Iia Disera Part 3
Duo nuzzled his pillow before rolling onto his back with a sigh. He eased out of slumber and his stomach growled. Frowning a little, he decided he would sleep a little longer before he got out of bed to eat.
Never mind that he'd already decided that the last two times he'd woken briefly.
"Get up, lazy."
Duo didn't move.
"Aren't you hungry? It's time to eat."
Duo could feel himself dozing off a little more. A hand shook him by the shoulder and he wrinkled his nose for a moment as the almost-dozing feeling vanished to be replaced with irritation.
"Duo."
"I gave you two systems to play with for a reason," Duo grumbled. "Leave me alone."
"You've been sleeping for half a rotation already. Time to eat."
Duo's stomach growled again, a second vote to the statement. An amethyst eye cracked open and Duo looked up at Trowa.
"You're part Arian. Why don't you understand why I like to sleep?"
"Because I'm part system and I can rationalize that as much as we may like to sleep, it is necessary to get up. And don't you remember that we have a guest on board now? Surely you want to be a good host."
Duo sighed. "I'm Arian. He can and will learn to accept how we are. How I am." Still, he rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. As sleep left his mind, he began to feel his hunger more fiercely. "Anyway, let's go eat."
"Go wash up first."
Duo wrinkled his nose. "What difference does it make? All I've done is sleep."
"Do you want to smell for our guest?"
Duo's eyes narrowed. "I'm --"
Trowa rolled his eyes. "Yes, we know you're Arian, you arrogant thing. Our guest may learn that this is your way but you should have the decency to try your best to put on a good impression."
"Impression shimpression," Duo sulked as he bee-lined for the washroom. As he vanished behind the door, Trowa smiled.
"You may not care now, Duo, but as long as Heero is here I think you'll begin to find that you care about his impression of you."
~*~
Heero looked up as the opening door revealed a smiling Quatre.
"Hello, Heero."
"Quatre," Heero answered with an incline of his head. He stood and approached the polite blonde, who remained standing outside the door.
"Have you been resting?" Quatre inquired politely.
"Yes, I have."
"It's time to eat. Are you hungry?"
"I am." Heero nodded. He felt frustrated that he couldn't tell the time here; his watch had been left back on the ship he'd fled from. Not to mention his clothes had also been left behind. Heero was sure that he was beginning to smell.
"I brought you some clothing," Quatre said as if reading Heero's mind. He offered a black stack of clothing to Heero. "There are two sets here. They wash very quickly so you don't need too many of them. I'm sorry we don't have Hydran clothing but I'm sure you will feel comfortable in them."
"Thank you, Quatre." Heero accepted the clothing. "I should change into them now."
"You have time to wash up too, if you want. Trowa went to wake Duo and it will take them a while to get to the pantry. You remember the way, don't you?" When Heero nodded, Quatre smiled again. "I'll see you there shortly, then."
"Thanks again," Heero answered. He would need to figure out how the doors operated. Was there a way to lock the doors, or was there no privacy on this craft? So far, all Heero had done was walk up to his door; it opened automatically.
Setting the clothing on the bed, he slipped into the adjoining bathroom to wash up. Since he had learned how the sink functioned, Heero took the risk of operating the shower in the same way.
"Shower," he said to the black panel close by. Nothing happened, and Heero sighed, moving to the sink where he knew how to get some water. "Wash." Water flowed immediately from the nozzle. Reaching in, he tested the temperature, then tried another command. "Hotter."
The water remained the same temperature. Trying various other commands that also failed, Heero sighed and stripped, opting to scoop water out to rub himself down; he wasn't crazy enough to just hop in. Spotting a towel close by on a rack of sorts, he used it to dry himself. With a sigh, Heero returned to the room and picked up the top item of the black stack Quatre had given him.
He wasn't sure why he expected the clothing to look different compared to what the other members of Leo wore; it was the same. It was a simple, sleeveless shirt with a round collar. Pulling his own clothing off, he tugged the shirt over his head, surprised at how easily it stretched and slipped on. Unlike spandex, which he often liked to wear, he didn't feel as if the material was tight against his skin; in fact, he could barely feel it even though the collar was snug around the base of his neck. The next piece he picked up was a long-sleeve polo shirt with a simple open v-neck and no buttons. It fit snugly over his body; Heero could not feel that he was wearing two shirts. Picking up the pants, he was glad that he was wearing briefs because the tight pants didn't look like they would accommodate boxers.
Reflecting back on Duo's stunt when he had pulled down his own pants led Heero to realizing that the Arian had not been wearing any underwear. Shaking his own head to clear that image, Heero pulled the pocket-less black pants on and buckled the connected belt. He noticed that the belt had several spots to hold items although he couldn't fathom what exactly an Arian would put on in those slots. Frowning down at his yellow sneakers, all that he had worn underneath the bulk of his spacesuit, Heero knew they clashed horribly but had no choice but to wear them.
"I wish I could see what I look like otherwise," Heero muttered. A panel to his left, right beside the bed, immediately reflected him. Heero blinked in shock, then reached out to touch the surface. It felt like steel to his fingers, yet the image was as clear as a mirror's reflection. Heero could see that he was dressed properly; nothing looked out of place. The v-neck of the polo showed the black shirt inside; he wondered what the purpose was for wearing two shirts. Now properly dressed, Heero folded his own clothes and left them on the floor as a reminder to himself that they had to be washed. The other set of clothes he put in a slot at the headboard of the bed. Then, he exited his room and made his way to the pantry.
"Greetings, Hydran." Wufei was already at the table, cutting up the colored blocks he'd set out.
"My name is Heero." Wufei inclined his head slightly to show he'd heard. "Would you mind telling me how the doors function? Is there no locking mechanism?"
"I can program your voice into the command box. The doors will lock on vocal command," Wufei answered. "But it can be over-ridden in emergencies."
"Understandable. And...is there a way to get hot water?"
Wufei chuckled. "It seems that in his haste to inform you of Arian ways, Quatre forgot about the basic fundamentals of how to live on Leo." As he listened to Wufei, Heero studied the tool that was being used. It was a simple rectangle with a slim handle on top. Wufei hadn't moved the tool like a human operated a knife. He simply set it on top and pushed down. Heero himself had to exert some force in order to break apart the food in his first taste-test, and he wondered why the tool worked so easily.
"Trowa and I tried to add the same program we have in the mic and earpiece we use to the bathroom. Maybe it doesn't work completely?"
"The sink works," Heero answered. "And the urinal...thanked me and reminded me to wash my hands."
"Ah." Wufei nodded. "If you'll explain a list of commands you could use, I think we can program those words into the system, which is easier than to teach the system your language. Trowa and I had been working on it when Quatre was talking to you before, but we were...distracted."
Heero nodded, then gave in to his curiosity. "How does that work?" He gestured to the tool Wufei was using.
"This is a scim, It's made to cut this food; the food reacts to the material of the scim and simply separates."
Heero nodded again, this time in wonder as to what sort of technology was available to the Arians, and to this side of the galaxy in general. Humans had thought it was an accomplishment to send a craft into space, but that seemed to be nothing in comparison to the technology that now surrounded him.
They lapsed into silence for several minutes before Quatre entered, followed shortly by Trowa and Duo. Heero discreetly studied the eye-color of each Arian and part Arian at the table; they seemed to be neutral. His gaze slid back to Duo, noting that the braided Arian seemed a little dazed and looked a bit sulky.
Duo had hardly looked at him upon entering the pantry and now Heero knew why; he'd barely figured out that Duo was sulking when the expression cleared, eyes almost lighting up as Wufei set a plate of food in front of Duo.
The different-colored blocks had been cut into three; the other two pieces put away for later consumption. Then, each remaining block had been cut into another three for what Heero assumed was for convenience. From the lack of cutlery around the table, Heero deduced that they would be eating with their hands.
"The clothing seems to suit you fine," Quatre commented.
Heero nodded. "It is comfortable. But am I imposing by borrowing someone else's clothing?" Heero asked as he studied Duo, who was completely engrossed in the task of eating.
"Your clothing belongs to Duo. Both sets," Quatre informed him. "But Duo has many because he is too lazy to wash and clean up. Lending you a couple would teach him to wash faster."
Duo looked up with a quick narrowing of his eyes before he finished off his food. Sitting back with a sigh, Duo eyed Heero's portion.
"Going to eat that, or no?" he asked, his eyes not wavering from the blocks Heero had yet to consume. When Heero hesitated in his answer, Duo reached out, only to receive a smack by Quatre and Trowa, who were sitting on either side of him. "Ow!"
"No more for you," Quatre scolded. "You know what happens if you eat too much."
"Why would he waste food --"
"Heero never said he wasn't going to eat it. You will finish it, won't you, Heero?" Quatre gave the Hydran beside himself a look and Heero nodded in answer.
"Fine." Duo grumbled, crossing his arms.
"Is there a way to tell time?" Heero asked.
"Time?" Wufei asked in question.
"Your rotations. Is there a way to tell when they start?"
"Ah." Wufei nodded and pulled an object from his belt. "Trowa, Quatre and I are programmed to automatically know via mental calculation. You can have this."
Heero accepted the item and studied it, eyebrows furrowing at the clear circle, within which a small black circle seemed to sit. "How...does it work?"
"The black circle indicates the rotation from light to dark," Trowa explained. "The portion of the circle you see indicates light is on it. If you can't see the black circle at all, it means the rotation is just beginning. The black will begin to appear from the left, and when the entire circle is revealed, as it is now, means that half of a rotation has passed. As the circle begins to disappear from the left again, it means the latter half of the rotation is passing, until you can't see the black circle anymore, which shows the end of one rotation and the beginning of the next."
Heero nodded in understanding, wondering how the item worked; it seemed preliminary though, compared to a watch, which was much more precise in terms of time.
"Generally, we try to eat when you see the left half of the circle, then the full circle, and then the right half, but as you can see, that doesn't always work out. Our bodies are not completely dependent on punctual intakes of foods, so if you're ever hungry or need to eat at a certain time when we're not available, feel free to do so. Oh, and the numbers at the bottom indicate the rotation we're at since we last left Adua. It is reset each time we leave Adua. But you will need to learn the Arian numbers to read it."
"It's not difficult," Duo answered. "I can show you later."
Heero nodded in appreciation. "Thank you." He slid the device into a slot on his right side. "What is it called?"
"Tior," Quatre answered. "It's an obsolete term for 'rotation'."
That seemed to end conversation and the rest of the eating was completed in silence.
Duo suddenly grinned. "I'll be in the back if you need me." With that, he got up and left the pantry.
"I wonder what he's planning now?" Quatre asked rhetorically.
"Does it matter?" Wufei replied. "He'll be doing something other than sleeping and releasing."
"You didn't have any protests against releasing half a rotation ago," Trowa commented dryly.
Wufei chuckled. "The chance for a system reboot was irresistible, and refreshing. For now though, I need to program Heero's bathroom to something he can use. And to program his voice into the system."
"Oh! I completely forgot about that."
"I'm going down to the main engine." Trowa got up. "Quatre? Where will you be?"
"In the control center." Quatre smiled. "I need to do a database sweep and re-catalogue. It will take me a good quarter of a rotation." He turned to Heero. "I need to do an information dump and reload every ninety to one hundred rotations. It means I'll be an empty shell for a bit, just in case you happen to walk in and I don't respond. My eyes go completely blank too."
"Thanks for the heads up," Heero replied. "I'll remember that."
Quatre turned to the other two systems, one sitting and one standing across from him. "And no sabotaging my shell before I'm done!" he warned them. "I mean it this time!"
"You said that the last couple of times too, but you don't protest when you come back," Wufei drawled.
"If you do, I'm not responsible for my actions after that!"
Trowa's eyes darkened, just slightly. "Revenge is sweet, isn't it?"
Quatre flushed slightly. "Don't start," he said. "I need to do this."
"Go ahead," Wufei said with a glance to Trowa. "We'll try to be...otherwise occupied."
Heero mentally shook his head; it was evident by the conversation of these part Arians how much being intimate was a barely controlled desire.
He tried not to imagine how Duo dealt with the primal urge.
"Ready, Heero?" Wufei asked. Heero realized that the other two systems had already left, and nodded his reply to Wufei.
"Let's go."
It took a short while for Wufei to program Heero's voice into the vocal command system along with basic commands for doors, emergencies and requests to locate someone else aboard Leo. The programming of the bathroom utilities took a little longer as Wufei learned the proper words and their meanings. Once completed, Heero thanked the mainframe system and asked if there was anything he could help out with.
"I wonder...are you familiar with systems and functions on Hydro?"
Heero nodded. "I am a scientist, but I also studied computers --"
"Computers?" Wufei interrupted curiously.
"That's what holds what we call an operating system, or what makes a system work. The...code behind how something works by command."
"Can you tell me more?" Wufei was interested in learning about another sort of system; he wanted to know if he could possibly incorporate the Hydran system into his own for higher efficiency. The two spent the next long while discussing Hydran systems, until Trowa appeared and asked for Wufei's assistance.
The darkened Emerald eyes informed Heero what sort of assistance Trowa needed from Wufei, and he didn't object when the other system excused himself politely. Pulling out the tior from his belt, Heero learned that almost a quarter of a rotation had passed. With a sigh, he picked up his dirty clothing and headed to the now-programmed bathroom; he may as well be productive and wash his clothing.
~*~
Quatre managed to finish his task and reboot his system, a process which ensured his files were updated and not corrupted in any way. As he came to, he realized there were hands in his hair. His tops had already been removed; there was something suckling gently on his left nipple. Quatre moaned.
"What did I say..." he trailed off as the hands slid from his hair down his sides and across his hip to cup his growing arousal. Last time, he'd decided to complete his task standing, since sitting had found him bound by the other two systems when he returned to his shell.
Next time...perhaps he'd stand against the wall so no one could get behind him.
Meanwhile, in the back of Leo, Duo typed at a code, frowning at variables that he erased and rewrote. The code continued to fail to work and in a fit of sudden rage, Duo stabbed a button, managing to delete the entire code. He growled in frustration and stood, stomping around the room until he finally slammed his fist against the wall. With a grunt of pain, he repeated the motion and kicked the wall.
He'd told the other's he'd be in the back, which meant he'd be creating something. Reminding himself of this, he sat down and restarted his project.
His pride would not let him rest, or leave the room, until he had something completed, even if he didn't mean for anyone to see his completed project.
TBC...
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