Negotiations Underway

Chapter 3: Into the Unknown

Approximated Earth Date: 3. May. 2235

A dull pain began to gather in Teresh's neck. Now that his shock was waning, he was beginning to feel the searing heat of the cut. His eyes glanced around at the oddly mundane things around him. Nothing seemed, well, alien. This room resembled many clinics and hospitals that he had visited throughout his life, though at a larger scale of course. These aliens seemed to have a fairly square approach to their furniture. The cabinets of medical supplies and the cots were evidence of that. Valaxi architecture favored more triangular geometry. Though not perfect triangles at times to preserve space, their beds and cots were wider near the head and skinnier near the feet. Their practical storage was still primarily square to be easily stacked, but many domestic shelves, cabinets, etc. were actually triangular in shape. Perhaps it wasn't the most efficient, but it was the artistry of it that was always apparent. He wondered if these aliens had art. If Tom had ever created a living mural or an infinite world.

There was a loud thunk as the door opened, Tom tentatively stepping inside. His voice resonated through the dull translator, "I have arranged a meeting, but we're going to have to hide you. If anyone sees you they'll probably panic. I don't want there to be any possibility that you'll be hurt."

"H-Hurt!" Teresh squawked, "Your people kill strangers on sight?!"

Tom sighed, the translator echoing a dull vibration. He continued, "No, we don't kill strangers on sight. If people see you and panic because they think that you'll hurt or kill them, then they may try to fight back first."

"Why would they do that? I'm not a danger to anyone... but myself it seems," he replied, his voice low.

"Humans..." Tom began, then stumbling, "that's us by the way. Our species."

"Hue-man, human," Teresh sounded out the word.

"Yes. Humans have something called a 'fight or flight' response. Under great stress, like seeing something that frightens us, we can either freeze up, run, hide, or become aggressive and defensive. There are plenty of other ways people act that fall into those camps, but that's roughly how it works," Tom explained. He made sure to have distance between them as he explained the aggressive part.

Both natural aggression and fear responses? Teresh had never heard anything like it.

Most species were either majorly one or the other, with exceptions of course. His own, the kooli, were actually aggressive when threatened. They could puff up their chest and crown, displaying an array of dazzling colors that could frighten many assailants. Their sharp talons usable as a last resort to rip and tear into their attackers. On the other claw, some like himself did prefer to run and hide. Though, Teresh always considered that a weakness of his. Not being honorable and brave like so many other kooli. It wasn't natural like with humans.

"Do you think I'm frightening?" He asked.

Tom immediately shook his head, "No! No, not at all."

"But other humans might be?" Teresh asked.

Tom explained, "There's a chance Teresh, that's all I'm saying. I don't want to take a chance with a diplomat like yourself. As you said, you need to speak to our leaders, and I'd like to facilitate that."

The kooli thought for a moment, his feathers unknowingly shifting to purples and violets. Then returning to his usual emerald green, "I-I understand, but how will you hide me? Please don't tell me you're going to toss me in a box."

"Okay, we really need to work on your perceptions of us. We're not callous," he replied, eliciting a strange look from Teresh.

"Callous?" Teresh questioned. Not familiar with the term.