Daeson came in a few minutes after Clarise, quietly getting to work. He clocked in similarly to how she did, and began taking down a few notes about his ideas for the day. He got out the project he'd been working on the day before, and started sorting the notes for it-- which is when he found Clarise's letter. He smiled to himself, knowing at once what he'd stumbled across.<br/><br/>He unfolded it carefully and began reading through. He smiled at her desire to recompense him with pie. He wondered what a pie made by her would taste like. He wondered what pie tasted like at all-- he'd never had one. He read on, and his cheeks started to darken when she said that she wished that everyone had even an inch of his kindness. He didn't think what he'd done was so kind to deserve so much praise. Reading further, he turned even deeper purple. He discovered that everything she claimed to want to give him, he wished she could do. He wouldn't mind a hug from his likeable colleague. He would have loved to be her friend. He didn't see why they couldn't be.<br/><br/>About midway through the third paragraph, he was a deep fuchsia.<span style="font-style: italic">He</span>gave her hope?<span style="font-style: italic">He</span>eased her loneliness? He was special, and kind, and delightful, and amazing? What things did she profess! No one had ever spoken about, or to him like that. He couldn't fathom the depth of her gratitude and admiration. Why should she, who was far more accomplished than he say all of these things? He had always admired her intelligence an ability to create, and couldn't believe that of all people, she would aspire to be more like<span style="font-style: italic">him.</span><br/><br/>He slipped the letter into the pocket of his lab coat and continued with his work, letting the blush subside before speaking a word to Clarise. He could only hope she hadn't been watching him while he read, as he had watched her when she read his letter. Once he'd gotten his embarrassment under control, he flashed her a smile. This was to affirm that he'd read and understood. Then he turned back to his work, determined not to be distracted by the strange, warm feeling he'd gotten from that letter. At the end of the day, he had a water filter that did two jobs. It purified water, then put certain minerals into it for healthy drinking, and for animals to live in. This would be sent over to the biology department. He placed the machine into a large tube and pressed a button. A case closed around the machine, and it zipped off in the direction of the biologists.<br/><br/>Shrugging off his lab coat and hanging it on a post by the door, he started to walk out. There was a moment's hesitation, when he turned and looked at Clarise. "See you tomorrow," he said warmly, a friendly smile on his face. Feeling as though he was actually done this time, he walked out, headed for the Azurian ship.<br/><br/>That night, he sat down at his desk again, and began writing a reply.<br/><br/>"Clarise,<br/><br/>I'm flattered by your words, and above all I must say-- You're welcome! You have been nothing but kind to me, so I considered it no trouble to help you how I did. To be truthful, I enjoyed writing it, and I'm glad it benefited you. It makes me happy to see you productive and happy. It's true that a simple act of kindness can make the difference, and I'm glad that mine made the difference for you. There is nothing more amazing than seeing a brilliant mind at work, spirits lifted and hands busy.<br/><br/>Consider my friendship yours. Why shouldn't we be friends? If we are ever to forge a bond between the two races, then it begins with friendship. I am not ashamed of interacting with you, and it shows my that your character is good, that you are not ashamed to interact with me. You are one of the most tolerant and brilliant people I have met thus far in this field. I appreciate that you see the little things I do. No one else seems to.<br/><br/>I will tell you a secret. The inventions published by the man called Anim Baesal are, in fact, mine. I cannot produce them under my name, because I am not a licensed scientist. They won't license me. I am growing sick of the blatant misuse of my skills... and I would rather provide them to you. In the future, I will provide you with schematics and parts. I would rather see the work bolster you, and not the very one who keeps me here. Perhaps, if you named me when you put them out, the Board would be more inclined to promote me as they should have a long time ago. I don't mean to be prideful... but I am not ignorant of my skills. Besides that, I believe that in a partnership between us, we could create things with many times the potential of our individual minds. I believe you when you say that we connect well.<br/><br/>Could you mail me a pie? I have never tried one. I wish to know what pie tastes like. I will mail you an Azurian dish in return.<br/><br/>In the future, we may be able to correspond through virtual letters. We will be able to write more than one letter a day, that way. If done under private names, we won't be suspected, and besides... it's not against the law for us to speak to each other outside of work. If you wish, contact me at the username Dayshine.<br/><br/>I want to know how your converter works. Will you explain it to me? In return, I will answer your questions in the same fashion I wrote my first letter. I am awed by your work, and a little shocked that I could have contributed in such a way. I want to know and do more. Your mind fascinates me, and I would love to just get inside your head and know half of that creative ability.<br/><br/>Thank you so much, Clarise,<br/><br/>Daeson"<br/><br/>He exhaled and folded the letter just as she had. His handwriting was not as neat, but the content itself was more formal. The organization, he thought, was bad. The letter seemed scattered-- it had been written as his thoughts came to him. Sloppy. He looked at the time. It would have to do, because he needed to sleep.<br/><br/>The next morning, he put the letter with Clarise's papers, just as she had done to him. He waited patiently, and a little excitedly for her to come in. A part of him was thrilled by the idea of them going against their betters in such a way, and another part of him was just thrilled by the thought of having a new friend. He grinned at her when she came in.