The O.R.C.A was different in many respects from the Trailing Arbutus. The rules and standards were laxer, its smaller crew rarely wore anything resembling a uniform, they made more stops, and Pearl had never seen the captain in person. She had been accepted onto the ship via a letter on her Notepad and Hakeem had been the one to welcome both her and Olaan.

Because of this lack of attention (to detail and otherwise), Pearl felt much less monitored than she had on the Arbutus. With Bridgers at the helm, it had been rare for her to go anywhere unaccompanied by Imani or another senior crewmember, but on the O.R.C.A she was mostly left to her own devices. 

“What are we doing?” Olaan asked.

Mostly.

“Hmm?” Pearl hummed. When she didn’t get a response she tilted her head, continuing to stare down at her Notepad. There was a message from engineering, telling her that she was needed in the holding bay. 

“That means ‘please repeat yourself,’ to humans.” Pearl explained, confirming her ability to assist engineering. 

Olaan stared at her. The two of them were in a corridor of the ship which was currently buzzing with excitement, dread, and anticipation. They had guests aboard. One of their semi-frequent stops.

Pearl stared back at Olaan. They were joined at the hand and so she began pushing back against ceir own until co let go rather than keep up the tension, turning away.

“What are we doing?” Olaan repeated, ignoring a crewman who waved hello to the two of them. 

Pearl raised her hand as well, too late. She watched them continue down the hall and made a note to be quicker with her responses. 

On her Notepad, she switched from messages to her personal notes, selecting the file marked ‘Communication, Human’. She had already written a note about a raised and waving hand; greeting, goodbye, attempt to gain attention…it was such an imprecise otlu. She added a necessity for speed to the file.

“We’re helping a group…I believe they’re called the Teretiwall…gans?” Pearl said, hesitating around the name as she stepped past Olaan and continued down the hall, putting her Notepad away. “Their ship was stalled in front of a vortex that damaged several-”

“The Teretiwelligans are incompetents who shouldn’t space travel.” Olaan said, palm out. “Did you bring us out here so you could act as an intergalactic mechanic?”

Pearl tried to recall if she’d read anything about the Teretiwelligans in the U.U.C handbook she’d been given and kept after leaving the Arbutus. There had been a similar name and a photograph but it seemed the U.U.C hadn’t written much about them.

They were a species who had only become capable of space travel fairly recently. Their home planet was safe to travel to and encounters with them had gone well with their only pervasive negative traits being their ‘overly carefree nature’ and their tendency to get into perilous situations due to their own ill-preparedness.

Inwardly, Pearl shared Olaan’s sentiment to some extent. They seemed like a particularly bothersome people but she had decided to travel the stars in order to encounter others. Making contact was important.

She never would have had this opportunity on The Arbutus. When they’d encountered ships in danger, Bridgers had messaged the U.U.C and alerted them of the distress call before moving on. He’d told Pearl with a smile that he wouldn’t want anything to jeopardize her or Olaan’s safety but it’d been a point of frustration.

Even a particularly bothersome bunch of people were certain to introduce her to new ideas and experiences. She was personally interested in what sort of alien technology they possessed. 

Remembering that Olaan was waiting for her reply, Pearl briefly took ceir hand. “Hakeem seems to believe this is a worthwhile endeavor. The captain as well, of course.”

“You’re far too enamored with that pilot,” Olaan said, quite predictably. “I heard Human men aren’t to be trusted. They’re smooth talkers who take advantage of people like you. Good, trusting people. Especially girl.”

“Who did you hear that from? One of the other scientists?” Pearl asked, ducking into one of the travel tubes as she released her friend’s hand. 

Though on a better maintained ship they’d be able to transport her to any connected landing pad, they’d been out of use for several years on The O.R.C.A and were primarily utilized as a method of leaving conversations quickly. A very literal ‘ducking out’.

“I’m glad you’ve been able to speak to more people here,” Pearl continued.

Olaan stopped outside the tube but didn’t attempt to follow her in. “I haven’t spoken to him. He speaks to the room. Incessantly. You’re leaving.”

“My assistance is required. I apologize,” Pearl said, vanishing into the darkness. “If you are not busy, perhaps we could eat together later.”

Silence. 

Pearl turned the corner then paused. If she went any further she wouldn’t be able to hear ceir reply. “Olaan,” she called, preparing to return to the entrance when she heard another voice.

“Miss Pearl, is that you?”

Pearl froze. She didn’t recognize the voice. It sounded like a young woman but it was still too early for her to become familiarized with everyone on the ship. She paused, looking at the shadow her figure cast in the inner tube, blocking out the hall’s warm lights.

Her inclination was to leave without responding as she’d only been interested in speaking to Olaan but growth came with discomfort. Lately, she’d been allowing herself to close up too much without Bridger and Imani’s prodding. 

“Miss Pearl?”

Remaining quiet and hidden, Pearl watched as the shadow blocking the tube’s light vanished. Then she sighed, turned, and continued on her way. As she moved swiftly through the ship’s tube system she comforted herself with the knowledge that speaking to the Teretiwelligans would likely be discomfort enough for sufficient personal growth.

When Pearl crawled out of the inner tube in the holding bay she quickly found that it was packed full of both people and equipment. 

The holding bay on the Arbutus was a typically pristine area in which several shuttle crafts and research vessels were stored, as well as more battle-focused ships which could be deployed while the main ship (which often carried passengers and diplomats) fled. 

On the O.R.C.A it was much the same only with less than half the space and quite a lot more than ‘less than half’ the elegance. Large crates were fastened together and secured to the walls, climbing up to the ceiling so that the only unobscured view came from the windows built into the doors which allowed ships in. With the Teretiwelligan ship aboard, even that view was obscured - giving the crowded room an even dingier appearance than was typical.

M. Cohen, the head engineer, was standing by the damaged ship and talking to one of the Teretiwelligans. Like every member of her species, she was humanoid with the addition of a snout and downturned eyes which always seemed to have a faraway gaze. Her long blonde hair was shaggy and grew from her wrists as well as head, cushioning her long ears which flopped against the side of her face whenever she moved. However, unlike other members of her species, the woman was wearing a crown which looked as if it’d been made, poorly, out of paper.

As Pearl moved closer she could hear more of the conversation. “We’re real thankful for the rescue! The captain’s been mondo kind to us all and again, we’re so sorry for the trouble. That sucky thingamagiger came out of nowhere!”

Cohen began to roll their eyes but pivoted, pretending to look for something on the ceiling as they scratched their five-o-clock shadow. “I’m sure it did. I mean, I’m not a scientist but I’ve heard that that…can happen. Probably.”

The woman gasped in joy, clasping her hands together. “Probably is one of the most beautiful words in your language! My people dig that creative uncertainty, it’s why we’ve decided to travel amongst the stars even after so many bricks told us it couldn’t be done…There’s far too many absolutes in the universe.”

Several Teretiwelligans nodded in agreement. While most were wandering around attempting to talk to members of the O.R.C.A’s crew, some seemed to have remained in the holding bay to assist in repair efforts. Pearl observed two previous occupants of the damaged ship inspecting a hammer very closely. One attempted to swing it through the air but only managed to twirl in dizzying circles as their companion rushed to save them. 

She turned her attention back to the conversation.

Cohen was rubbing the bridge of their nose. “Yeah, speaking of absolutes - are you sure you can’t tell us anything more about your ship? My team seems to think it’s a bit…much.”

“Much? In what way?” The woman asked, tilting her head in a maneuver which dislodged the paper crown. A member of her entourage caught it and replaced it without comment. “Oh, do you not dig the color? I don’t either, to tell you the truth. It’s too grim for my liking. Sometimes I look at it and jump, really. There’re nights I can’t go to the bathroom by myself, it’s that freaky. To the extreme.”

Cohen frowned. “No, I mean, that’s part of it but-”

“But I could tell you a lot about this ship, friend.” The woman interrupted, nodding slowly. “I could weave you a tale worthy of ten plays and a tv series. Do you all know about tv? Nary a radio where we come from, my people prefer to listen to nature but what you don’t really get until you’re in space is that it’s all nature!”

“Look, I just want-”

“You needed me?” Pearl interrupted, making her presence known.

Cohen immediately lit up, grabbing Pearl by the shoulders and positioning her in front of them like a shield. “Oh, Pearl! Thank God. We’re having a few issues down here. These uh…I’m sorry what’re you called again? The Teruwalgans?”

“Sure, sure. We’re called whatever you wanna call us, as long as you don’t shout it.” The woman said, tilting her head again which led to a repeat of the earlier crown-catching. “I’m the…uh, what do you call it? Well…I guess the captain?” 

She turned towards her crew who all nodded encouragingly and gestured towards her head. She reached up and seemed to brighten at the reminder that she was wearing the crown she’d been so oblivious to previously. 

“Yes, the captain!” She said, as if she’d only just come into the role. “I’m mondo in charge. The Name’s Luuu, you gotta say it slow.”

“Is that your full name? Luuu, you gotta say it slow?” Pearl asked.

Cohen winced, tightening their grip on her shoulders. “Pearl-” they warned.

“Yep!” The woman grinned.

“Oh, my God. You were right?” Cohen asked, flabbergasted as they let go of Pearl and stared into space for a few seconds before turning on their heel. “Ok. Well. I’m gonna check in with my team.”

With that, the head engineer walked away from the conversation without a second glance. This didn’t seem to deter the Teretiwelligan captain, who clapped and immediately followed suit.

“I’ll join you!”

Newly abandoned, Pearl stared after the retreating figures with a frown. With both their leaders gone, neither the engineers nor the Teretiwelligans stuck around, dispersing to continue their work or conversations.

 “...They never told me what I was needed for,” Pearl remarked aloud.

“I think ol’ shaggy wanted you to see if you could help with repairs.” Someone said and Pearl flinched at the realization that one of the Teretiwelligans was standing by her shoulder - the one who’d twice caught the captain’s crown.

Unlike the captain, this woman was shorter than Pearl and her fine brown hair was lightly curled. A sliver of pink tongue protruded from her snout even when it seemed her mouth was closed, giving her the look of someone posing for a picture. 

She smiled. “You’re the inventor, right?”

Pearl blinked then nodded. She’d been given the official title of ‘Inventor’ on the O.R.C.A though she’d done precious little inventing in her time there and was skeptical about what exactly it would entail. As was everyone else - perhaps why she’d been called to the holding bay only to be immediately forgotten about.

“Yes. My name is Pearl.”

“Just Pearl? I thought Humans had longer names.”

Pearl nodded again. She had observed that most Humans had two or three names. It seemed excessive to her but she supposed there were quite a lot of them. “I am from Opranov and my mother only left me the one.”

The woman frowned. “Opranov? Don’t think I’ve heard of it….” she trailed off into silence for a few seconds before brightening again, clapping her hands together. “Wait! Is that, like, the fish bowl?”

Pearl narrowed her eyes. “...That is…feasible.”

The woman deflated. “Oh, sorry. I thought it might’ve been Opranov.”

Before Pearl could register the miscommunication, let alone correct it, the Teretiwelligan took a step back and bowed her head forward while forming a diamond with her arms. “Nice to meetcha. I’m Yaann, with feeling this time!”

“...I see. It is nice to meet you.” Pearl said perfunctorily before moving onto what interested her. “What is your job?” 

The woman straightened. “I look after Luuu, you gotta say it slow. We all don’t really have ‘jobs’ so much as we kinda just do whatever to keep the ship running. Luuu does most of the directing ‘cause she went to the big school. She’s mondo smart!”

“I see.” Pearl said, pulling a flashlight from her belt and moving past Yaann. “Are you able to accompany me through the ship? I will see what I can repair.”

Yaann nodded slowly with what seemed like extreme pleasure, moseying after the Human with spread arms. “Able and willing my friend, able and willing!”