Humans Are Encountered

Impatience With Heat

Zork'ak had adopted another weird human habit: sitting on pieces of equipment that were not meant for sitting. Xe were not sure what it was about humans that they wanted to sit so often. Xe knew xer extremities, Adam had told xem they were called 'legs,' were capable of carrying their weight for many cycles. However, the humans were often found sitting. And they constantly sat on any surface despite its purpose. Xe had gathered it was a matter of convenience.

Xe were sitting on the lab bench between Kai and Wren as they worked. Xe should have been in xer office working on xer reports, but xe preferred the company of the humans.

"Mostly videos of current interactions," Zork'ak was saying to Kai. "I have always analyzed behavior. My research has been primarily on humans."

She had asked what xe had done before the humans had arrived on base. "Is there a reason you do behavioral analysis? Do you like research or just the study of behavior or what?"

"Oh," Zork'ak looked to where Wren was carefully measuring out different liquids, but she peeked her blue eyes up at xem as she listened. "Klyls are assigned to positions."

"Well, yeah, but how?"

"Preliminary classes to test skill sets, and then both interest and ability defines the specialized program. I began working with interactions between Klyls to test my accuracy, then with interactions with other videos."

Zork'ak paused as Kai turned off the temperature increaser she has been using. She was looking around the bench and then shrugged her shoulders. As she reached her upper extremities towards the container, Wren said, "Don't. The glove is behind you."

"Oh, it's fine." She proceeded to move the container onto the bench with unprotected extremities. "Ow! Shit, shit, shit."

She was practically whispering as she continued to move it down the bench towards her other station. "I told you," Wren said from the other side.

"I'm fine." Kai was shaking her hands out.

"Why is it you did not wait for the container to cool?"

"Don't have time," Kai mumbled, gingerly rotating the container.

"We have also provided protective layers."

"That's what I told her," Wren said under her breath, still focused on her work.

"I had it."

"Was the object too difficult to obtain?"

"Well, no. But it was over there and I was ready to move it so I did. It's fine. Doesn't hurt anymore."

"But why would you harm your skin if not necessary."

"Because she's impatient."

"Shut up, Wren."

"I'm just saying. You could've grabbed the glove, but you chose to be hard headed when it would've taken one second-"

"I am fine!"

Silence fell between the two, and Zork'ak had learned not to ask questions when the humans had a 'disagreement,' as Adam called it.

Steve walked by, opening their small cooling container positioned across from Kai. He pulled out a package, heated on the above device, and then popped it into his mouth.

"Ah!" His mouth was wide open and he was breathing hard.

"Burn your mouth?" Wren hadn't even looked up from her work.

"No..." Steven's voice sounded stuffy with all the food in his mouth. He continued to chew, panting with his mouth open. "Damn."

"You could spit it out," Kai said, also not looking at him.

He managed through the last bit, swallowing it. "Nah. It wasn't that bad."

"I have no idea how you have any taste buds," Kai said, shaking her head.

"Why is it that you did not allow your food to cool?" Zork'ak had already asked a similar question to Kai, but these humans did not have a unanimous answer.

"I wanted to eat it now. Didn't feel like waiting." Steve walked away back to his section.

"They're all impatient," Wren said, her eyes on Zork'ak. "Even though we're not rushed. They don't know how to chill. They just want everything don't immediately."

Kai made a loud noise. "And you don't?"

"My experiment is time sensitive."

"Oh, please. You're just as impatient. You burned yourself this morning."

Wren's extremity dropped under the table. "No..."

Kai laughed. "Oh-kay." She shook her head a little.