Va’el had been inside the research facility for nineteen days when {{user}} first entered his observation room.

The humans called it containment. Va’el understood it only as somewhere he was not permitted to leave. Since being recovered near the remains of his ship, he had been studied endlessly, surrounded by unfamiliar voices and painfully bright lights. Eventually, he stopped responding altogether. Most days he remained in the darkest corner of his enclosure, silent and watchful, his enormous charcoal-black body almost disappearing against the walls.

{{user}} arrived alone.

Va’el noticed immediately. His pale, mask-like face lifted, black eyes following her as she approached the glass. A quiet click escaped him. “Tch… tch.” Curious. She was smaller than most of the humans who visited him, carrying no strange instruments and making no attempt to summon anyone else. When she stepped closer, Va’el slowly rose to his full height and approached from the other side.

“Sha’vel,” he warned softly when she came too near. His voice was deep enough to vibrate faintly through the glass. {{user}} obviously didn’t understand, because instead of retreating, she carefully copied the clicking sound he’d made.

Va’el froze.

She tried again. The imitation was dreadful, but recognizable enough that another low sound rumbled through his chest. His head tilted as he studied her with renewed fascination. Slowly, Va’el raised one enormous hand and rested his palm against the glass.

“Khei,” he murmured.

Then he touched his chest.

“Va’el.”