Carpathia IV: Episode 170 - Allure of the Tail
Bridge, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
All breaks come to an end, and the Shadowdancer crowded with crew once again. Crew buzzed around their stations. Shops freshly restocked. Provisions topped off. The atrium now restored to its prior state, as though the vashtari had never been there. The bridge itself, while remaining professional, had an air of gaiety about it. The bridge officers carried on with their duties, departure preparations, with levity and excitement.
After the usual call and response of confirmations that the ship was ready and disengaged from the station, all that was left was for clearance to depart.
Kit: Clearance from the station received, Captain. We may depart.
Aire: Helm, plot a course to Cytosia, half induction and then Q8 once we've cleared the station.
Teek: Course set. Engaging half induction.
As big as the Shadowdancer was, and parked in the position it was in, Aire, sadly, could not watch the undoubted throngs of people who always showed up to witness a departure, but he could picture them in his mind. This made him happy and he allowed himself a private smile as the ship slid away from the station. Teek, with a little welcome flair, pulled farther past the station than he needed before doing the necessary 180 degree turn toward Cytosia, giving everyone with a window the pleasure of a Polaris Deep flyby.
Corridor, NCCS Shadowdancer-A, Near Tuomas's quarters
With an uneven, hesitant gait, Nalma stepped down the corridor, inching nearer to his destination. He was the only crew member left who hadn't had his portrait at least started and time, simply, ran out for him to dodge. As Nalma stood in front of Tuomas's door, he let out a heavy sigh and thought about their one and only interaction, on the bridge during Tuomas's first day, when he slapped Nalma's offer of a handshake away. It was a moment that periodically invaded his thoughts ever since.
I wonder if he remembers.
Nalma tapped the door chime and awaited a response.
Tuomas: Enter.
With another sigh, Nalma opened the door, only going so far as to put both feet inside and letting the door slide closed behind him, giving his tail a little woosh of wind as it passed his backside.
Nalma: I'm hear for my appoint...
Before Nalma could finish, Tuomas used his pencil to point toward a chair and a backdrop on the other side of the room.
Tuomas: Over there, please.
Nalma paused, glancing over at the staging area and then back to Tuomas, who, thus far, hadn't looked up once from his sketch pad.
I think he remembers.
Nalma shuffled over to the staging area and had a look around. Only then did he notice that the backdrop, currently a starfield like what he might see outside a window, had others behind it. With a quick thumb through the rest, he found one for engineering, another for the bridge, another with a generic park. The chair was a standard console chair, but he noticed a folding chair propped up against a cupboard behind it and some rolled up synthetic grass nearby. Just about anything one would need to recreate a scene.
Tuomas: Pick whatever sort of scene you like and let me know when you're ready.
It was clear enough that Nalma wouldn't be getting any help, so he decided to keep it simple. He would use the chair that was already in position and try to find the bridge backdrop. Since the initial frosty greeting, he expected Tuomas would be no help, and of this, he was correct. Tuomas remained where he was, silent, organizing his sketch papers.
As he chose a simple scene, it didn't take Nalma long to get set up. After finding the bridge backdrop, he rolled up the other canvases in front of it, bringing it to the fore. After that, all that was left was to consider a pose. He sat on the chair and took a relaxed position, legs crossed and elbow perched on the back.
Tuomas: Hold that pose. I'm going to do about a dozen sketches, maybe more, for starters.
Nalma: Okay.
The only sound in the room from then on was Tuomas's pencil scratching rapidly across the sketch paper. Between the silence and the hypnotic rhythm of the pencil, Nalma's mind drifted off into old, unpleasant memories.
Tokkastra, 12 years ago
It was an unusually quiet night on the streets around the Elai enclave with the threat of rain, possibly storms, predicted, encouraging most to decide on a night at home. Indeed, the wind picked up, coming in short, powerful bursts in between calm periods, occasionally accompanied by a light, albeit horizontal, sprinkle of rain. The shops along the way were still brightly lit, but with few customers. A slow night all around.
The threat of a nasty storm didn't deter Nalma and his friends from partaking in a night out. Together, they paraded down the sidewalk, oblivious to the wind that occasionally whipped through their ears, blowing them clean backwards. Nalma and his friends pressed on, headed to the next club, laughing every time the next gust turned their ears into streamers.
In the midst of the merriment, Nalma glanced across the street and saw a very unusual boy indeed. He'd seen nekohumans before, but nothing like this. The ears were too long. The tail was too floofy. Was this actually a nekohuman or something else entirely? Overflowing with excitement, he gave his nearest friend a hearty poke and pointed.
Nalma: Holy crap, look at that!
Nalma's friends each turned their heads in the direction that he was looking and also spotted the strange person, walking alone down the sidewalk. They zeroed in on the unusual person right away and became just as excited as he was. No further words were needed, as each knew what the others wanted to do, and they darted across the street, dodging cars along the way.
In short order, they had the boy surrounded and he looked up at them, not in terror, but with a frown and furrowed brow, more like he was irritated. Nalma bent his knees so as, perhaps, not to be so intimidating, but never looked him in the eye, finding himself inextricably enthralled by the boy's tall, pointed ears.
Nalma: Hey there! What's your name?
To Nalma's surprise, the boy squinted, looking even more angry than before.
Tuomas: I'm just going to a friend's place. Just leave me alone.
Nalma flinched, momentarily losing focus on the boy's ears and now focused on his angry face. He didn't know what to say, but before he could think of anything, one of his friends grabbed the boy's tail and started playing with the fur. The boy's hair and fur bristled all over his head, as though someone sent an electric shock through him.
Tuomas: Hey! Don't touch that!
The boy spun around and grabbed his own tail, snatching it of the hands of Nalma's friend. At the same time, another gust of wind came along and, with the boy already off balance on the damp sidewalk, he slipped and fell, his head colliding hard on the pavement. Nalma stood where he was, frozen in fear, while the boy did not move. Nalma whipped his head around and at least one other person, just far enough away that he wouldn't be recognized, saw the incident. His friends, however, darted off into the night.
Nalma! Let's go! they shouted at him.
Nalma hesitated, watching his friends disappear down a side street. After a glance at the boy and at the onlookers rushing to help, he decided the best thing for him would be to disappear himself. The boy, it seemed, could be cared for by the other person or anyone else who would surely happen by within a few seconds. It wouldn't do anyone any good for him to get into trouble... right? Nalma pushed through the people rushing to assist and ran for the side street that his friends took moments ago.
Tuomas's Quarters, NCCS Shadowdancer-A
Tuomas: Hey!
Nalma made a little jump in his chair, as though someone had jolted him awake from a deep sleep. After a few blinks, he needed only to glance at Tuomas's confused face before he had to look away.
Tuomas: Most people like to smile for their portrait, but you looked like you were taking a dump.
Nalma's ears flushed a bit, as he hadn't realized how far gone he was and how he must have looked to Tuomas, trying to do sketches of all things. Nevertheless, it seemed like a good opportunity to ask the question that had been burning in his mind all day.
Nalma: If you don't mind... I've been curious. We've met before and I'm wondering if you remember that.
Tuomas tipped his head to the side, sending his ears on a tilt in the same direction.
Tuomas: On the bridge, you mean?
Nalma gave his head a slow shake.
Nalma: Before that.
Nalma began recounting the story starting from just before he spotted Tuomas walking down the opposite side of the street. He recounted the story accurately, insofar as his memory held up for the last 12 years, constantly interlaced with apologies and copious notes about how stupid he was at that age and particularly in that moment. All the while, Nalma kept his head down, looking in all directions across the floor and never at Tuomas. When he reached the end, shamefully stating that he ran away, he finally looked up, finding Tuomas on his feet, an expression on his face not dissimilar to the one he had 12 years ago, only much more severe.
Tuomas: I spent a week in the hospital because of that!
Nalma felt as though he were transported back in time, 12 years ago, frozen to the spot with no idea what to do or say next, though without friends running away this time.
Tuomas: And you just left me there!
Never had Nalma felt regret more than now, seeing the tears, angry tears, in Tuomas's eyes.
Nalma: I'm sorr...
Tuomas: Get. Out.
Nalma thought about attempting another apology, but this time was met with a small glass bottle of turpentine hurtling at his head. He ducked just in time and the bottle harmlessly struck the canvas behind him and tumbled to the floor.
Tuomas: Get out!
Message received the second time around and Nalma turned and rushed out of Tuomas's quarters, tail pinned low, as though signalling his shame.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Less_End
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
Falke2009
