Humans Are Encountered

Rock Bottom

Despite what Adam said, Zork'ak still needed to obtain nutrients for xer body at the scheduled time. Xe entered the room as most of the other Klyls and humans were leaving. Xe was collecting xer meal when Knycuz appeared next to xem. Xe jumped slightly, xer senses so muted that xe had not noticed the Klyl approaching xem.

"Knycuz."

Xe inclined xer head. "I finished my debriefing with the Commander. Xe wishes to see you." Knycuz's eyes cut down to where Zork'ak was holding a bowl between xer talons. "After you finish with second meal."

"I will report." Knycuz inclined xer head once more and continued out of the room.

Zork'ak entered the Commander's room, who was studying the notes pulled up across xer multiscreened desk. "Zork'ak, sit," xe said without looking up.

Zork'ak did, folding xer talons in xer lap and waiting until the Commander looked up. Xe were careful to school xer features into a neutral mask.

"You had a deadline for a detailed report three cycles ago." The Commander finally lifted xer nearly black eyes to look at Zork'ak.

"My report has been uploaded, Commander."

The Commander rose from xer chair and walked around to the front of the desk, stopping in front of Zork'ak. "Your report had no analytic information. It had scarce useful information."

"The report consisted of pack bonding information."

The Commander crossed xer upper extremities. "It was neither new information nor did it draw any conclusions."

"I am still working on an extensive analysis with recent events."

"Why are these events not included in the report?"

"I did not find it effective to include partial events that do not supply information."

The Commander dropped xer extremities. "That is what your reports have been."

Zork'ak's eyes focused on spot on of xer talons, carefully examining as xe said, "I have been reporting what I have been observing."

"I am aware that you have little to observe as you only spend time with one human."

Zork'ak's eyes snapped upwards. "That is false information."

"Klyls do not lie, Zork'ak. It brings no success." Zork'ak opened xer mouth, but the Commander silenced xem with the wave of xer talons. "I am reassigning you."

Zork'ak's control slipped, xer mouth falling open. "What?"

The Commander was walking back around to sit behind xer desk. "You are to no longer waste time with useless reports. I am reassigning you back to the behavioral analyst lab."

"You want me to design experiments and read reports on my humans."

"Your humans?" The Commander's eyes narrowed.

Zork'ak was trying to find a way to hide xer human attachment. "They are the humans who trust me and, therefore, give me better insight."

"Your attachment is causing unexpected problems in the research we are conducting here." The Commander was back to scrolling through xer notes. "You are dismissed."

Zork'ak balled xer talons, biting back the anger in xer throat, breathing in deeply through xer nose. "Yes, Commander."

Zork'ak left the office, hardly making it back to xer office before xe rammed xer talons into the metal wall. Of course, it had been built to withstand more than a group of Klyl's strength combined and simply sent pain radiating up xer extremity. For some reason, though, Zork'ak did not mind it, the pain. It was more manageable than the Commander ripping away the only thing xe had left.

"We call it 'hitting rock bottom.' When you keep losing things, and it's the last straw. So it's like you said, how you just punched a wall. You lost everything all at once."

Zork'ak nodded, looking at Adam underneath the moonlight. "What do you do when you've lost it all? Am I just supposed to go work in a lab I never want to go back to? The Commander expects me to no longer interact with all of you as I should not be attached."

"The only way to go is up."

"What?"

Adam smirked. "If you are at the bottom of a hole, how do you get out of it?"

Zork'ak cocked xer head. "I guess you would climb out."

Adam nodded. "So to get out of this hole you're in, the only way to go is up."