AU: Space!
TW: Injury, but not super bad
WC: 1122
Date: 8/22/2021
Looking down at the strange being had Patton chittering, body moving and pulsing while trying to process the weird being. They had been picking up space debris when they found a life scan among the wreckage and Patton had insisted the crew rescue whatever life form was stuck out there. He was not one to leave anyone in the vacuum of space, dead or alive. He wasn't expecting them to pull in something that shouldn't have been able to survive in the vacuum of space.
"Oh no, you don't look healthy." He leaned over the being. They were surprisingly small, maybe that's how they had survived. Patton's eyes and body shifted to show his concern. He reached out to pick up the creature, only for their eyes to shoot open, a blood-curdling screech emanating from their lips as they swung upward, almost hitting Patton before running off. Patton felt himself vibrating in fear, but he breathed slowly. What kind of species attacked upon waking? Was this being one of the prey species? Was it sentient?
"Have you checked on the life form?" The captain of the ship, Logan, asked as he walked in.
"I was trying to, but they woke up and started screaming before disappearing into the cargo."
"What did they look like?" Logan had an immense amount of knowledge about space and all of the beings that inhabited the cosmo. It was the main reason he captained this vessel, in order to seek and acquire more knowledge. "I need as much information as possible if I am going to be able to properly prepare for this"
"Um, bipedal, a bit squishy, no exoskeleton, only four limbs, no claws or fangs. I'm really surprised they survived that long. It looked like two eyes and one mouth that was only about this big." Patton held up a tentacle to show Logan.
"There are few species that could survive in space, even with proper space gear. There are even fewer that fit your description." Logan held his hand out and projected an image on top of it. "Did they look like this?"
Patton looked over the figure and nodded enthusiastically, "Yes! That's exactly it!"
"That might become problematic. What we are dealing with is called a human, they are extremely dangerous. I am going to head back to the bridge to let the crew know. You and all of the others should exit the cargo hold and seal it. Our supplies can be replaced, our crew cannot."
"Yes sir!" Patton began to lead everyone out of the cargo hold, but he couldn't help but throw a look back towards where the human had disappeared. There was something in their eyes that Patton recognized. Fear didn't change much between species, at least, not when it came to the eyes. He looked around again, making sure everyone had successfully gotten out of the cargo hold, before stepping inside and closing the door behind him. He wasn't going to risk anyone else but if he could help, he wanted to.
"I'm not sure if you can understand me but I'm not here to hurt you. I want to make sure you are okay." Their translation matrix worked with most sentient beings, so the human should be able to understand him, but it was guaranteed.
He could hear the shifting movement, but Patton didn't try to chase the human down. He wanted them to feel comfortable around him.
"Well excuse me if I don't believe that from a Rampatol." Patton was so glad the universal translator worked, it made the sharp object pressed to this back a tiny bit less terrifying.
"Yeah, we do get a bad reputation, don't we? But, so do humans." He kept his voice soft and happy, "I'm not here to hurt you. You were scared, right? How can I help?"
"Me, scared?" The human made a noise. Patton wasn't sure what it meant, but the object left his back. "I'm not scared of anything 12 eyes, but I'm also not dumb."
There was a soft thump against the wall, and Patton slowly turned around to look at the human. They were leaning against the wall, eyes closed. Their chest was moving up and down in a way that didn't seem right, but Patton hadn't meant a human before. He couldn't assume.
"What are you going to do with me? I'd like to know so that I can choose when we get to the kinky stuff." His body looked tense, maybe he should have studied more about human behaviors.
Confusion rippled across his body, "I'm not sure what you mean, but we really are only trying to help. You can't be in a good state after being stuck out there."
"Do you have oxygen in your ship?"
"Yes?" He wasn't sure why that was a question now.
"Good, remember, I only approve of butt stuff when I'm unconscious." And the human took off their outer skin before collapsing against the wall.
Patton squeaked in fear as he went to catch the human. Why did the human do that if it was going to cause them to lose consciousness? Were all humans this frail? How long had they been out there? Patton didn't like this. He had too many questions and didn't know how to help, but he did know he needed to get them to the med bay. It was easy to scoop the human up and open up the door, much easier than trying to gather Logan together when he needed to rest.
"Patton!" Speaking of which, Logan was standing at the door. "What did you do? I said everyone should leave the cargo hold, that included you."
"It's okay Lo! I talked to them! They are weird but in a sweet way. I'm not hurt. I think they are scared. Do you have a human setting on your med scanners?"
"Of course, though I haven't had enough humans on this ship to guarantee its accuracy."
Patton nodded, "Okie Dokie," and he began moving towards the medical bay.
"Please, do not move so fast, I don't like the idea of you being alone with the human."
"They aren't going to hurt me Lo, oh, did you know they had a second skin? I didn't realize that. It kind of scared me."
"That's not a second skin Patton, that is their version of a spacesuit."
"Really? But it's so flimsy!"
"It's stronger than you think." Logan was right behind him as Patton put the human down on the med table and started the scan.
"Humans, in general, are stronger than you would expect."
"Well then, this one should survive, right?"
"Most likely."
"Then I think I want to keep them." Patton was already interested, a species that fought when afraid. They were so strong, and he wanted to see what else this human could do. He curled himself up, looking over the human.
