Fangs and Diamonds

Kioroh

"The time is 0500 hours"

Her eyelids snapped open immediately upon hearing the announcement, narrow pupils contracted into tiny slits as a result of the automatic light system. She wasn't upset to have been woken up by the computer, in fact, she was grateful to be brought back to the real world, instead of the one in her unconsciousness.

For Kioroh, waking up wasn't the challenge, it was leaving the bed to be greeted with a wretched biting cold. So she lay there, eyes wide and staring at the ceiling. She was mentally preparing herself for the berating freeze.

As a Le'ran, she was painfully aware of, well..everything. The rumble of the station, the smell of previously replicated meals, every single irregular groove on her ceiling-she could sense it all. Heightened senses always came with its downfalls. What may be subtle to others was practically screaming in her face.

The cold...

It was familiar to Kioroh, but she could never quite get used to it. Despite her place of comfort, she took a sharp breath and hoisted herself out of bed. She had changed the temperature controls in her quarters the night before, but they were still somehow too cold. It felt like sharp static against her skin-like scales, and it was painful.

She quickly got dressed and walked towards the Promenade. For a couple hours, the Le'ran simply perused the halls, taking in the familiar environment and species. There were Bajorans here, humans there, with the occasional Klingon or Bolian. They all looked so different. So... unique.

Kioroh glanced discreetly downward at herself. She blended into the diverse crowd quite well, but couldn't help but feel out of place among them.

A bit later, she grew weary of walking with the crowds on the lower level, so she walked up the flimsy spiral stairs to the upper deck. Kioroh leaned against the railing, watching as the many different aliens crossed the halls. She wished she had brought something to draw on, but didn't feel like walking all the way back to the habitat ring. People watching would have to do.

Suddenly, her eyes caught the appearance of a species she had never seen before. He had just left the turbolift, and appeared wary of his surroundings.

Kioroh stayed silent and just stared at him, eyeing his features. He was very short and hunched over, with pale gray skin and long, pointy ears.. She tried to recall any kind of Gamma Quadrant species that might resemble him, but came to no conclusion.

The alien seemed overall relaxed for a brief moment, but then he suddenly paused.

He turned towards her and they locked gazes from the upper and lower levels.

Now he's nervous, Kioroh thought to herself, unaware of the sheer intensity she carried in her stare. Her slitted pupils struck like daggers into the soul of the poor stranger. Nevertheless, she continued to stare and spoke not a word to him.

Their eye contact was brief as he quickly broke it and continued down the Promenade at a fast, anxious pace.

She didn't try to follow him while she watched him leave.

Strange...