark yellow, "Need some help?"
The 'victim', a tall man with platinum blond hair, white in this light, looked at her offered hand with what could only be described as disbelief. A look she would no doubt believe was there to show how relieved and shocked he was to be 'rescued'. But deep down, where what little emotion Draylin possessed lived, anger was bubbling. Anger and disappointment, melded together to create the look of utter disbelief in having been denied release from his tension. He looked up from her hand to her expression, the fair, unique features of her face permanently seared into his mind.
He stood up slowly without her assistance. She was taller than him, but not by much. Draylin was a well built, tall, intimidating man even by his appearance. He looked into her eyes, his own obscured by the dark shaded glasses he wore, even in this dark corridor.
She didn't seem intimidated by him at all. In fact, she looked worried for him. "hurt or injured?" she asked. "Anything at all?"
Draylin looked her up and down, seeming to take in her appearance for the first time. "I'm fine," he assured her.
She examined him for damage, then looked down at Daniels. She turned a shade of orange. "Oh dear, I think I've broken his nose."
"Who cares? He should count himself lucky that he's not dead," he told her, "Come on, lemme buy you a drink or something. Least I can do for you," he offered, hoping she would accept. He was curious to learn more about his 'saviour'.
"Are you sure? Don't we have to find him a medicine-woman or something?" she asked, uncertain of what was supposed to happen now.
Draylin looked down at the young man, who was groaning in pain. He turned back to look at the Bokkai and pointed to Daniels. "Fuck him. He'll live. Unfortunately," he added. "His legs work, so he can go to the doctor himself. But he won't," he explained. "So just leave him and let's get a drink." With that, Draylin stepped over a moaning Daniels and began going down the Promenade, glancing briefly back to see if the woman was following.
She stood over the stricken boy for a moment, agonising over what she should do. A man in pain tugged every social more and guilt pang she possessed. But at the same time she was angry he had tried to hit her, and concerned about the young man he had been attacking, who seemed determined to play it tough.
Making up her mind, she came to a compromise. She reached down to Daniels, and reset his nose with a sharp tweak. He howled once and fell back unconscious. Then, she hurried after Draylin, blurring through shades of green, gold and orange, as her conscience and her nerves vied for attention.
Smirking as he saw the woman was following, he looked over at her. "That's quite a trick," he observed, watching her skin change color. "I have to say, I've never seen one of you before and that's saying something because I've been around a while."
She shrugged. "My world's on the outside edge of the galaxy, and we don't really travel much, as a species. I doubt there's been more than a hundred of us off world in a century." She looked at him. "Are you a human?"
"No," Draylin shook his head in reply, leading her into a bar. Nodding to the Yridian bartender, he motioned towards the table they were going to and the man began mixing his usual drink for him. Draylin sat down at the table and lightly pushed out a chair with his foot for the tall alien. "I'm El Aurian. And what do you call yourselves, anyway? As a species?"
"Bokkai." She sat down. "I don't know you, as a species." She shrugged. "Beyond the entertainment broadcasts we pick up, I don't really know any species. I can guess the common ones. But once you get past human, vulcan, klingon, Andorian," at the last her skin went from purple to yellow and back again in a second. "Then I'm guessing."
"We'll I'm not exactly El Aurian either and I'm not a half-breed, so just consider me...unique," he explained with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
She wasn't sure what he meant, but smiled back. "Alright." she fished around for soemthing to say. "I'm Yolanthe. What do I call you?"
"Draylin," he replied. "So how come you're so far away from home? And all by yourself."
He could see her calculating what she was going to tell him, her skin becoming a golden yellow, her hair the colour of butter. "I had to leave. Get out, see the universe." her response was clipped and screamed do not want to talk about it
Draylin nodded, his small empathic sense telling him he was onto something. "I understand. Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone to truly grow beyond the place you were born in."
He didn't miss the burst of grey that was quickly suppressed by the yellow again. "Sometimes things just happen, and even if you do everything you can, it isn't enough." She looked away, towards a viewing window, staring out at the stars. "So here I am, no plan, no purpose."
"Everyone has a purpose," Draylin told her, reaching up to take off the sunglasses he wore and finally uncovering his eyes. His black pupils were dilated and bright in the darkness of that particular corner of the bar. But what really stood out was the diamond ring that encircled it, changing color from pink to blue to gold as his head moved, finally settling on a pale pink as he looked straight at Yolanthe.
"You just have to find yours again," he said.
"but where to start?" she asked, talking more to herself than to the man in front of her. "No money, no contacts. I don't really have any sort of skills that would be useful in the federation. I'm good for manual labour, and thats about it."
"Well you have to start somewhere," Draylin told her with a shrug, leaning back for a moment to observe the intriguing woman in front of him. She really did look magnificent. "How about this? I have a friend out in the docking bay. I think she could use an extra pair of hands to load and unload the cargo. It's not glamorous, but she'll pay you. And she's a woman, so there's no chance she might force you to do anything besides lug boxes around," Draylin explain. "Plus, you'll meet plenty of people around the docking bay, so it should help you network at least a little."
Draylin wasn't sure why he'd decided to help her. Even years in the future, he'll still catch himself wondering just what drove him to actually lend a hand to someone he'd met only a few moments ago. Someone who had foiled a perfect plan of his. Part of him often rationalized it as pity, but that was wrong. He didn't feel pity. In fact, he didn't feel much of anything. But, a small part of him, however deeply buried it was, felt sympathy for her. She was unique and lost in a whole new world she'd been sheltered from her entire life.
Just like he was all those years ago.
She smiled at him, and the yellow blurred away into a bright sky blue. "That's very kind of you. I hope its not trouble for you?" Help from a man. It was the second time she'd ever had any. It wasn't so bad after all.
"If it was trouble I wouldn't have said anything," Draylin explain as if it were obvious. "Besides, it's a rough station, no Fleeties for lightyears. No girl should be left to just fend for herself. The pimps from the sublevels will come crawling out of the woodwork the minute they catch wind of one," he explained, sipping the drink in front of him. "So you watch yourself and don't trust anyone."
She wasn't entirely sure what he meant. Prostitution was one of the most alien concepts she had ever come across and was only vaguely aware of the details. "I think I can handle a few men," she reassured him. "What about you. You're young and pretty. Aren't you bothered about the... pimps?"
Draylin laughed. "Of course not. They're smarter than to try anything with me. But thank you. I don't think I've ever been called pretty before," he chuckled. "And I'm not young. I'm almost three hundred years old," he told her with a smile.
Her jaw dropped. "No? Wow." She was at a loss for words. "What do you do with all that...time?"
"You find ways to fill the time," Draylin told her, downing his drink. "Plus, it makes you very laid back to know you won't die anytime soon."
"I bet. So, what are you doing now."
"I'm kind of in transit," he said as neutrally as possible.
"I know how that works." She paused, staring at nothing, lost in thought for a moment.
Finishing his drink, Draylin observed Yolanthe for a few quiet moments before offering her a small smile and standing up in one fluid movement. "Come on, I'll walk you to the docks and introduce you to my friend personally," he told her, paying for them in the meantime and sliding his glasses back on.
"thanks." She stood, her full height making him look short in comparison, and they headed out of the little cafe, towards the docking rings. Plenty of life moved past them, all so different to what she was used to, and so much of it male. This was going to take a lot of getting used to. Perhaps more than she could manage.
As they walked slowly down the promenade of the station, Draylin watched the Bokkai out of the corner of his eye, unnoticed by the woman herself. He ran his eyes over her oddly colored skin, part of him wanting to reach out and touch it to see if the color would rub off, like a painting. He suppressed the childish fascination and knew he could wait. He watched her expression. Reaching for her, he placed a gloved hand on the small of her back.
"Don't look so worried," Draylin told her, guiding her alone. "I'll take care of you."
She laughed then. "I'm sorry." she said, choking the sound abruptly, "but where I come from, women look after men. I find the idea of the other way around... strange. Not sure I could get used to it."
The corners of Draylin's mouth rose in a small smile. "Well, think of it this way. You're lost and I'll help you find your way?"
"I can manage that." She smiled back at him. "Guess I should be grateful that if I getting help from a man, you're pretty normal."
"Yeah, pretty normal," he nodded in agreement.
::OFF::
A JP Between
Yolanthe Ibalin
Fresh of the Boat
Draylin Tal (NPCed by Maja)
Ever helpful