Meant to Be 12
Jun. 3rd, 2007 10:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
maderrAlright, peeps. Last chapter for now. Alas, I must concede the weekend is over and I must leave behind my voices for the fsking working world -_-
Enjoy! ^___^ You guys are Love.
Chapter Twelve
Planet 00000000 (Zero), the Palace of Eternity
Val clicked through his datapad, making new notes, adding additional questions, wishing badly he could add all the notes from the experiments – but that was all classified stuff, and the last thing he needed was for his datapad to get misplaced or stolen, and Bikendi's work handed right to the opposing team.
Hmm…which meant he probably shouldn't be adding in his new questions, since some of those gave away bits of what they were doing. Drat. He'd really wanted…assuming he ever worked up the nerve…which he knew he never would…
With a sigh, Val went back through and deleted his recently added questions.
As he deleted the last, he was reminded of a favorite article, and glancing at the clock – fifteen minutes – he flipped through his files and pulled it up, setting it on the tabletop to read the article, eyes moving quickly as they raced through the words.
Though Bikendi was reclusive, he was occasionally coaxed out of hiding to give a series of lectures on his research – the money from them helped to continue funding of his research and supplement his personal income.
Every single time he'd gotten notice of the lectures, Val had wanted to attend. But they were always off planet, and no one had really been comfortable with him leaving Coni (until now) without escort, and they had more important things to do than take him to a lecture he could just as easily watch on screen.
The article in question was an old favorite on evolution and the various species of sentient cat creatures, such as Danueb 'hellcats', the Sorva, and Leltreen. It was fascinating to see such similar races so drastically differed according to their environments. They were all definitely feline, much of their DNA was identical…but the few changes were crucial and made drastic differences. Bikendi had studied the matter at length, comparing a total of twelve 'feline races' within the IG.
He'd given three lectures on the matter – Val still had the recordings for them, and had watched them nearly to the point of memorization.
Of course, it had all been on the assumption that he'd never meet Dr Bikendi…now that he had, he was deadly terrified how the man would react to Val's no doubt childish collection.
The sound of the door sliding open brought his head up, and he guiltily clicked off the datapad and set it back down. He started to greet Bikendi when he felt something brush against his ankle. Looking down, he saw one of the lizards had escaped – though he had no idea how.
Kneeling, Val gently picked it up in his left hand, frowning at it. "Bad lizard, back in the cage you go. How did you—"
"Val!" Bikendi said sharply, shock in his voice.
"Sir?" Val asked, looking up, blinking at the expression on Bikendi's face.
Then realization flooded.
The lizard wasn't dead.
Startled, he dropped it. "How—what—"
Bikendi frowned and crossed the room. "Pick it up again, same as you did before."
Nodding, Val bent and once more scooped the squirming lizard up in his left hand. It flicked its tongue in annoyance, but otherwise seemed perfectly fine.
"Set it on the table," Bikendi said, absently pushing aside Val's datapad. He glowered at the lizard, his own hands still gloved. Val flushed as he realized he hadn't yet put his own on – it was easier to handle the datapad without them. "Try your other hand."
Obediently Val did so, doing nothing more but continuing to aggravate the lizard.
"Hmm," Bikendi muttered. "Most strange. You should not…I don't understand…" He pinched the bridge of his nose, and Val hated to see the way those shoulders slumped the slightest bit. "We should have run proper tests, instead of assuming you simply shared…" Standing up straight, he reached out and stripped off his gloves, placing one hand on the lizard.
His eyes flickered the slightest bit, bright lavender rather deep violet for a single moment. Val had never noticed they did that before. "I'm sorry," he said softly, looking miserably at the dead lizard. "I should have tested my own magics."
"No," Bikendi said gruffly, "you should never be in a hurry to kill anything, not even a lab specimen intended for such a purpose. Did you feel nothing picking him up?"
Val shook his head. "No. Nothing."
"Hmm…" Bikendi tapped his short nails on the tabletop, staring at the dead lizard. His black and white hair fell forward just slightly into his face, oddly messy for him, and Val was struck at how it made him look almost…softer.
He wondered suddenly what Bikendi looked like completely casual, when there was no one else around and he was relaxing. Cheeks heating as ideas flashed through his mind, wishing suddenly he could be anywhere else, Val drooped his gaze to the dead lizard.
On impulse, he reached out – and collided with Bikendi's hand. They both jumped, jerking apart hard – and Val watched in dismay as Bikendi accidentally knocked his datapad off the table, barely biting back a cry as he heard an ominous crack. He moved around the table and stared miserably at his datapad – normally it held up pretty well, but the tables were high and the floor hard tile. The pad wasn't a fancy one, but quite basic. The screen was shattered. Well, maybe he'd have time to buy a new one…
Setting it down on the table, he spoke before Bikendi could. "I shouldn't have left it out. W W-what was that? That jolt?"
Bikendi narrowed his eyes. "Energy. Go get a new lizard."
Nodding, suddenly nervous, Val moved to do so, making his way across the lab to the cages – noting one of the locks had somehow failed, which would explain how one got out and he wondered how much trouble he was going to be in for that though when he'd gone to bed they'd all been fine…
Putting the worry aside for the moment, or trying at least, Val reached into the cage and hesitantly picked up another lizard. He dropped it almost immediately, as that jolt came again – but this time leaving his chest feeling normal. He reeled back – bumping against Bikendi with an oof. "S-sorry."
Hands landed on his shoulders, steadying him. "Retrieve two more, bring them to the table – please."
Blinking, Val shakily obeyed, dreading another of those jolts – but nothing happened when he picked the lizards up. He carried them to the table and set them down.
"Now…" Bikendi murmured. "Let us see." Reaching out, he touched one of the lizards, his eyes flashing – the lizard fell dead. Bikendi turned, then held his hand out to Val. "Let us see if we can repeat the reaction."
Val placed his hand in Bikendi's, gasping as he felt that same jolt, the strange weight settle in his chest.
"The lizard now, Val," Bikendi said, eyes bright with focus, the intensity he always showed when he was working.
Turning to the remaining lizard, Val touched it – again the jolt, the weight in his chest vanishing. Transferred, he guessed, to the lizard.
"I don't believe it," Bikendi said softly, and could not help but notice Bikendi still held his hand. "Now, one last experiment – let us see what a simultaneous touch does, if anything. Keep a hold of it." As Val got a firm grip on the lizard, Bikendi reached out to touch it – and from the flash of his eyes, Val could see he'd absorbed its energy.
But in his hands, the lizard still lived, though it was suddenly lethargic.
A look he couldn't understand fell across Bikendi's face – something like shock, but…happier than that.
"I don't understand," he said. "Why don't I kill them? I…give out energy, I get that much…but why don't I kill them doing it? You said it was the shock of killing…"
Bikendi's lips quirked in a wry smile. "Which would upset you more – to have something stolen, or to have something given?"
Val blinked. "Ah."
"What I do is brutal, awful – you apparently cannot take energy from other creatures, but you can take the energy I absorb and give it to others. Moreover, you have a…something like a numbing effect, I'd imagine, that allows me to take the energy without killing the target. Incredible." That strange look fell over his face.
"This is important isn't it?" Val asked. "Like – incredibly important. For the trial."
Bikendi laughed. "Yes, for the trial – among other things."
Val nodded, but his mind was numb with shock – and that expression on Bikendi's face. It was the happiest he'd ever seen the man…and even though it hadn't been on purpose, he'd helped put that look there.
Though really credit belonged to the escaped lizard, if he was going to be honest.
Which reminded him of his datapad. Val didn't dare look in its direction, and that reminded him rather suddenly that he was still holding Bikendi's hand – but just as he was about to pull away, the door slid open and Mendel appeared.
Val shivered at the cold look on his face.
"You need to come," he said tersely to Bikendi.
Bikendi slowly withdrew his hand from Val's, leaving him feeling oddly…apart. Stupid. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, darting a quick, mournful glance at his datapad.
"What is it?" Bikendi asked, picking up his gloves and sliding them back over his hands, smoothing down the perfectly-fitted fabric.
"Tresnor," Mendel said. "He was shot with a poison dart while he was in the public sectors of the Palace. He's been stabilized, but only barely."
Swearing loudly, Bikendi immediately followed Mendel from the room. Val blinked, suddenly feeling cold, then darted after them. They raced through the halls, back to their private suite.
Tresnor was in his bed, covered in sweat, a sickly, almost bluish pallor to his skin.
"That's danuci toxin," Bikendi said sharply. "How in the stars did anyone get danuci toxin into Zero, never mind the Palace! Is this place filled with morons?"
Jundel shook her head. "It would have to be someone inside, and high up, that's for certain. Someone who knew how to slip past every last security protocol. Arkadii is investigating. Tresnor is stabilized…"
"He is lucky to be alive," Bikendi said flatly. "He won't be waking up anytime soon. First the High Chancellor and now Tresnor? Someone is working hard to ensure we do not win this case – why? The Draconis are not that great a threat to the universe."
A cool voice spoke up from behind them. "Someone thinks it is."
Val turned sharply and blinked – it was the strange man who was Tresnor's assistant or secretary or something. He still had that sad, solemn air about him, dark silver hair gleaming, deep blue eyes intense.
"If this is the other side," Karmikel hissed, "they are going to regret it when this is all over."
"Only if their Lordships do not find the culprit first," the man replied calmly.
Jundel winced. "Yes, I can imagine they are not taking to the news well. It is their father…have you told them, Mythril?"
Mythril nodded. "Indeed. Their Lordships have been informed. Per their father's instructions, left in case of an emergency, Lord Baxter is on his way to take his father's place as the lead lawyer in the trial."
Val winced as the small group began to talk at once, drowning each other out – finally Jundel's voice cut through the ruckus. "Lord Baxter? But he's hardly the caliber of his father…though I've heard he's quite talented…" She bit her lip. "It's not as though we've much choice…"
"Indeed," Mythril said, a hint of ice in his voice though his expression never changed. "Lord Baxter meets all the criteria to argue a top-level case before a full court, and his experience is not insignificant. If that is not sufficient for you, Lady Jundel, then it might reassure you to know that Lord Tresnor considered his son his equal and fully believed that one day soon Lord Baxter would surpass him."
Jundel slowly nodded. "That is enough for me. I did not meant to insult anyone, Mythril."
Mythril sketched her an elegant half-bow. "Your existence is at stake, my lady. It is fully within your rights to behave as you do. Lord Baxter will be here in approximately twenty four hours. Now if you do not mind – I am sure our noise is not good for his Lordship."
"Of course," Jundel murmured, and rapidly had the room emptied.
Outside, Val felt numb. He fumbled for his datapad, only to remember with a pang that it was broken.
Numbness turned into depression, and he slowly dragged himself to his own room. His mind was unable to settle on any one thought for more than a few seconds, jumping from the second round taking placed tomorrow, Tresnor, the lab, his broken pad, Bikendi…his thoughts flittered enough it was giving him a headache.
Grimacing, Val stripped out of his clothes and strode into his small bathing room, turning on the water and stepping beneath it before it had warmed up. Steam quickly filled the space however, and he could feel much of his mental tension wash away with the physical.
The one thing that wouldn't wash away, however, was the feel of Bikendi's hand wrapped around his own, the touch surprisingly gentle when usually he was so rough in demeanor. Bikendi had touched him before, but only absently, usually when he was angry or stern.
Sighing, Val quickly scrubbed down, rubbing hard at his scales, determined to get them nearly shining so he looked as decent as he could at the trial tomorrow. He was not even a tenth so glamorous or fine as the rest of them. Certainly he was odd…but only that. Bikendi was odd, but striking, handsome. Val felt miserably plain amongst them, even if he was the star mutant of the show.
Sluicing off the soap, he turned off the shower and stepped out, slicking back his hair and grabbing a towel. Back in his room, he quickly dried off and combed his hair, then slipped into a pair of black sleep pants and a faded gray t-shirt.
He had no idea what to do without his datapad. Stupid, it was just an electronic…but he'd had it for years, and all his articles and videos – everything! – had been on it. Well, tomorrow he could retrieve it from the lab, and after the trials he could get a new one…
It was still depressing.
Morosely, Val retrieved a couple of books he'd brought along, clicking one on without enthusiasm, reading the words without really comprehending him, mind wandering easily.
He heard the bells chime occasionally, but when the knock came at his door he had no idea how much time had passed. Tossing the book aside, he scrambled from the bed, snagging his foot on the blankets and nearly slamming straight into opposite wall.
Grimacing at himself, Val raked his hair out of his face and mashed the button to open the door. "Dr—Bikendi! Did I do something wrong? Oh, no – I forgot the lizards. I'm sorry, I'll—"
Bikendi held up a hand. "Calm down, Val."
Val snapped his mouth shut.
"I came to give you this, since I broke yours." He held out a datapad that made Val's eyes go wide.
"But—but that's a Melody." The silver model numbers gleamed from where they were stamped discreetly in the bottom right corner – not just a Melody, but the very latest model. They cost more points than he'd ever see in his own meager account.
Bikendi grunted, disinterested, and thrust the pad into his hands. "They sponsor me; every shiny corporation has a genetics research branch buried somewhere in the books. I have more of these than any one person can use. All your data should be transferred. Let me know if there's a problem." He hesitated, then gave a short, quick nod. "Good night, Val."
"G-good night," Val replied, but Bikendi was already half-way down the hall.
He closed his door and dazedly walked back to his bed, hands fumbling as he activated the datapad and stared enraptured at the screen – so much brighter, cleaner, sharper. All the indexing options, connection and transfer abilities, power supply…not in a hundred terms would he have been able to afford or justify purchasing a datapad like this.
Sure enough, Bikendi had managed to transfer everything.
Oh, stars.
Had Bikendi looked? Seen? Val felt hot with mortification to think of how Bikendi would react to such blatant…obsession, he supposed miserably. He wondered if it was obvious to everyone, if they laughed at the silly kid with a fixation on the esteemed Dr. Bikendi.
Ugh, it made him sick, even though he knew Jundel and Karmikel and Mendel weren't like that and the others probably weren't either.
His hand moved automatically, quickly learning the commands, pulling up the list of questions and thoughts that were always his escapes, his comforts.
Val startled, dropping the pad in his lap – then cautiously picked it back up. He scrolled through the long list in disbelief, mouth hanging open.
Beneath every last question was an answer.
Heart feeling as though it were going to beat out of his chest, Val settled more comfortably in his bed and began to read, determined to commit every last word to heart.
Enjoy! ^___^ You guys are Love.
Chapter Twelve
Planet 00000000 (Zero), the Palace of Eternity
Val clicked through his datapad, making new notes, adding additional questions, wishing badly he could add all the notes from the experiments – but that was all classified stuff, and the last thing he needed was for his datapad to get misplaced or stolen, and Bikendi's work handed right to the opposing team.
Hmm…which meant he probably shouldn't be adding in his new questions, since some of those gave away bits of what they were doing. Drat. He'd really wanted…assuming he ever worked up the nerve…which he knew he never would…
With a sigh, Val went back through and deleted his recently added questions.
As he deleted the last, he was reminded of a favorite article, and glancing at the clock – fifteen minutes – he flipped through his files and pulled it up, setting it on the tabletop to read the article, eyes moving quickly as they raced through the words.
Though Bikendi was reclusive, he was occasionally coaxed out of hiding to give a series of lectures on his research – the money from them helped to continue funding of his research and supplement his personal income.
Every single time he'd gotten notice of the lectures, Val had wanted to attend. But they were always off planet, and no one had really been comfortable with him leaving Coni (until now) without escort, and they had more important things to do than take him to a lecture he could just as easily watch on screen.
The article in question was an old favorite on evolution and the various species of sentient cat creatures, such as Danueb 'hellcats', the Sorva, and Leltreen. It was fascinating to see such similar races so drastically differed according to their environments. They were all definitely feline, much of their DNA was identical…but the few changes were crucial and made drastic differences. Bikendi had studied the matter at length, comparing a total of twelve 'feline races' within the IG.
He'd given three lectures on the matter – Val still had the recordings for them, and had watched them nearly to the point of memorization.
Of course, it had all been on the assumption that he'd never meet Dr Bikendi…now that he had, he was deadly terrified how the man would react to Val's no doubt childish collection.
The sound of the door sliding open brought his head up, and he guiltily clicked off the datapad and set it back down. He started to greet Bikendi when he felt something brush against his ankle. Looking down, he saw one of the lizards had escaped – though he had no idea how.
Kneeling, Val gently picked it up in his left hand, frowning at it. "Bad lizard, back in the cage you go. How did you—"
"Val!" Bikendi said sharply, shock in his voice.
"Sir?" Val asked, looking up, blinking at the expression on Bikendi's face.
Then realization flooded.
The lizard wasn't dead.
Startled, he dropped it. "How—what—"
Bikendi frowned and crossed the room. "Pick it up again, same as you did before."
Nodding, Val bent and once more scooped the squirming lizard up in his left hand. It flicked its tongue in annoyance, but otherwise seemed perfectly fine.
"Set it on the table," Bikendi said, absently pushing aside Val's datapad. He glowered at the lizard, his own hands still gloved. Val flushed as he realized he hadn't yet put his own on – it was easier to handle the datapad without them. "Try your other hand."
Obediently Val did so, doing nothing more but continuing to aggravate the lizard.
"Hmm," Bikendi muttered. "Most strange. You should not…I don't understand…" He pinched the bridge of his nose, and Val hated to see the way those shoulders slumped the slightest bit. "We should have run proper tests, instead of assuming you simply shared…" Standing up straight, he reached out and stripped off his gloves, placing one hand on the lizard.
His eyes flickered the slightest bit, bright lavender rather deep violet for a single moment. Val had never noticed they did that before. "I'm sorry," he said softly, looking miserably at the dead lizard. "I should have tested my own magics."
"No," Bikendi said gruffly, "you should never be in a hurry to kill anything, not even a lab specimen intended for such a purpose. Did you feel nothing picking him up?"
Val shook his head. "No. Nothing."
"Hmm…" Bikendi tapped his short nails on the tabletop, staring at the dead lizard. His black and white hair fell forward just slightly into his face, oddly messy for him, and Val was struck at how it made him look almost…softer.
He wondered suddenly what Bikendi looked like completely casual, when there was no one else around and he was relaxing. Cheeks heating as ideas flashed through his mind, wishing suddenly he could be anywhere else, Val drooped his gaze to the dead lizard.
On impulse, he reached out – and collided with Bikendi's hand. They both jumped, jerking apart hard – and Val watched in dismay as Bikendi accidentally knocked his datapad off the table, barely biting back a cry as he heard an ominous crack. He moved around the table and stared miserably at his datapad – normally it held up pretty well, but the tables were high and the floor hard tile. The pad wasn't a fancy one, but quite basic. The screen was shattered. Well, maybe he'd have time to buy a new one…
Setting it down on the table, he spoke before Bikendi could. "I shouldn't have left it out. W W-what was that? That jolt?"
Bikendi narrowed his eyes. "Energy. Go get a new lizard."
Nodding, suddenly nervous, Val moved to do so, making his way across the lab to the cages – noting one of the locks had somehow failed, which would explain how one got out and he wondered how much trouble he was going to be in for that though when he'd gone to bed they'd all been fine…
Putting the worry aside for the moment, or trying at least, Val reached into the cage and hesitantly picked up another lizard. He dropped it almost immediately, as that jolt came again – but this time leaving his chest feeling normal. He reeled back – bumping against Bikendi with an oof. "S-sorry."
Hands landed on his shoulders, steadying him. "Retrieve two more, bring them to the table – please."
Blinking, Val shakily obeyed, dreading another of those jolts – but nothing happened when he picked the lizards up. He carried them to the table and set them down.
"Now…" Bikendi murmured. "Let us see." Reaching out, he touched one of the lizards, his eyes flashing – the lizard fell dead. Bikendi turned, then held his hand out to Val. "Let us see if we can repeat the reaction."
Val placed his hand in Bikendi's, gasping as he felt that same jolt, the strange weight settle in his chest.
"The lizard now, Val," Bikendi said, eyes bright with focus, the intensity he always showed when he was working.
Turning to the remaining lizard, Val touched it – again the jolt, the weight in his chest vanishing. Transferred, he guessed, to the lizard.
"I don't believe it," Bikendi said softly, and could not help but notice Bikendi still held his hand. "Now, one last experiment – let us see what a simultaneous touch does, if anything. Keep a hold of it." As Val got a firm grip on the lizard, Bikendi reached out to touch it – and from the flash of his eyes, Val could see he'd absorbed its energy.
But in his hands, the lizard still lived, though it was suddenly lethargic.
A look he couldn't understand fell across Bikendi's face – something like shock, but…happier than that.
"I don't understand," he said. "Why don't I kill them? I…give out energy, I get that much…but why don't I kill them doing it? You said it was the shock of killing…"
Bikendi's lips quirked in a wry smile. "Which would upset you more – to have something stolen, or to have something given?"
Val blinked. "Ah."
"What I do is brutal, awful – you apparently cannot take energy from other creatures, but you can take the energy I absorb and give it to others. Moreover, you have a…something like a numbing effect, I'd imagine, that allows me to take the energy without killing the target. Incredible." That strange look fell over his face.
"This is important isn't it?" Val asked. "Like – incredibly important. For the trial."
Bikendi laughed. "Yes, for the trial – among other things."
Val nodded, but his mind was numb with shock – and that expression on Bikendi's face. It was the happiest he'd ever seen the man…and even though it hadn't been on purpose, he'd helped put that look there.
Though really credit belonged to the escaped lizard, if he was going to be honest.
Which reminded him of his datapad. Val didn't dare look in its direction, and that reminded him rather suddenly that he was still holding Bikendi's hand – but just as he was about to pull away, the door slid open and Mendel appeared.
Val shivered at the cold look on his face.
"You need to come," he said tersely to Bikendi.
Bikendi slowly withdrew his hand from Val's, leaving him feeling oddly…apart. Stupid. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants, darting a quick, mournful glance at his datapad.
"What is it?" Bikendi asked, picking up his gloves and sliding them back over his hands, smoothing down the perfectly-fitted fabric.
"Tresnor," Mendel said. "He was shot with a poison dart while he was in the public sectors of the Palace. He's been stabilized, but only barely."
Swearing loudly, Bikendi immediately followed Mendel from the room. Val blinked, suddenly feeling cold, then darted after them. They raced through the halls, back to their private suite.
Tresnor was in his bed, covered in sweat, a sickly, almost bluish pallor to his skin.
"That's danuci toxin," Bikendi said sharply. "How in the stars did anyone get danuci toxin into Zero, never mind the Palace! Is this place filled with morons?"
Jundel shook her head. "It would have to be someone inside, and high up, that's for certain. Someone who knew how to slip past every last security protocol. Arkadii is investigating. Tresnor is stabilized…"
"He is lucky to be alive," Bikendi said flatly. "He won't be waking up anytime soon. First the High Chancellor and now Tresnor? Someone is working hard to ensure we do not win this case – why? The Draconis are not that great a threat to the universe."
A cool voice spoke up from behind them. "Someone thinks it is."
Val turned sharply and blinked – it was the strange man who was Tresnor's assistant or secretary or something. He still had that sad, solemn air about him, dark silver hair gleaming, deep blue eyes intense.
"If this is the other side," Karmikel hissed, "they are going to regret it when this is all over."
"Only if their Lordships do not find the culprit first," the man replied calmly.
Jundel winced. "Yes, I can imagine they are not taking to the news well. It is their father…have you told them, Mythril?"
Mythril nodded. "Indeed. Their Lordships have been informed. Per their father's instructions, left in case of an emergency, Lord Baxter is on his way to take his father's place as the lead lawyer in the trial."
Val winced as the small group began to talk at once, drowning each other out – finally Jundel's voice cut through the ruckus. "Lord Baxter? But he's hardly the caliber of his father…though I've heard he's quite talented…" She bit her lip. "It's not as though we've much choice…"
"Indeed," Mythril said, a hint of ice in his voice though his expression never changed. "Lord Baxter meets all the criteria to argue a top-level case before a full court, and his experience is not insignificant. If that is not sufficient for you, Lady Jundel, then it might reassure you to know that Lord Tresnor considered his son his equal and fully believed that one day soon Lord Baxter would surpass him."
Jundel slowly nodded. "That is enough for me. I did not meant to insult anyone, Mythril."
Mythril sketched her an elegant half-bow. "Your existence is at stake, my lady. It is fully within your rights to behave as you do. Lord Baxter will be here in approximately twenty four hours. Now if you do not mind – I am sure our noise is not good for his Lordship."
"Of course," Jundel murmured, and rapidly had the room emptied.
Outside, Val felt numb. He fumbled for his datapad, only to remember with a pang that it was broken.
Numbness turned into depression, and he slowly dragged himself to his own room. His mind was unable to settle on any one thought for more than a few seconds, jumping from the second round taking placed tomorrow, Tresnor, the lab, his broken pad, Bikendi…his thoughts flittered enough it was giving him a headache.
Grimacing, Val stripped out of his clothes and strode into his small bathing room, turning on the water and stepping beneath it before it had warmed up. Steam quickly filled the space however, and he could feel much of his mental tension wash away with the physical.
The one thing that wouldn't wash away, however, was the feel of Bikendi's hand wrapped around his own, the touch surprisingly gentle when usually he was so rough in demeanor. Bikendi had touched him before, but only absently, usually when he was angry or stern.
Sighing, Val quickly scrubbed down, rubbing hard at his scales, determined to get them nearly shining so he looked as decent as he could at the trial tomorrow. He was not even a tenth so glamorous or fine as the rest of them. Certainly he was odd…but only that. Bikendi was odd, but striking, handsome. Val felt miserably plain amongst them, even if he was the star mutant of the show.
Sluicing off the soap, he turned off the shower and stepped out, slicking back his hair and grabbing a towel. Back in his room, he quickly dried off and combed his hair, then slipped into a pair of black sleep pants and a faded gray t-shirt.
He had no idea what to do without his datapad. Stupid, it was just an electronic…but he'd had it for years, and all his articles and videos – everything! – had been on it. Well, tomorrow he could retrieve it from the lab, and after the trials he could get a new one…
It was still depressing.
Morosely, Val retrieved a couple of books he'd brought along, clicking one on without enthusiasm, reading the words without really comprehending him, mind wandering easily.
He heard the bells chime occasionally, but when the knock came at his door he had no idea how much time had passed. Tossing the book aside, he scrambled from the bed, snagging his foot on the blankets and nearly slamming straight into opposite wall.
Grimacing at himself, Val raked his hair out of his face and mashed the button to open the door. "Dr—Bikendi! Did I do something wrong? Oh, no – I forgot the lizards. I'm sorry, I'll—"
Bikendi held up a hand. "Calm down, Val."
Val snapped his mouth shut.
"I came to give you this, since I broke yours." He held out a datapad that made Val's eyes go wide.
"But—but that's a Melody." The silver model numbers gleamed from where they were stamped discreetly in the bottom right corner – not just a Melody, but the very latest model. They cost more points than he'd ever see in his own meager account.
Bikendi grunted, disinterested, and thrust the pad into his hands. "They sponsor me; every shiny corporation has a genetics research branch buried somewhere in the books. I have more of these than any one person can use. All your data should be transferred. Let me know if there's a problem." He hesitated, then gave a short, quick nod. "Good night, Val."
"G-good night," Val replied, but Bikendi was already half-way down the hall.
He closed his door and dazedly walked back to his bed, hands fumbling as he activated the datapad and stared enraptured at the screen – so much brighter, cleaner, sharper. All the indexing options, connection and transfer abilities, power supply…not in a hundred terms would he have been able to afford or justify purchasing a datapad like this.
Sure enough, Bikendi had managed to transfer everything.
Oh, stars.
Had Bikendi looked? Seen? Val felt hot with mortification to think of how Bikendi would react to such blatant…obsession, he supposed miserably. He wondered if it was obvious to everyone, if they laughed at the silly kid with a fixation on the esteemed Dr. Bikendi.
Ugh, it made him sick, even though he knew Jundel and Karmikel and Mendel weren't like that and the others probably weren't either.
His hand moved automatically, quickly learning the commands, pulling up the list of questions and thoughts that were always his escapes, his comforts.
Val startled, dropping the pad in his lap – then cautiously picked it back up. He scrolled through the long list in disbelief, mouth hanging open.
Beneath every last question was an answer.
Heart feeling as though it were going to beat out of his chest, Val settled more comfortably in his bed and began to read, determined to commit every last word to heart.
