What about you?she asked with her hands.What do you like to do?
Örim observed her gestures, mimicking them with surprising proficiency. “Are you asking about my preferences? Can you repeat your gestures?”
Cassie nodded and repeated. Örim copied. “Now try writing out the question, so I know exactly what you’re asking.”
W-U-T-A-B-O-U-T-Y-U? W-U-T-D-O-Y-U-L-I-K-T-O-D-O?
“I see. It’s technically two questions then.” Örim repeated the hand signs a third time. “When I’m not busy with my research, I enjoy crafting. I like to make creatures out of wires. Not a very useful hobby, but I enjoy it all the same.”
Why isn’t it useful?Cassie asked before writing out the same question on the datapad.
“Oh, well, artistic endeavours don’t have any merit value on Teös.”
They sound pretty. I’d like to see one day.Cassie found herself blushing as soon as she’d said it.
“If you remind me, I can bring one to show you.” Örim had moved slightly closer, and now their thighs were touching. He didn’t seem to notice, but Cassie certainly did.
Do you miss your home?Cassie asked.
“No. Not really. There isn’t anything left for me there. Teös is a cold place.” His response was short. Cassie realized perhaps she had pushed too far with her questions. There was something painful there, and it wasn’t her place to prod at it. “We should finish there for today.” Örim rose to his feet. “Keep practicing longer constructions. We’ll move on to reading symbol words soon.”
For the first time since their reading lessons started, he walked with her out of the schoolhouse, rather than just letting her leave on her own. On instinct, she touched his hand again.
“Thank you!” she said the words and repeated with the hand sign. Örim repeated the hand sign back at her before seeing her off. He lingered outside, watching her until she reached the doors of the clinic.
CHAPTER 12
Örim
The following morning, Örim waited outside the clinic doors, gathering his thoughts. He didn’t want to misrepresent himself or draw suspicion. Not that there was anything problematic about his project, but he knew biological organisms could get uncomfortable when they were involved in research.
“How can we assist you today?” The senior healer, Aglao, greeted him when he entered the clinic. Örim wasn’t sure how to approach the subject with the zoa.
“I’m working on a research project, and I was hoping to borrow a piece of medical equipment."
Aglao glowed a shade of yellow for a moment before returning to their original blue. “It might be possible. Can you give me more details about what you need?”
“Yes, it should be a standard portable ultrasound device,” he said.
“Why do you need an ultrasound device?” Another voice cut in, and junior healer Eleri entered the atrium, pulling a pair ofgloves off her hands and tossing them into the waste atomizer as she walked by it. “You’re the educator, right?”
“I am,” Örim confirmed as he rubbed nervously at his wrist node. He still wasn’t entirely sure how to approach this conversation. “But I also run experiments from time to time. I have a background as a bioengineer."
“What kind of mechanical experimentation would require an ultrasound?” Aglao asked.
“Cassie’s voicelock,” Eleri said after a brief pause. “Did you get her permission to look at it?”
“I’m going to figure out how to remove it.” Örim paused at a noise behind them. Eleri turned first, and Cassie’s slight figure retreated up the stairs to the second floor above the clinic. “Is she alright?” he asked.
Eleri frowned. “Oh, did you see Cassie? She’s fine, I think. Cassie lives in the apartment above the clinic, but she always disappears when anyone is in the atrium. I’ll go check on her after you leave. Do you really think you can get it removed?”
“Well,” Örim backtracked, “I obviously can’t remove it myself, but if I can disable it, then hopefully someone else can remove it.”
“Well, if it’s for that, I’m happy to lend you one of our portables as long as Aglao approves.”
“We seldom use our portable ultrasounds. I see no conflict as long as it is returned,” Aglao hummed as they brought over a device from a drawer unit on the central console. “This is an older model. Do you know how to use it?”
“Yes. I have used devices like this in my work before.” Örim accepted the device from them, but lingered, realizing he was concerned about Cassie.
