Fangs and Diamonds

Suspicions

As Kioroh walked back to her quarters, her mind wouldn't stop racing with theories regarding the Maurian. She had purposely taken the longer route to the habitat ring to contemplate their conversation.

A vegetarian..

She highly doubted that. His tone of voice, his hesitation, it all seemed like he was hiding something, be it a vegetarian or not.

He's so evasive, avoiding any kind of question I ask him, and he just plays it off as awkwardness.

The Le'ran considered the possibility of herself contributing to the uncomfortable atmosphere, but rejected the idea.

I tried to initiate conversation, ask him questions...

Her thoughts were so incomplete. She would near a finished idea, then quickly break off from it. The past few months have been so difficult to get used to this pattern of thinking.

I could've analyzed everything about him. I would've immediately known his behavioral patterns, the meaning in his dictation, if he was lying or not..

Now she felt completely in the dark, which made his situation all the more interesting to Kioroh, albeit frustrating. Perhaps, if she could understand everything about him, then maybe it will prove that she still understands herself.

She walked into her dark quarters and looked around absentmindedly, shivering slightly. The temperature had lowered on its own again.

I'll need to have a word with engineering about this.. Kioroh held her wrists and walked over to her desk, which was strewn with PADDs everywhere. She opened a drawer which contained paper and a set of metal pencils, and began to sketch out a rough interpretation of a Maurian.

He had spikes on his mouth..definitely not indicative of any kind of herbivore, and scales. He must also be cold blooded.

When I asked him about what he ate, he almost said another word, starting with an F? She shook her head.

Ok...what kind of non-vegetarian foods start with an F? Ugh, this is so much more difficult than it needs to be! I need to ask him more questions..

Her irritation grew as she began to forget certain features of the illustrated Maurian. Every once in a while, her eyes would twitch, abruptly pulling her focus from her pencil strokes.

"Computer, time?"

"The time is 2213 hours."

She should've been in bed hours ago, but didn't necessarily feel the pull of drowsiness just yet, her thoughts were keeping her awake.

He looks malnourished, and he smells as though he were dying.

The Le'ran shivered at that thought, looking down at and carefully inspecting her own frail, pale arm. At least she appeared somewhat healthy, but Lekel was a different story. He looks sickly.

That thought was enough to cause a shiver as well. She tried to resist looking in the direction of the locked closet in her quarters.

Is he... rotting? Slowly starving himself to the point where he... rots? None of this is making any sense! He said he has parents. Even so, how are they not noticing this? Or have they already, and they're just... not doing anything about it?

She rested on the uncomfortable Cardassian bed, looking to the ceiling and lifting the drawing she had made above her face.

I'll meet up with him again tomorrow, Kioroh thought, putting the paper on her bedside table.