A Twist in Time

He glanced at the neatly wrapped bandages and absently flexed one of his forearms, wincing slightly as the broken skin beneath pulled beneath it. Smiling a little wit bemusement, he nodded, "Understood." He supposed that was probably a wise move. He wasn't entirely sure how he was surviving on so little sleep. He focused and tried to recall exactly when he had last found sleep and realised he was perhaps two or three days running without a good eight hours. All he had caught in that time was short kips. That had been all they could take in the time afforded to them in the General's bid to take the capital. He raised a hand flat, fingers splaying and frowned as he noticed the tremors. Just like his sword earlier he mused.

Dropping the hand he looked back to her as she explained what fast food was. It took him a moment before he nodded with understanding of what she was talking about. "Oh, I see. Street vendors, food stalls, I understand," he nodded as he stood opposite her in the relative open ground filled with more of the similar machines like the one they were next to.

"A car," he tried the word on his own tongue, finding it strange to his own hearing before he nodded peering at the body of the machine again. He supposed it did rather look like a funny kind of wagon but the idea that it didn't need horses or oxen was unheard of to him. "Nice to know some things remain familiar," he intoned looking the car over in detail. He glanced back to her when he heard a sound he did recognise easily enough as hunger and he smiled bemused.

He nodded and fell into step beside her easily matching her stride and pace as a man used to marching in an army would do. Kaeso also didn't want to be left behind. It was either go with far more pleasant company or remain with that idiot of a man he could use for a punchbag. The fresh air was nice though, it was nothing like the rooms or the marshlands he and his century had been arguing with for untold hours. The birdsong was familiar and that helped to earth him a little more as he followed her with patient obedience trusting she would lead the way to this food stall.

He made note of the way they had come and the route they were taking, small landmarks he could use should have need of them. Not that he was sure the survival techniques he had been taught and learned in his time as a soldier were relevant anymore. He didn't understand how things worked anymore. Sure, his language must still exist for her to have bothered learning it but it was clear a lot had changed. He nodded absently to her in return as he continued his thoughts.

Sure enough the pond came into sight and he sighed slightly. He would be a fish out of water in this world and knew it made him vulnerable. A feeling he hated. He blinked as he realised she was asking him a question and he looked towards the vendor. The man looked like he was perhaps from the same area of the world as him. He thought for a moment and nodded, "Pork would be good."

He looked at the pond again and took in the view it presented. It was too calm compared with how he was feeling. Just too calm. He reached up to rub the back of his neck as he stood there surrounding by both familiar and unfamiliar sights and sounds that impacted his sense. He could hear the other man speaking but it was in that strange funny language he had heard before. There were some words he could sort of recognise but as soon as he thought he did, something flipped his understanding.

Kaeso turned back to the street vendor and Valerie as the scent of food wafted into the air. Whatever this was she was getting for him, it certainly smelt as good as he hoped it tasted. He offered her a grateful smile, "Smells good."
 
( Sorry for the long wait I've been man-down with a virus since last week Friday. Will be answering soon.)
 
Valerie looked out over the scenery, dragging in a long, deep breath while her eyes followed the white silhouettes of the swans making ripples on the water's surface. She had noticed how he behaved on the way here, it was hard not to notice the military stance he took in both walking and surveying his environment.

She was used to being around scientists who constantly scrutinized the world about them, but this man was approaching everything with an almost child-like curiosity. It was easily understood, since this world must contrast so starkly with the one he knew. He still remained calm though, a characteristic she had to admire. She knew that if it was her in his place, she would be having all kind's of anxiety attacks.

With his answer, she turned toward's the food-cart owner and placed an order. Soon enough, Val approached the soldier with steaming meat placed inside the bread. Hints of apple and rosemary filled the air, adding to the dewy-like scent of rotting leaves that littered the ground.

"This is also hot, so be careful. It is as good as it smells though." Once the male had retrieved his meal, she bit into her own. Val's face melted with relief at the taste of food, not realizing how hungry she had actually been. With her being late that morning, she had had to skip breakfast. Once they had each begun eating, she decided to test the waters.

"So...what exactly was going on when you were pulled from the past? You can ask me something about the future in return for an answer. That seems only fair." She began a slow walk along a path that wound around the pond, her emerald hues glancing in his direction as she walked.

@Zul'Zae'ju'Jin
 
He stood at ease, his legs braced apart. In this strange world where very little made any real sense to him, keeping to a military code of conduct was something he found useful to calm himself. He didn't want to burden her with his fears, in truth he was terrified. How much had really changed? That thought danced about his mind a bit. He didn't know what technology she had to hand but what he had seen thus far was nothing he could recognise. He felt as green as the day he had first joined with the Legion. Kaeso watched the wildfowl swim lazily across the water's otherwise mirror-like surface with interest. It was something he had seen before and offered him a small rock of stability from which he could stand. He looked about the park then as he noted other people walking or moving quickly with machines that looked as strange as their choices of clothing. Clothing he now wore. The feel of the denim as she had called them was odd yet he hadn't found the clothes unpleasant.

His sense of smell was soon aroused as he felt her presence by his side once more and he looked towards the food she held out to him. "Thank you," he offered a smile in return as he gently accepted the warm package of what smelt really good. He had no idea what it was, it looked like a form of thin bread with meat inside. His stomach rumbled impatiently and he gave a rather sheepish grin. He couldn't recall when he had last stopped to eat. This was probably the first in days. It was then he smelt the rosemary and gave a softer smile. It was a smell he recognised well and he was very glad it was in the future now with him as it had been back where he was from. With his stomach reminding him that he had food just waiting in his calloused hands, he took a bite and found it was just as good to eat. It was simple but he appreciated it.

Kaeso looked at her as he fell into step, his footfalls matching her stride by instinctive habit drilled into him in the years he had served in the Legions. He considered her words over another mouthful before he chewed and swallowed, nodding lightly before he collected his thoughts. "We were giving Caractacus a run for his money... He's been slowing us down for months before we finally got him on the back foot," he began recalling what he had been told via his immediate commander, Postumus. He snorted slightly as they walked to the background of birds and people. "We had to wait after we gained Camulodunum... The Emperor wanted to be there with his Praetorian guard and elephants, of all things. Damned useless in battle... anyway, General Plautius worked out his plan of attack with the Emperor. The cohort my men and I were with were... had been ordered to go in one side to present resistance and offer a delay action with the promise of receiving backup after the initial part of fighting whilst the rest of the army engaged on the other. Only our relief never came.... "

He hadn't realised he had stopped mid-stride until then and he blinked several times before rubbing his face. Recounting what was happening whilst he was fighting had forced him to remember watching his men die around him, being completely outnumbered. He Took another mouthful knowing he owed it to her to explain what he had been living through before he found himself in a strange world that seemed connected to his own. "We were surrounded... outnumbered by the natives. I couldn't do anything for my men, not after one of the bastards tackled me to the ground and tried to kill me. I did him in.. or thought I had... I guess they thought we were both dead. They didn't go to help him. Once they were gone, I got to my feet and moved away. Was trying to figure out the best way to get back to the Legion without running into them again." To have gotten lost in that gods forsaken place would have meant his end. He wasn't going to give them that pleasure easily.

"Then I hear this groan. I turn and the Briton who had tackled me to the ground before roared at me. I roared back, we charged at each other... he would have done me in had I not come here..." he looked at her with an inscrutable expression. He supposed in one way, being pulled through time when he had probably saved him from a gruesome death. A couple holding hands walked past them and Kaeso gained a look of confusion and interest as they passed by. He wondered just how much language had changed.

"That's... all I can remember... " he nodded before he looked down, fatigue and pain crossing his features before slid behind his calm demeanour again.

"Just how much has changed, Valerie? Some things look familiar... and some things are... but then I see things that I don't know... " he wasn't sure he had phrased it or put it together as concisely as he could. He realised as he ate that soon sleep would be something of a priority soon. He had gone so many days with little to none that his body was running on so little fuel by now. It was the fact of knowing he was in the unknown that was keeping him awake and alert.
 
(Really need to apologize for such a late reply. I had an attack of assignments which demanded completion and couldn't spare a moment to sleep let alone get on here to give a decent reply)

Valerie continued to listen with great interest, her eyes not leaving him as he spoke of his grave and dangerous tale. She could hear the desperation in his words, trying to imagine herself in the thick of battle with death staring her down like the Briton he spoke of. She gulped quietly, suddenly finding that her appetite had all but left her. Val looked down at the sad remainder of her meal, making a soured expression before throwing away the leftovers in a nearby bin. The paper she crumbled out wacked at the bottom of the empty trash can, the sound breaking the quiet peace that surrounded them.

"If I'm honest, your tale both horrifies and fascinates me. It's like you're a living breathing artifact from a time lost, except I don't need to run forensic analysis on you in order to find out what you have been through, what you have seen and felt....all I have to do is ask. It's rather amazing, yet deeply saddening to know that I'm part of the reason you're in this mess. I'm really sorry....I mean that."

She did mean it. Valerie knew that there was no way she could completely comprehend exactly what it is he was going through. However, she knew how she had felt moving to this new country away from her own when she had decided to study here. It had been terrifying and lonely. She still didn't know exactly who she could trust here and it had been a few months already. To have been displaced from a completely different time must be a different level of horrifying altogether.

The couple passed them, hands entwined and eyes breaking from each other's gazes only long enough to cast a glance towards Kaeso. Their brows raised, the girl even looking over her shoulder at the solider after they passed before disappearing round a corner of the path. Valerie sighed, knowing that despite the jeans and change in scenery, the very aura Kaeso emitted made him stick out like a sore thumb. He was regal and humble, back straight and face guarded with the stance of someone who had seen the very worst in life yet still continued to live each day. It was a sight to behold and even with her best efforts, he was hard not to take notice of.

"There is so much that has shifted since your time. I don't quite know where to begin...maybe I should start generally and if you have any further questions you can ask me to elaborate. I know I won't be able to cover everything...it would be like needing to relive the past couple of hundred years." She chuckled softly at this, trying to make light of the unusual situation. "The world is more or less at peace now. However...the weapons we fight with keep getting more and more advanced. Makes you wander why this is so when there is this supposed 'peace'. People can move freely between some countries....others, not so much. There are those who tolerate and accept others while there are those who wish to start conflict wherever they can because they refuse to accept anyone different to them. There are always countries bickering over one thing or another...but we mostly leave that up to the politicians. . There are numerous inventions that have made life more simple yet complicated at the same time. Everything can be found in a large variety and easy access to most, but this has come at the cost of the items quality.

She paused, shoving her hands into her pockets before kicking a stray stone off the pathway. "People stay the same though. We still wake up every morning and try our best to survive with what we have and work towards achieving what we don't have. People can still be cruel....or treat you with unexpected kindness. There are criminals and bad-guys and among them heroes and saints. There are still pointless arguments and compromise and lies. In the end though, everyone is still just living day by day and hoping it's not their last."

Valerie stopped her speech, pursing her lips at the sudden serious tone she had taken. The female shrugged, turning back to words of a lighter nature as the path twisted back so that they were heading back in the direction they had come from. "At least, that's my take on things. We have to take the good with the bad."

@Zul'Zae'ju'Jin
 
He ate after he was done speaking unwilling to let the food in his hands get cold or go to waste. He was never too sure when he could eat next and as a result often ate when time and enemy allowed. He smiled in thoughts, Renius was always pushing simple fair of meat or bread his way when they were compiling paperwork. Kaeso snorted, he wasn't sure he was going to miss the paperwork but his expression grew grim as he thought of his Optio. The man had been a good soldier but he had also been a friend.

A loud crunching sound made him glance towards her and he realised she must have thrown her meal away. He looked at her inquiringly unsure why she would let perfectly good food go to waste. If he was being honest with himself, this meal had been the best thing he had eaten in the last two weeks.

He looked at her for a long moment before he smiled and shook his head, "I don't know, Valerie... You saved my life. Even if it's brought me here... Still, you'll be able to send me back, won't you? Once you figure out the... uh... you know... the awkward stuff you have to do to make it work." He hoped he sounded reassuring but he was aware how far he could stretch his intelligence. He was good at soldiering and killing and yelling at people. He was useless with anything else that required an education.

Kaeso listened as he soon finished his meal with relish, wiping his mouth clean with the back of a hand. She spoke of peace and weaponry, he couldn't help smirk at that. He let her speak as they walked through the park, bird song adding to her words in delicate notes. It was rather serene here, he had to admit. It was strange to think he was walking on ground over which he had been fighting and yet here with not a sword or shield or whatever passed for weaponry here in sight.


The Centurion smiled and chuckled softly, "Doesn't sound like much has changed at all. Political intrigue, war, crime... small time and big time heroes of the Empire... More enemies to find, more friend lost..." he sighed slightly and rubbed his face. He was getting tired but he would not submit to it.

He nodded, "Tomorrow's another bloody day, or so my Optio used to tell me. Bloody git was always trying to make light of things." He stared off absently, mixed thoughts and exhaustion flushing through him as he walked, "Wise man, he was."

He looked at her then and tilted his head, pausing his stride, "Has your beer gotten any better, at least?"
 
The female sighed, thrusting her hands into the pockets of her jeans. She shrugged her shoulders, head cast to the ground as she listened to his reply. She didn't want to make him anymore promises....it would kill her a little if she couldn't end up fulfilling them in the end. At the same time though, she did not wish to fill him with dread and hopelessness. Valerie chewed on her lower lip, eyebrows furrowed in deep thought as she chose her words carefully.

"We will try our best to get you back. I know that the team who brought you here will try and fix what has been done. The machine though...the fire that erupted for it...it does not bode well for any sort of swiftness in correcting the mistakes made. The other scholars and I will need to recalculate and try and figure out what went wrong." She looked up then, forcing what she hoped was a convincing smile onto her face.

Valerie was surprised at how easily speaking in Latin had come back to her. She had excelled in it while learning the language, but assumed that the skill would have died with it's lack of use over the past few years. It had welcomed her back though like an old friend, the words slipping from her tongue more and more easily the more the two conversed.

"Your Optio sounds like a wise man. A positive one too. People like that are rare now a days." At his query on the beer she couldn't help but let out a light chuckle, the sound twisting and curling in the quiet air around them as she walked back along the path bordered by jasmine bushes. "The beer has improved by leaps and bounds.... but there are other options of alcohol too. There is so much variety in liquor that there is entire stores dedicated to it."

They soon arrived back at the building, Val fetching the lab coat from her hot car before entering through the doors they had exited out of. The female was just slipping her arms back into the white coat when Shane Luxe went scurrying around the corner and almost ran into her. "Finally! If I didn't find you in the parking lot I was going to have to call you and the cellphone reception in the lab is terrible. I have obtained results from the soil samples and will need to do further analysis. There's news on the...ah....male that came out as well."

He looked at Kaeso when saying this, eyeing him up and down. "We will need to fix the machine before re-calibrating it. There is a rush to do so since the longer he is here the more likely it is that we'll stuff up history in one way or another, even if just minorly. It will still take a minimum of three months to do this fixing...if we even get it done at all." Valerie's shoulders drooped at this news, the female's mouth forming a thin line as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"So what are we going to do about Kaeso- I mean, the soldier in the meantime?"

"That's the thing. We can't keep him here as there's no room and we can't just book him into a hotel since that requires identification and finances that the project needs to spend on getting the machine fixed. The supervisors got together and I proposed it be best that he stay with you since you speak the language and you just moved into that bigger apartment near the university-"

Valerie interrupted him, her arms uncrossing and rather going to her hips as she said with a scowl and raised voice "That's not right! You should have asked me first! I mean...I don't mind if it helps the project but the least you could have done is consult with me before making this proposition-..." Prof Luxe intervened, raising his own tone and looking at her with narrowed eyes.

"Keep in mind that I am your superior. You do as you are told unless you want there to be a scathing review on your participation on this project. If it in fact succeeds, I might even consider not adding your name to any of the publications if you add anymore resistance. He will be staying with you, that is what has been decided. Keep him out of trouble and as ignorant of this world as possible until other plans can be made. I'll see you tomorrow, I have work to do."

He pushed past her, Valerie seething quietly as she watched him go. How did he even know about my new apartment in the first place? She thought, realizing that Kaeso was still there. The female turned to him, saying apologetically, "I'm sorry...but I can give you the good news that you'll be able to rest soon. I've been instructed that you are to stay with me until further notice."

@Zul'Zae'ju'Jin
 
He looked at her for a long time before he slowly nodded. Perhaps it was a bit much to expect of them but then he didn't understand how things worked in this world. Kaeso was one who was used to things being done promptly and for things to just work. However, he knew he couldn't judge this world by the same standards. Times had changed and things ran differently now despite the similarities that remained. He tried to not be too let down by the news that he could be stuck here for much longer than he had anticipated.

The Roman regarded her for a long moment before he smiled. He knew that by having been brought here, he had unwittingly added to her workload or burden.. He knew how that felt often having to deal with the crap that Tribunes seldom wished to mark themselves with. Kaeso nodded and deepened his grateful smile, "I understand. I hold no blame with you, Valerie. I can only imagine unforeseen I was."

He was struggling to think straight as the day wore on and he wasn't far off collapsing from battle fatigue and exhaustion. The food he had eaten had filled a hole but it also added to his need for sleep and he stifled a yawn. He was looking forward to a straight eight hours of non-stop rest. Whenever that would come.

He blinked a few times as she spoke and nodded as he smiled in fond recollection of his old friend and comrade. He would miss that man no matter how irritatingly full of beans he had been. "That was Renius Pullo for you... Always positive to a fault," he breathed, nodding as she continued and grinned. "Well, least that's something. The native beer back in my time was piss poor," he explained, not really warming to the notion of returning to that. Though, wine was good too. Least the native's weren't too shabby in that area.

Kaeso followed in step with her as they encircled back from whence they came and the nervous ball of wariness soon returned in his gut. He was not fond of her superior and he was glad the man was unable to speak Latin. He was pretty sure he would punch the man square in the face if they understood each other. He doubted that would win him any favours. As if reading his mind, the man in thought reared his ugly head and the Centurion's mood soured distinctly as he noted the tone in which the man immediately ranted off in. Was there even a single kind bone in the man? He glanced at Valerie and noted she seemed rather put out by whatever it was the man was raving about.

Centurion Marcellus frowned as he felt the man's gaze rest on him again. It felt almost as if he was being eyed by a very hungry and curious cat. He stared back refusing to drop his gaze till Luxe did. He had no doubt the man wouldn't last long in the army under his care but this wasn't the army and he had no say whatsoever. It was galling to be reminded that now he was Centurion in name only. His rank no longer meant anything in these times.

Valerie sounded as if she was protesting something and in turn Kaeso guessed Luxe was having none of it. He scowled further when the man went past her and stared after the man in his wake. He tapped his arm with irritation. He looked back at her questioningly hating the fact he was unable to understand the language and that he was relying on her alone for any translations.

His eyes searched hers for a moment before he gave a small smile of acceptance, "It's all right. You've done far too much for me already... I'll happily punch him for you if you wish it of me. Though, sleep would be very much welcomed at this stage, thank you." His head dipped in gratitude before he raised it again and looked down where the male had gone down.

"Though, I can't help feel there was bad news in his prattling," he mused aloud before he rubbed his face and looked back at her. "Can worry about that tomorrow, though, right?"

@MJK2431
 
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His offer to punch Shane brought a grin to her grimacing face. She shook her head though, not knowing whether he was joking or if in fact he was being deadly serious. It was hard to tell considering that his humor was developed in a society much different to hers. What the Roman people might find laughable could be completely intolerable in theses modern times.

"You can punch him some other time perhaps. For now, I think it is more important to get you some sleep and perhaps settled. I think you must be rather overwhelmed with everything new going on around you. We're going to go back to where I stay, in a building down the road from this one." She indicated for him to follow her, waving her hand as she turned and headed back out the door for the second time that day.

Soon, the 'beep-beep' of her car unlocking was followed by the sound of her car door being pulled open. Valerie pointed inside the vehicle, explaining to Kaeso in what she hoped was a simple manner, "You sit inside, I sit beside you then I'll take us to where I live. There's going to be a couple of weird noises and buttons inside, but don't worry. I haven't crashed....yet." Her voice wavered a bit at the end, but she confidently closed the door behind him and went over the drivers side where she slid into her seat. "You need to buckle yourself in, like this..." She did the action of buckling herself in slowly, not wanting to let him get confused.

@Zul'Zae'ju'Jin
 
It was clear she was entertaining his offer and it was worth it if only to get her to smile for all the pain her colleague and himself were bringing to her. Seeing women get upset was something that bothered him. Not just because he did like the company of a good woman when he could but also because they were often far more mature than the green recruits he was often forced to train who were always either too green or thought they were all that.

He smiled and nodded, "I certainly can't argue with that," he agreed fervently. All he needed was a bedroll and a good few hours of undisturbed rest and he knew he'd be ready for whatever they thrust at him. Well, more or less. This world was still confusing, he mused as he followed in her wake towards the parking lot where he had been taken before. He preferred it out here where there was fresh air and a decent breeze in the air.

Kaeso blinked as the sound of a strange beep made him turn to see what it was and his eyes rested on the strange metal beast which she had called a car earlier. He glanced at her and saw her indications to get inside. He reminded himself it was just a really fancy litter or wagon as he nodded and carefully got himself sat into a surprisingly comfortable seat. He shuffled and nodded with approval. He had been wagons long enough to know they were uncomfortable and literally a pain in the arse. He physically jumped with a start again when she closed the car door and he frowned, hating how unsettled it made him feel. He looked about the inside of the metal beast and saw it had room for more seats in the back.

Even though he had been forewarned it was still very alien to him. He felt as nervous as he had on his first day in the Legion. That was an unsettling thought. The car shifted slightly as she got in and he looked to her before she spoke again. Blinking slightly, his eyes followed her action before realising what she was talking about. He looked about his seat for what she was using to strap herself in with and soon something that looked like it on the left hand side of his seat. He brought across his chest and it took a few tries before the metal part sank into the hole and gave a click as the lock engaged, "Heh, interesting..." he mused aloud to her.

"All good?" he asked, adjusting the strap to lie flat against his chest. It was slightly uncomfortable to have against him but he supposed it served some kind of purpose. "You said this... thing... was still measured in horsepower? How fast can it go?" he asked as he leaned forwards to rest a hand on his side of the dashboard. The texture felt odd, nothing like what he knew back in his time.

It was then that he felt and heard the car growl into life before it settled. It reminded him of the oxen used to pull the artillery oddly enough. "The lads in my century would think me mad if I told them of all this... " it was hitting him how barmy this all was to him. So much as similar and yet vastly different that he didn't even know how to explain it. It was going to make for a very interesting meeting with the Camp Prefect or Tribune should he get back and had been missed for too long. He pulled a face at that thought. It was far more likely he had been given up for dead. Least he had put it into his will to put half his earnings to the Century chest that enabled the more poorer of Legionaries to have a basic funeral. The rest would go to his father.

@MJK2431
 
Valerie watched carefully, ensuring that the buckle locked properly into place and that the seat-belt lay across him correctly. The image of her crashing and police taking samples of Kaeso's blood after the crash flashed across her mind. She was sure the forensic team would be completely baffled by what they would find in his genetics. His words waved her thoughts away however, bringing her attention back to the task at hand. Maybe I need some rest too with how easily my thoughts are drifting away...

The scientist cleared her throat, answering his question about the power of the car as she ran her hand over the steering wheel. "This car? I think...ah...about 124, 130 horsepower. I could be wrong, my degree is in biology and not engineering. I know though that there are cars much faster than mine. I should probably warn you, this isn't anything like a wagon or a cart. It's...smoother. If you find yourself getting sick, just tell me. I know I get car sick sometimes when I'm not used to the motion of the vehicle."

She watched with interest as he inspected the dashboard, finding the action almost child-like. He inspected everything. His powers of observation and curiosity in the things that surrounded him far exceeded that of normal people. It was refreshing and rather interesting to the female. She was almost appreciative of it in a weird way. It was then that she turned the key in the ignition, the machine rumbling to life and humming gently.

"I can almost imagine what your comrades would think. I know if I put myself in their shoes, I would think you had fallen and hit your head very hard. Now, I'm going to start driving. Like I said before, if you get sick just tell me so that I can roll down the window in time. I'll drive slowly too." She twisted in her seat, watching carefully for movement in the rest of the parking lot while reversing out. Soon they were driving down the narrow university lanes, heading out of a wrought iron gate and into wider roads with other cars and traffic lights. Valerie turned on the radio, a force of habit on this part of the drive home.

Keep him out of trouble and as ignorant of this world as possible...

Shane's words echoed in her head, the Valerie scowling once more at the mere thought of him. He dangled that bad review over her head like a threat and the power he had irritated her immensely. She sighed, letting the thought go though as a quiet tune began to leave the car's speakers. The drive would be short, a mere ten minutes until she reached her apartment, but the music was soothing nonetheless after the weird and wonderful day she had had so far.

The female pulled up into the shared parking lot for the tenants who lived here, the car dying as she twisted the key around and out the ignition. She breathed in deeply, finding that her exhaustion was catching up to her as well. Val resting her arms against the steering meal for a moment before pressing the button that unlocked the car doors and unbuckled her seat-belts.

"We're here." The building was face-brick but quaint, not built for millionaires but still maintained and pretty with it's pots of marigolds dotted around the metal staircases twisting up to the various floors and beds of daisies bordering the parking lot. Valerie exited the vehicle. fetching her bag from the boot before heading up to the winding staircase. The steps up to the second floor seemed more than usual, but the girl just guessed that she wasn't yet used to climbing them to reach her apartment.

After unlocking the front door, Val motioned for Kaeso to go inside first.

Inside the accommodation was spacious and orderly, white curtains billowing from a breeze that came in through the tall but narrow windows on each side of the door. The main room was open plan, a small kitchenette to the side with two couches plonked in front of a TV. The wooden floorboards creaked as the girl followed the soldier inside, dropping her bag on a small cabinet set into the corner of the room beside the TV, her keys hitting a small silver tray before she headed to the fridge and pulled out a chilled jug of water. Nothing was too new or too expensive, but everything was clean and looked after.

"There's two rooms and a bathroom through that passage. The bathroom is beside your room to the right. If you, ah, want to get cleaned up and hit the hay you're welcome to do that. I need to sort through some papers anyway so that side of the apartment is all yours for now. I think I have a few things that um..-" She stumbled on the sentence, sucking in her lower lip for a moment. A thought flickered across her face, there and gone too quickly for any feelings to be identified, "...a...a friend left here. They'll fit you I'm sure."

She poured herself two glasses of water, draining the one and leaving the other for the male in case he wanted some. Her footsteps then echoed as she opened a small built-in cupboard just outside the kitchen and pulled out a box, marked with a black 'X' on it's side, shuffling around inside of it with a guarded expression. The box was filled to the brim, the female needing to move photo frames, old sports equipment and other miscellaneous items aside before realizing what she sought was not here. She huffed quietly, blowing a strand of hair out her eye before placing the box back and pulling out another one. This action of pulling out the boxes brought a tense and drawn expression to her face, her green eyes darkening. This box was filled mostly with clothes but also marked with a 'X', the female eventually managing to pull out a a large grey shirt and dark navy pants. The items were folded impeccably, Valerie placing them on the kitchen counter before carefully placing the box back in the cupboard and shutting the door.

Now that the box was back in the cupboard, her demeanor improved. She shrugged off what ever dark shroud had been thrown over her, the girl forcing a faux smile back into place as she slid the items across the counter towards Kaeso. "Towels are inside the bathroom cupboard and you're welcome to use any of the soap available."
 
He shifted in the car seat and enjoyed the comfort it provided him. This was a luxury considering what was normal for him back in the world he knew and loved. There was a lot of healthy distraction for both inside and outside the car. He looked the insides of the machine she was driving all over with genuine curiosity. He had not seen or known anything like it. There were lots of small dials and circles and things that had some form of writing to it. He listened to her and nodded as she spoke, this machine could do some speed.

Kaeso smiled and shook his head, "Only been sick once, when I was younger... Strong constitution ever since," he mused aloud in return as he continued looking at everything eh could see. It was part of the job to be observant and having that kind of situational awareness was often what meant the difference between living and dying. There was no go-between. It was what kept him alive and on his feet so he made of point in being observant. The occupational hazard was serving him then and it'd continue to do so. He didn't see why it shouldn't.

He looked at the mirror and marvelled at how sharp it was as he smiled, chuckling with amusement before he nodded. The car began moving and he looked at her, watching her hands move the wheel before one would shift for the gear stick. He presumed it was how she was driving it. He grinned and nodded, "They would. They'd think I'd been into my cups for too long," he grinned before music seemed to suddenly come from nowhere and left him looking for the source.

"Where's that... What's that?" he asked bewildered about where the music was coming from. There was no band in the car and yet there it was. It sounded strange to his ears. It shifted and grew quieter but he found it pleasing. Much better than the tryhards on the streets back in Rome in their need for coin. He relaxed into the seat quickly enough and watched as scenery went past the windows. After a few moments the car drew to a half and he glanced up and then at her as she undid her seat belt. He looked at where his own had clicked into and pressed his thumb on the flat part. It took him two tries before he freed himself from the restraint and reeled it back to where it had been before he had entered. He looked out the window and too a deep breath before he nodded and then fumbled with the door latch.

Kaeso nodded before he got out, closing the door behind him and waited for her to get her things. He followed her to the building looking at everything around him as he went. It was all new and different to him but everything here looked cosy. Much cosier than the tent he was used to make do with for his quarters. He looked at her as they ascended knowing he was getting all the more closer to succumbing to his exhaustion. He was sure he looked it. He nodded as she opened the door for him and moved inside. It was just as alien as the other building he had appeared in and only the walls and furniture held any sort of resemblance. "Your home... It's very, er, nice, cosy" he mentally kicked himself for that, he could have worded that better but he knew he was tired and he was sure it was the same for her.

He turned and listened blinking back his exhaustion before he nodded, "Sure, that'd be great, thanks." He looked at her and he noticed something in her expression before it passed. He nodded in further silence as he looked around for a moment, taking in the decor and layout before he joined her. He took the clothes and nodded before he reached out and grasped her hand, "Thanks." He wanted to say more but he was just too tired. He rolled his shoulders and patted the counter gently before he headed for where she had said the bathroom was.

Kaeso entered and shut the door behind him before placing the clothes to one side. There was another mirror and he stared at himself resting his hands against the sink. "Damn... I look like shit," he said aloud and drew a dislike for the mirror's clarity. He spent next few minutes figuring out how to operate the taps, getting changed and washed trying to not get his bandages wet. He had done that once and the surgeon had ripped him a new ear-hole. He had avoided doing it ever since. He exited the bathroom holding the shirt and jeans and pulled the pants a little higher up his waist. He explored and found what was clearly a spare room. he placed the clothes to one side before he went to find her again.

"I'm, uh... going to go get some sleep... I, uh, should probably apologise in advance. I uh, kinda snore," he said to her and then yawned hard which turned into a small wince as the skin pulled at the wound on his head.

@MJK2431
 
The touch was surprising, the girl's glance going down to the sight of his slightly larger hand gently encompassing hers. The flesh she felt was rough...perhaps calloused. Most likely from years and years of training and fighting with a sword. The warmth in his palm touched more than just her hand. It wormed it's way deeper than that. The appreciation she felt at his gratitude was an unusual emotion, one she had not experienced from someone in a while. Normally, Shane was just unhappy with her work or required her to fix something or fetch him coffee. There was no gratitude from her superior....the chores she did for him was an expectation. This from Kaeso was a thanks and she found she enjoyed it.

Valerie watched as he exited the main room, the memory of someone similar to him with the same clothes in his hands flickering across her mind. She sighed deeply, pushing the memory aside before it came to full fruition. Those were thoughts best left to when she was alone and could mourn them properly. The pain that accompanied the rose-tinted memory still ached in her like a knife plunged deep into her chest and she did not wish to deal with that pain just then.

Kaeso was soon out of sight, leaving Valerie alone in the kitchen. The girl sighed deeply, raking a hand through her golden-hued hair as she inspected her surroundings. "I guess I could do a bit of cleaning before getting to some work." She proceeded to tidy up, washing dishes and straightening cushions until the apartment was up to her standards. It was only then that she could pull out her laptop to check her inbox, not surprised to find a flood of emails from Shane demanding various topics for her to research in order to assist him in the analysis of the organic matter (Kaeso included) which had been pulled through the portal. It's going to be a long night...

The soldier reappeared, hair still damp and the smell of soap drifting from his general direction. "Don't worry about that. I'm a heavy enough sleeper that it won't bother me. That being said, if you do need anything during the night, just knock loudly on my door a couple of times until I answer. I'll probably be up pretty late anyway, there's a few things I need to read up on before we go back tomorrow."

She gave him a subdued smile, her exhaustion evident in the slightly darkening circles appearing under her eyes. Sleep would have to wait though when Shane had things that needed to be done. Heaven forbid she showed up back at the university without some of the explanations he required. She could already imagine the steam that would come out of his ears and the exact shade of red his cheeks would turn if she arrived back empty handed.
 
He looked at her and nodded although he hoped that she did get some sleep. She looked tired and run down and he had a healthy suspicion it had all to do with her boss. He got the impression that the man didn't fully appreciate what Valerie was doing for him, especially in taking him into her home. He frowned, perhaps he had been foisted on her a little too readily by her boss. "All right... I hope you get some sleep," he nodded and bid her good night before he turned back for his assigned room. He shut the door but not completely, leaving it off the latch. He wasn't comfortable with shutting himself inside a room that he was not familiar with. As much as he liked the girl, he hardly knew her and the suspicious and wary side of him wanted the assurance of being able to get away if he had to. He suspected she had entirely good intentions but he didn't want to trust himself fully.

He approached the bed and folded back the covers noting how much softer and downy they felt in his grip. His hands were so rough that the fabric was catching slightly on his skin as he got in. He gave out a sigh of relief and bliss. He had never known a comfortable bed such as this! He was used to a bedroll with lumps. This was like he was being held in warm comforting arms. He smiled, this wouldn't be such a task to bear if it meant he could sleep in such a thing. Kaeso was soon fast asleep and not long after the room was filled with guttural snoring as the Centurion let his exhaustion dictate terms. He was so far out of it that any movement in the house Valerie made went ignored and his snoring continue without pause.

The next morning Kaeso woke to the soft mattress and duvet and gave a start as his foggy mind failed to remind him what had happened to him the day prior. He breathed heavily as he stared around the room before his mind kicked in and he gave out a groan, rubbing his face before his hand flicked back the covers. HE sat up and swung his legs out before standing. He stretched and then peered towards the door. It was then he felt a pressing feeling in his nether regions and he ambled towards the bathroom in order to relieve it. He washed his hands after and then returned to his room to change back into the jeans and shirt that Valerie had given him before. He folded the grey shirt and pants with familiar military precision. He then picked up his boots before he ventured back out of the bedroom and headed towards the living space.

The soldier found himself wondering what was the plan for today. He got the deepest impression he was not likely going to be returning to the world he knew for some time. Not until they figured out how and when. That raised a question of what would happen to him in the meantime. He didn't fancy the prospect of twiddling his thumbs when he was used to ordering men around and paperwork. He frowned, he didn't miss the paperwork side of things and he supposed it wasn't going to be needed now since his cohort had been wiped out and the Centurion missing. He also didn't want to be a burden on Valerie's shoulders even if she hadn't minded. He was clueless in this world and he was painfully aware of that. Everything was new and different and he was so far behind it all. There was also the concern of just how much and why that man had eyed him over so much like was something interesting to use. He wondered if slavery was still a trade in this time as it had been in his.

He glanced up and smiled, "Morning," he nodded as he saw movement.
 
Valerie had worked into the wee hours of the morning, finally giving up on finishing the last bit of research required of her when she had fallen asleep on the couch where her laptop was propped on her lap. The female had nearly slid right off of the cushion she had been using to prop herself up and saw it as a sign to retire for the day. Her alarm clock blared with the red-hued numbers of 12:04 when she finally showered, dressed and crawled into bed. The same red-coloured numbers greeted her with the accompaniment of her blaring alarm a mere six hours later.

The early morning light coming in through her window made her blink furiously, the girl groaning as she stretched across to her bedside table, fumbling with the button to turn the alarm off. Val slid her arm back, letting it fall to be hanging off the bed as she started her morning ritual of convincing herself that another day of Shane's cryptic glances and blunt demands would be worth it in the end. After a brief period in which she splashed her face with water in the bathroom, the girl found she was satisfactorily awake enough to meander into the kitchen.

The soldier was already waiting there, the female jumping a little at his sudden presence. She had almost forgotten about her guest. "Good morning to you too....I thought you would have slept in a little considering how tired you looked yesterday. I guess it must be a force of habit as a soldier to be up as early as possible." Wiping her still bleary eyes, she made her way to the fridge to retrieve milk before closing the fridge door with her hip and flicking on the kettle with her free hand. "Did you have, ah, coffee where you're from? Tea perhaps?" The girl chastised herself in her head quietly, wishing she had gotten a little more sleep and appeared less like she had escaped from a grave this morning...or that she had at least brushed her hair and changed before arriving to find some breakfast.

The kettle began to boil, steam rising while the water bubbled away furiously within the appliance. The sound filled the quiet of the apartment, Valerie placing the milk down on the kitchen counter before turning to a nearby cupboard. She stretched up, needing to move the mugs with the tips of her fingers before they were close enough for her to pull down from the high shelf. He seemed refreshed and ready for the day, wearing the clothes from the day before. The sight brought a small frown to the girl, who made a mental note to go rummaging again in the boxes for some more clothes...a large pile of them he could choose from. Shoes too, would be a necessity. She had all these things readily available...she knew the person they belonged to would hardly have minded helping Kaeso out.

Her frowned turned to a smile, the girl thinking quietly to herself. He wouldn't have just not minded. He probably would have gotten on rather well with Kaeso now that I think about it. He would have handled this well...unlike me, whose probably just making the soldier think that all of us in the future are rather unusual. She returned her thoughts to the male sitting across from her, taking out both the tin of coffee and tea bags located beside the kettle to show him what she spoke of. "Shane is going to want to see you today. A full day means enough time to start properly looking into what's going on. The notes he had me look over last night also hinted at such things. We have certain ethics codes we have to stick to, so I don't think you have anything to worry about."
 
It looked like it was going to be sunny which for him was a welcome change. It had been winter when he disappeared from his timeline, a horrid myriad of fog and rain accompanied by the cold. He liked the warmth and it genuinely made him feel more at ease. He looked at her and smiled, "Not much room for late starts in the army. Though, that bed was heavenly," he nodded. He still felt a little tired but he felt more alert than he had been yesterday and for him that would be enough to get through whatever the day was going to bring for him.

He joined her by the counter and stared at her before shaking his head, "Never heard of tea... or coffee. Sounds Eastern. We either have water or watered wine," he explained. It was normal for Romans to drink wine throughout the day but it was usually mixed with two parts water. "What is tea or coffee?" he asked, it sounded horribly Eastern but he was her guest and he wasn't going to make life more difficult for her than he had to. He sat feeling somewhat too big for the seat as he did so.

He watched her make the drinks with utensils he had hardly seen before. One he could guess was akin to boiling water in a pan over a fire but it seemed to do it with such haste that it looked like some other hand was at play. "Which would you recommend?" he asked, happy to drink whatever she was going to having never drunk tea or coffee before. Tea sounded rather bland and coffee far more exotic but he could be wrong in such assumptions and certainly wasn't going to voice that aloud.

Kaeso frowned as she spoke of her colleague and wondered what she meant by it. He hoped it had everything to do with getting him home. "Well... as long as he doesn't plan to enslave me in the process, I don't mind." Ethics were largely loose back in his time especially with slavery performing a large part of Rome's workforce and entertainment. It wasn't unknown for many to be born into it, forced into slavery as Rome made its conquests or for those unable to meet debtors demands sell off themselves and their family to repay the money owed. The thought darkened his mood. His mother had done so foisting him with her friend before she had sold herself off. He didn't know where she was now or if she even had lived long enough in what could be a brutal world. All he had known was an angry father's return and a tough life since.

The air filled with a good smell as she made the drinks and he wrapped his hands gingerly around the mug after it was presented to him. The liquid smelled good to him and heartwarming.
 
Valerie felt slightly conscious of her sleepy, haggardous appearance. The girl roughly ran her fingers through her hair, trying to get it less mangled as the kettle finally flicked off behind her and steam stopped flooding out from the spout. The thought of a warm-brewed drink gave her strength to face the day and all the struggles she knew would come with it. Shane was already so worked up about their new arrival, hyped like a kid who had consumed a load of sugar. Something so unusual to investigate was like Christmas day come early for him and she knew he would be wanting to whiz around before she had even pulled her lab coat on properly. In fact, she could gamble a small amount of cash that he hadn't left the lab all night or had at least arrived extremely early in anticipation of what was to come.

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man happy, healthy and wise. That's something I've read somewhere before...although my activities last night are proof enough that I don't always follow that nugget of advice." Hot water spilled from the kettle as she bent the appliance over the mugs, filling them almost full with steamy fluid. The swirling liquid inside turned a rich brown like the colour of damp soil, the smell of earthy beans rising from within. She added milk, paling the brown colour until it was the way she like to drink it...strong, but not overwhelmingly so. "I usually drink the coffee in the morning and tea in the afternoon. Really just depends on my mood. You can try the coffee first...if it's not to your liking, I won't be offended if you dispose of it down the sink." She pointed to the spout sticking out of the silver bowl, adding a spoon of sugar into each mug as she did so. Valerie figured it would be best to add a small amount of sweetness to counteract the bitter drink he was trying for the first time.

The mug dragged across the counter as she slid it closer to him, looping her index and middle finger through handle of her own mug as she wrapped both her hands around it. The warmth of the coffee was quite satisfying as she carefully took her first sip. "Watering down your wine here would be seen as almost blasphemous. People will drink it chilled, but not purposefully mixed with water. I'm glad the bed was to your liking, makes me feel a little less guilty about what you've had to put up with from myself and everyone else involved in this project since you arrived. I'll be sure to open up a bottle of wine tonight to get your view on whether or not it has improved. I think I'll need it after more of Shane's demands today...that's the name of the man who works with me, by the way."

She couldn't help but chuckle at his mention of slavery, saying quite quickly in case he thought this was an actual possibility "Slavery has been more or less abolished in most of the world. Now, everyone is expected to be paid or compensated in some way for the work they do. I'm sure there are still some examples of people being treated as slaves, but most of the world's countries have agreed that it is against basic human rights to allow any such thing in any form. So, I don't think you'll need to worry about that. I'll be sure to throw up a fit if Shane even mentions or hints at that."

Valerie turned quiet, glancing at the cupboard she had rummaged through to find the boxes from the day before. After a period of hesitation, she took out the 'X' marked box from before, the one filled with clothes, and placed it before him. "You can take what you like from here for the period of time you stay in the apartment. It wouldn't be fair to expect you to wear the same clothes everyday. There's shoes at the bottom. " Her hand slid along the edge of the box, her fingers tracing along the cardboard folds. There was some sort of longing look in her gaze, but she soon shrugged and went back to her coffee.

After draining the mug of it's contents while he looked through the items, Valerie threw a cereal bar onto the counter-top before tearing into the packaging of her own using her teeth. "I don't have much food-wise at the moment, I'm meant to go shopping today. You can eat that in the meantime and I'll try find something else back at the university...the place we were in yesterday... if you're still hungry. I'm going to get dressed and packed then we can get going." A short while later, Valerie exited her room dressed in black jeans, sneakers and a long-sleeved navy top with her lab coat slung over her shoulder. Her hair was wet from the quick shower she had had, wafts of a floral scent following her around as she gathered her laptop and notes she had made at Shane's request. With damp curls framing her face, she turned to Kaeso, "Do you need anything before we go?"
 
She spoke of sound advice and he nodded thoughtfully. His life had become one of daily routine, drills and paperwork along with numerous other tasks of the day. "Well, job gets in the way more often than not, I imagine," he smiled sympathetically as he sat and leaned on the counter. He was still trying to get used to the strange environment he was in. For him, the seat was too high and everything was far too bright and airy. He was used to everything being somewhat darker and more closed in. He took the coffee offered to him and gave the sink a cursory glance before he leaned to smell the dark liquid within. It certainly smelt inviting. "I'm sure it will be just fine," at least he hoped it did. Wasn't often something smelt nice but rested horribly on the tongue for him.

Valerie's voice filled the air around them once more and he looked at her, listening attentively and genuinely seemed interested in what she had to say. He frowned and then chuckled softly, "In our society, it's the other way around. Very bad form to drink unwatered wine, especially during the morning to afternoon hours. It's more a celebratory thing, for us," he returned, curious as to how customs had changed since his time. It felt odd for simple things such as wine to be used in an entirely different way than the way he was used to. He nodded, "I would like that, actually. Thank you," he nodded, he was definitely keen on the idea, just to see if anything had improved in the time in between then and now. He did like his drink thought he knew he was perhaps a little more frugal than some in the Centurionate within the Legion he served.

"Shane," he echoed and shook his head, "Just sounds like more of an idiot." He gave a shrug, it was certainly clear he wasn't fond of the man already and he couldn't understand a single word the man said. "I get the impression he doesn't exactly know how delegation and leading by example works," he lifted a brow at Valerie for confirmation as he then tried the coffee in the mug he was nursing. It was bitter but not as bitter as some wines he had drunk to while the nights away. It was bitter in the sense of pleasing and he nodded with approval, "Not bad at all." He gave a smile as he drank a little more, the taste unfamiliar but gratifyingly pleasing instead of the normal few sips of water or watered wine when he could get it.

He raised his brows at that information and nodded satisfied with her response. "He better not. I might follow through with my promise of punching his lights out," he smiled slightly before he shrugged. No slavery. Such a notion would be scorned by Roman society but then he mused, even by his standards Rome had lived on the backs of others for so long it would never know how to function without the major workforce that kept it running. It was the main reason Rome was quick to try and stamp out any whisper or evidence of slave revolts. No one had wanted another Spartacus. He in part was glad that it had been abolished here. He knew had it not been for the army, he could very well have ended up with a similar fate.

Kaeso watched her as he drank his coffee quietly savouring each mouthful he took though he was careful to mediate his sips not knowing if this 'coffee' she had given him had any side effects. She was drinking it too so he doubted it would be anything that could kill him. She seemed to favour the same box she retrieved the shirt and pants from last night and his head tilted with curiosity. It evidently held some form of sentiment to her. He smiled and nodded, "I'm quite used to wearing the same thing over and over again... But thank you," he nodded and at the mention of shoes, he placed his coffee to one side before he shifted to look inside the box. He carefully shifted the clothes inside, more items similar to what he had already been given. He lifted what he supposed were shoes but reminded him more of the calfskin boots that the officers in the Legions often took to wearing.

He blinked as something was thrown into view and he spare a moment to look at it before he nodded with understanding, "I'll manage until then," he nodded as he turned back to the smart looking shoes and tested their size against his own feet. He supposed whoever these clothes had previously belonged to, he suspected a past lover of hers, he must of been similar size and build. The size wasn't too far off his own, perhaps a shade bigger. He exchanged his standard issue boots with their nail studs for the modern pair and carefully placed his boots on the floor so that he wouldn't trip over them.

"All right, " he nodded and watched her for a moment before he tucked into what she had given him to eat. It looked strange and tasted equally peculiar. Still, it did fill a hole in terms of how hungry he was. He was finishing his coffee as he saw movement and he moved to place his mug in what she had called a sink. He shook his head as he turned to face her, standing instinctively at ease, "No, I'm ready when you are." Kaeso wasn't going to hide from whatever Shane had planned for him but he was feeling anxious about it. He supposed he'd be a fool to think otherwise he mused as he followed her out back out towards her car.
 
Valerie picked up her keys, the cut pieces of metal clinking together like small chimes as she headed to the door. "Okay...laptop, lab coat, car keys...looks like I have everything I need then." The words were soft spoken, said more to herself as she let Kaeso head out first and then locked her apartment. The drive to the university was short and uneventful, the female pulling up into the parking lot soon enough and heading into the building. "Whatever happens today, I'll be sure to keep you informed every step of the way...as well as keep Shane from getting too excited," she said to the solider, following a different route to a new room Kaeso had not been in before.

The biology lab was already open, the white overhead lights making the white, sterile surfaces seem all to bright. The air seemed thick and musty despite the cracks in the windows allowing in a breeze, each breath tainted with the scent of a strong cleaning agent. Shane turned from where had his back to them when they arrived, pulling off the latex gloves he wore with a snap when he saw who it was that had walked in. "Great, you're here Valerie. Seems our guest is a little more tranquil today...less likely to try and hack away at anyone who dares come close. Guess we have you to thank for that...it takes a woman's touch I suppose. I knew handing him over to you was a good idea." He smirked at the mention of his own proposal to have Kaeso stay with her, the pair of gloves still held in his hands as he gave the girl one of his unusual glances. The glance ended when he noticed Kaeso standing not too far behind.

It had been a while since such a look from him had occurred, but it still managed to bring goosebumps rising to Valerie's flesh. His grey eyes seemed to pierce right through her, inspecting every inch of the female from head to toe in a split second like she was a prime piece of livestock. It brought a rosy hue to her cheeks, the girl trying to hide her discomfort by quickly bringing on a new topic of conversation. "I have some initial research you asked me to look for. Most of the questions you had I could answer by referring to the paper I wrote last year on cellular cytosis and apoptosis." He walked forward, slowly taking the notes and papers she held in her grasp. The papers were shuffled back and forth as he carefully scanned over the contents, the man nodding his head occasionally.

"This will be fine....your details on some of the exact mechanisms could use work, but it will be good enough none the less." The comment was as close to praise as Valerie was going to get, but it was hard to fully appreciate it with the way Shane's scrutinizing gaze reached her over his glasses' rims. Another set of goosebumps prickled across Valerie's arms. He pushed the spectacles back up from where they sat on the edge of his nose when he was done reading, placing the pages on a nearby counter before he set his sights on Kaeso. "As for you, the first thing I'm going to need is a blood sample. I want to see your hematocrit level in comparison to the average man's as well as test you for any diseases. No point running tests on you if we all stand the chance of catching some ancient bacterial strain of scarlet fever. Could you translate Valerie?"

The female swallowed, regaining her composure after her worry at his opinion of her work and his cryptic gaze was over. I wonder how Kaeso would find Shane if he could actually understand him...I also wonder just how much Shane would be able to get done if I wasn't here and would need to bring in a translator. She pointed to a nearby medical bench similar to the one that had been in the first aid room the day before. "You're going to sit there and then Shane is going to place something in your arm that might hurt when it goes through your skin but should be fine soon enough. The thing in your arm will help us get blood from you without causing any serious injury, but you'll need to stay still."



 
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