Humans Are Encountered

Call of the Void

Zork'ak had been invited onto the roof with some of the humans again. They had routinely chosen to conduct small breaks on top of the base before second meal to "clear their heads" and "get fresh air" since they immediately returned to work after meal.

This cycle, Zork'ak arrived after most of the humans had already climbed out the window. Xe had found it easier with practice, now a fluid motion to dig xer talons in and propel xemself up to the ledge. On top of the building, xe sat beside Reese as Adam and Carrie discussed their plans for a new experiment. Zork'ak was fascinated when listening to the humans discuss their activities as xe had never been involved in research, just behavioral conduct.

As xe surveyed the other humans, attempting to gather group behavior, xe noticed Wren and Steve were absent from the circle and had been from the laboratory. Zork'ak looked around to see if they had isolated themselves up here and found them standing at the ledge opposite the one xe climbed. Xe walked over to where they stood, both on the edge of building; if their balance was compromised, even briefly, they would fall. Xe approached slowly, stopping next to Wren and was careful that she heard xem so xe did not startle the pair.

"Why are you upon the ledge?" Zork'ak's phrases were slowly adapting the human dialect.

"Just standing," Steve said, eyes directed downwards on the ground.

"I know little of human emotions. Is this the 'suicide' I have been informed of? Are you both considering jumping?" That had been the Klyls primary concern upon the humans arrival, their irrational emotional response.

Wren look at xem. "No, sometimes we just like to stand on the edge. You know that if you move the wrong way," her eyes were turned towards Zork'ak but the pupils did not appear to focus in, "you will fall. You will die." She looked out across the terrain. "Not that we will choose to, but the possibility's right there."

"Do you ever wonder what it would be like to jump?" Steve asked. His voice was deeper than how he usually spoke with the cadence of his words moving slower. "We could, right now."

Wren nodded. "We could."

Zork'ak leaned forward to look at them. "This behavior is abnormal to me. If you are not going to, then why is it that you are postulating the idea of jumping? Why are you standing on the edge with the knowledge that you could fall if a mistake is made?"

"It's interesting, being so high up, knowing you could. Makes you think, you know?" Steve was staring out, but Zork'ak could not determine where his eyes had focused. He moved, bending his lower extremities so that he was closer to the ledge, and Zork'ak was concerned that he would jump. Xe moved forward, reaching for Steve as he sat down on the edge of the building, but instead of jumping, he allowed his legs to hang over the ledge. Wren mimicked the movement, and xe relaxed with the understanding that Steve had only been readjusting his position.

"Zork'ak, sit with us." Wren touched the spot next to her on the ledge that was only a few feet taller than the actual roof. Zork'ak questioned why the humans were conducting this abnormal activity, but xe decided to truly understand their psychology, xe should participate. Against xer instincts, xe dug xer talons into the ledge and sat next to Wren, looking down at the ground as the two were. All twenty talons of xer four upper extremities dug into the thick structure underneath xem.

"Have you ever been able to look at death, Zork'ak?"

Zork'ak could not recall an experience where xe had ever pondered something intangible and unstoppable. "I have not. Is this what we are doing?"

Wren shrugged. "We're just looking at what we could do, how it could play out. That doesn't mean we execute it. This could be how and where I die."

"This does create a sensation within oneself." Zork'ak looked down at the ground, knowing xe would be hurt if xe were to fall. Xe felt as if xe should move from the danger, but it was a compelling urge to consider the possibilities, to know xe could do it but to decide not to. Xe decided that xe liked it.

"L'appel du vide," Wren said quietly.

"What does that mean?" Despite the dangers, there was something about staring down at the ground nearly thirty times xer height that made xe feel calm.

"It is the name for this feeling. To look down from a height and know you could jump, really think about it but not do it."

Zork'ak nodded. Even though the Klyls had accepted the humans on the base for scientific research, xe had found that their psychological insights were proving to be more useful. Postulating unlikely outcomes was not a practice xe was accustomed to.