"Turn around."
He does and I take some pictures of his back.
"And your tattoos…Your markings, they help?" I want to touch one and see if I get a shock.
He turns to face me. "They aren't needed, but they allow for more control." His lips curve. He doesn't show his teeth when he smiles. "I can sense prey when hunting." He takes a step closer. "I can sense the changes in the beating of your heart because you have a charge."
I feel my eyes widen, suddenly aware of the speed of my pulse. Excitement? It's not fear. But I am aware of his size, and how male he is.
I want to ask more questions, but I need to write down what he's telling me. Or do I?
Everything I write; the leaders will read. I need to be careful what I write because I don't want them attacking his people.
They must've known there were aliens on this world or, more correctly, that it was already inhabited, and that's why this continent was selected. But then why the lies? Why not admit we are sharing the world with another species?
Another people?
Why not introduce ourselves from the start and work with them?
They know how to survive on this world, even though we have the better technology. Well, we do until it fails and we can't replace it.
Before my thoughts can spiral down the path of what we will do as our technology breaks, I refocus on the man in front of me, who hasn't put his shirt back on, even though I have gotten photos.
My teeth rake over my lip as I consider my options. I should start with the basics, like a blood sample and a cheek swab. And I wouldn't mind getting a sample of the ink beneath his skin. It must be metallic to assist with conducting the charge. But if he doesn't need the markings, then his body must have a way of conducting the charge, regardless.
"If I give you something to draw on, will you draw me the bug you use to make your ink?"
"Do you need more ink?" He peers at the tablet and stylus in my hand.
"Not for this." But if the ink in his skin helps conduct the charge, that is something I want to learn about. "If you make a charge while touching this, it will break." I hold up the tablet.
"How do you know that?"
"Because it, and the lights." I point at the ceiling. "All use electricity."
"But you cannot make a charge, because you don't have kam." He studies me as if searching for hidden kam.
"I can't with my body, but we have technology to make electricity."
"And you use it for things other than hunting?" He glances up at the lights. His eyes narrow as though he is thinking about how they work. As though wondering how he could make lights using his charge.
"Let's leave electricity for another day." Maybe I won't give him a tablet to draw on. I'll find something else. "How about I get all your basic information and do a medical check?"
"And what do I get?"
"I will answer your questions, and if there's something specific that you need, I will try to obtain it. How's the food been?" I noted the two tubs in his cell, one for water and one for food. "Did someone show you how to use the toilet?"
"Toilet?"
"Um…" I point to the toilet. "Where body waste goes."
He laughs, revealing his orange teeth. I desperately want to ask why they are orange. I want to know everything. I need to make a list. Two lists. One for the things I want to learn and one for the things the colony leaders will want to know.
"No, I was unconscious when I arrived. However, it wasn't that hard to figure out. Did you think I wasn't smart enough? Just because I am in a cage does not make me a beast."
"It's new technology to you and I thought it polite to ask."
He considers me for several heartbeats before giving a single jerk of his head. "So what is the basic information and medical check?"
