...
Its cold
...
very cold
...
i don't think its normal for it to be so cold outside on this time of the year
...
but then again, i don't think i'm supposed to be laying flat on the floor when its this cold outside
...
why was i here again?
...
am i dead?
...
can't be, right?
...
if i'm capable of feeling the cold, then that means i'm probably not dead...
...
i think
...
maybe
... *tap tap*
what's that sound?
... *tap tap*
Footsteps?
... *tap tap*
is someone coming?
... *tap tap*
Are they...?
... *tap tap*
Are they coming to save me?
...
...
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Somewhere in the dark crevices of a small moon long lost to time and prominence, a loud entryway located in the very middle of a faded stronghold now modestly used as a gaol opens ever so briefly from outside, giving the confined occupants a subtle glimpse of the even colder, yet strangely inviting exterior of the lone building.
From the opened entrance emerge a trio figures, the two smallest both seemingly belonging to the moon's Kuutio folk, who unwaveringly carry what would seem to be a barely conscious and bandaged Human youth
A faint ray of light is cast into the dimly lit corridors which branch off from the main square, as the pair of Kuutios slowly advance toward the entryway. Their feet softly brush the ground at each step taken, and a subtle sound fades into the inconspicuous bustle the of the moon's gaol.
The two, who would appear to be prision guards from that very same place, hold the young Human on their backs, procuring not dragging them on the ground so that they don't get in any problems with the Global Gaol Association for a negligence plaint , or at least try to do so. the wounded earthtling, messily covered by a strange white tape, being carried carefully to some extent.
Upon noticing the guards, everyone else inside the chamber's cells immediately stops what they were doing to take notice.
The guards carefully move forward within the gaol, their pace slowed a bit due to the weight of their Human cargo. Those around them exchange looks of concern, but remain silent, as the gaol's quiet atmosphere accentuates.
Despite their small stature, the Kuutio guards move with great strength, their frames supporting the limp and bandaged Human surprisingly steady, still, the guards' bodies tremble a bit as their arms change positions to support their burden, a reminder that their arms weren't really meant for tasks like these. Originary from that same moon, Qter³ as it's formally known and registered in most widespread maps, the Kuutioidae Senetis are the dominating sentient species in that cold rock's habitable surface. Reduced in size but not much so in strenght, these short individuals were famous for their semi-stable colonies and relatively long life cycles, that made them a decent member of the Exounanthropus united capital organism that ruled the galaxy way far back.
It's only unfortunate that their society would eventually be outshined by foreign competing provinces after the Pugna Regum conflict, and their kind would be basically reduced to expendable personnel.
like jailer guards, for example.
As they draw closer, the crowd's whispers grow quieter around in their cells, as some of them contemplate what could have happened to the injured foreigner.
The person they are carrying stirs in their arms, but remains unconscious. The tension in the room slowly rises, as the silence becomes uncomfortable among those present. One of the guards looks towards the gaol's Warden, who stares back with an expression of mild concern and apathy upon their face. After a brief dialogue with the pair, The Warden makes a gesture towards the nearest decently clean cell, to which the guards nod in understanding, and slowly move towards the room they were directed to.
The Kuutios move with determined steps toward the cell, focusing their gaze from time to time on the knocked out Human they carry. The guards reach the cell and enter, closing the door behind them with a heavy thud. All that remains now is the sound of the Human's shallow breathing, echoing in the hall. The quiet atmosphere starts going away, as everyone processes what has happened, their thoughts remarks swirling around and mixing with each other.
After a couple of seconds of just seeing the human weakly breathing on the floor, the residents of the gaol shift their attention back to their own matters, their curiosity in the Human being carried into the cell quickly dissolving into indifference. They resume what they were doing before, the sound of their conversations filling the air once again and distracting from the silence that had filled the atmosphere only moments before.
After a short while, the Human's shallow breathing shifts into a soft murmur as they begin to stir. their eyes slowly dart around as they try to make sense of their surroundings, their senses slowly returning to normal in the dimly lit environment. their eyes focus on one of the nearby figures, their breathing becoming quicker and more panicked while they attempt to process what they're seeing. One guard notices this, but simply locks up the cell neatly and leaves along with the other.
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The Human's eyes are wide open as they gaze around the confines of their small cell. Their breathing continues to be shallow and fast as panic and fear begin to take over. They scan the cell, searching for an opening or an escape. It's clear that the Human is not in anything remotely close to a familiar place, and the realization of this only serves to heighten their anxiety and fear. Yet suddenly, they notice another figure nearby —
Through the dimly lit cell, they see another figure seated in one corner. The figure is dressed in flowing clothes, with a face obscured by a hood that covers it's head, leaving only two insipid, white eyes visible. The figure remains still and silent, its gaze set intently on the Human who had just awoken from unconsciousness. The rustling of the figure's robes mixes with the rest of the room's noise, as it slowly stands up and begins pacing towrds the human. Their footsteps are soft and precise, almost as if it knew going in with speed or unpredictability might not lead into the outcome they're looking for.
The figure is tall and sleek, with a very particular silhouette to it. its movements are meticulous and elegant, and its footsteps accompanied by the rustling of the mantles it wears. As it moves forth, a pair of horns and numerous spikes can be seen across its body, their presence adding to the eerie atmosphere of the scene. The Human watches the figure as it moves in direction, their eyes darting back and forth .
After a moment, the figure stops in front of the Human, and after a subsequent a beat of awkward silence, the figure finally speaks, its voice weirdly mechanical and synthesized, as if that wasn't it's own.
"hilsen, menneske av det fremmede, jeg Selv om jeg bare er en fremmed, vil du gjerne forklare hvem du kan være?" the figure expresses verbally in a lenguage completely unintelligable to the human.
The Human's eyes widen at the voice, their anxiety and fear returning with a vengeance. They struggle to find words, an uneasy tension begins to fill the air once again
The figure continues to stare at the Human, the robotic and synthesized voice causing the Human even more fear and discomfort. As the Human struggles to find words, the figure simply stands still, the silence growing more tense and heavy between the two with each passing moment. The human's mouth moves silently, the words stuck in their throat as their brain desperately tries to think straight and find a way out of this situation. The quiet atmosphere is broken suddenly as the Human speaks.
"...Wh--Who..."
The Human tries to speak again but only manages to blurt out the single word before stopping and waiting for a response.
the figure reacts for a bit, and then does what would potentially be considered a sigh. It looks towards the human once more, and slowly tries to come closer, gesturing passively as if not to cause fear.
The Human watches as it approaches more, their eyes darting around nervously but still observing the figure. As it draws closer, its odd presence is accompanied by the smell of ash and smoke.
The human's mouth opens as they speak again, but no words come out... they remain silent once again, but they gather up their faint courage and give it another try.
"who... who are you?"
The Human's eyes narrow as the figure reaches out to their head, their unease and anxiety growing once more. They try to keep their distance, but are unable to move backwards due to the cell's confined space. In response, the Human instinctively raises their hands to their head to protect it, their panic and dread increasing as the figure's hand slowly moves closer.
The Human can feel the figure's hand slowly caressing their head, their touch feeling oddly cold and genteel. As the figure continues to examine the Human, it pauses momentarily, and its other hand quietly reaching something in their back. The Human's eyes dart quickly from one hand to the other, their fears and anxieties only mounting as they are unable to tell the figure's intentions.
Suddenly, it removes its hand from the Human's head and pulls out a small device. The Human watches in confusion as the figure holds up the device, the mysterious object emitting a soft hum in the darkness.
The figure holds the small device in front of the Human and holds it steady for a moment, the hum emitted by the device providing a strange and surreal atmosphere to the scene. The Human stares at the object with curiosity, their eyes trying to make sense of it.
"...Wh-...what is that...?" The Human mutters, their interest temporarily overcoming their fear and anxiety.
"Snakk inn i det, vær så snill" the figure says with the same inorganic tone.
The Human's passivity and somewhat calm attitude towards this are met with a request from the figure, its tone sounding surprisingly polite given the artificial voice. The Human looks at the figure, the device in its hand still emitting the same intriguing hum. Unable to refuse their request, the Human speaks to the device like they would a person.
The Human hesitates for a second,their voice slightly tremulous
but they eventually speak
"I-i... H-Hello?"
"Greetings" the figure replies back, now with a lightly different robotic tone and overall timbre.
The Human is startled by the figure's response, their eyes widening in shock as the familiar speech escapes the figure's robotic voice. Their eyes scan the figure once more, taking in the details of its face and noticing the horns and spikes that add to their distinct presence. In spite of this, the Human finds themselves speaking once more
"...Wh-What is this place?" they ask genuinely, curiosity and confusion filling their voice. "What's happening?..."
The figure takes a little bit more to respond this time
"i take it you are... unfamiliar with this state of affairs. I'm sorry to inform you, but, as you may notice, We are in jail at the time being"
The human blinks a couple of times, then remains silent looking at the figure, then looks at the floor, then blinks and finally looks back at the figure again
"what"
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