The Yja’mere seemed only distantly interested in Sky Lynx, the distant and rather empty gaze just looking through him as though he was transparent as a window. Another slow blink occurred as he sat, the secondary lids peeling back slower this time in a way that made her look even more tired than a moment before; it seemed that just standing made her tired these days, let alone being rushed from one cage to the next. Her large head twisted to the side on her slender next as the creature across from her took time to figure out what to say and in what language he was to say it. Upon speaking, however, her eyes widened slightly and a frightened wave washed over her features as she backed a timid step away and brought her hands close to her chest, eyes snapping instantly towards the humans beyond the glass.<br/><br/>The jaws of every person in the room nearly dropped, including from Hull who looked rather shocked and dazed. This was for two reasons. One, Sky Lynx could talk which was good. Two, because Sky Lynx had talked, and this was bad. Bad because, like the Yja’mere,  he was going to be considered a priority one specimen which was like saying he was going to be tossed into an entirely different level of hell. But, at the same time, it meant he’d just found a new possibility for his own plans and, in turn, that meant he was now a step closer to finally being free of this place and all in it.<br/><br/>The techs in the room had gone into a state of frenzy, suddenly whirling around to their computer stations and hitting buttons. Hull stood there, arms crossed, and just watched. It was part of the joy of being a head scientist; you got plenty of lackeys to do the boring or tedious parts for you. He took a step closer to the glass and his eyes narrowed. His heart skipped in his chest and he just mumbled to the A.I. of the base. “Kara, begin processing a level two clearance analysis of language use.” There was a soft beep to let him know that the base was now recording and doing as he asked. Thankfully, even with the real Hull's personality, he could now seem a little more engaged in what was going on and actually show a slight hint of emotion and, for the moment, that emotion happened to be satisfaction.<br/><br/>The Yja’mere, however, still looked worried. Frightened, it appeared, by the use of human speech. This was easy to misinterpret as she turned her head away to the side, diverting her eyes from Sky Lynx. The real meaning of this display came in the sound that echoed distantly in the back of his head, like someone had gotten stuck inside some part of his brain and their voice was muffled and crackling like a bad transmission.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">‘Now you’ve d-done it,’</span>the distinctly female tone answered in, oddly enough, a voice that would sound like his own language in his head. It was a soft and unnerved tone and, above all, it was one belonging definitely to the creature in the cell across from him.<span style="font-style: italic">‘They prick and prod and poke at minds. They creep in and break things. They leave things open and they unhinge. They break-they break,’ </span>it called, the repeat sounding like a glitching recording.<span style="font-style: italic">‘Don’t speak. Don’t bite. Don’t look. They pull thoughts and bend you. Must keep silent. Must keep safe.’</span>She finally turned to look back at him, unsure if he could understand or hear her, or if she was just talking to herself. There wasn’t much she could be sure of these days.<br/><br/>Her little body shuddered as she looked up at the cameras around her before back to him.<span style="font-style: italic">‘But you’ve spoke, and they hear all. They will make you talk. Make you speak for them. Mustn’t tell about, Leyanth. No. Mustn’t tell them. Please don’t tell them’</span>the words sounded pleading, and a soft trill came out of her throat that mirrored the tone, her hands wringing nervously together.  Her right eye twitched a little and she recoiled back another few steps, mind realizing the possibility of this one telling them about her and what she could do. Cringing back still, she shuddered again.<span style="font-style: italic">‘They are thieves who take what should not be taken. They break and bend.’</span>The neurotic tinge in her voice hinted at the downward slope she was on.<br/><br/>Hull could see the back and forth between them, but the cessation of speech was odd. Perhaps the other specimen wasn’t as intelligent as they thought. She’d certainly never spoken even though she could use basic communication. His gut instinct was telling him, however, there was something more going on there even though his eyes could not. Of course, that wasn’t a reason he could say out loud. No, these were people of science and anything like instinct and gut feeling were merely foolish things to laugh at.<br/><br/>Thank his lucky stars he couldn’t give a damn about what they thought and, inside his head, he cataloged this for later pondering.