One More Troubled Soul

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded, finally smiling. She followed Elpsis out the door, only a step behind her as she wasn't sure exactly where to go or what the protocol was with customs and what not. She trusted the redhead to keep her safe and within the bounds of rule and law here. "Alright, that works." Fingerprints and pictures didn't seem like anything too terrible. After all, the medical exam hadn't been that bad, and she did end up with her ribs healed and no longer troubling her. "Clothes shopping, now I could enjoy that." It was such a simple thing, something she'd not done before.

Shalimar looked to the watchwoman, "Thank you." She paused for a second and glanced to Elpsis. "Yes, right. We'll move forward with that at a later time." She needed time to figure out if Tygara could and would be the place she chose to settle down. Though, she was unlikely to stray too far from Elpsis now. Not with the growing attachment, she felt thanks to her animal instincts.

Upon seeing Leo, her mood further brightened as she caught on to how excited he seemed to be feeling just seeing her reappear. Reaching down she gently ruffled the fur on the feline's head. She stepped over to the device and took a seat in front of it. After that, she pressed her finger onto the scanner to let it scan her prints. Her mind had drifted in the process to thoughts of shopping and just genuinely relaxing in a place where she might finally be protected and safe from all that she'd been running from.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Leo purred appreciatively, as much as a big lion did. He was happy to see that the female feline was no longer agitated and licked her hand. Maybe later they could go hunting together! After all, she was a member of his pride now.


Anyhow, after Shalimar's fingerprint was taken, a Customs official made a holopic of her. A few moments later she received a certificate that amounted to a provisional ID, with the instruction not to lose it. Then the two ladies and the Cylix were finally released and sent on their way. Verily, the Royal Eldorai Customs Service was Tygara's first line of defence against the barbaric hordes at the gates. Or simply against meddling Jedi.


"There. Told you it wouldn't be that bad! We can take the train into the city. The monorail goes right to the centre. You wanna eat something first?" Elpsis said cheerfully when they left Customs controls and stepped into the spaceport, which unsurprisingly was a hive of activity. The Lion's Gate spaceport was Tygara's only star port so far, so all foreign visitors ended up here, assuming their business was not illicit. A human redhead, a blonde and a big lion obviously got a lot of attention.


Especially since the blonde just happened to be a leggy bombshell. In deference to the fact that this was a public area and many people would be understandably anxious about a Cylix, Elpsis was holding him on a somewhat ridiculously looking leash. Going through the port, one could see various cantinas and shops. Holographic ads advertised this or that product, or reminded the Eldorai of their duty to Queen and Goddess.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar smiled as she heard the cat's purring begin. That sound naturally brought a certain level of contentment to her, regardless of where it was coming from. With her fingerprint taken, and a holopic done it seemed they were finished with the whole customs mess.

She nodded, "Yeah, it may not have been that bad, but still a rather unpleasant experience for me. Sure it got better but quite frightening at first." Now they were moving on to shopping and getting away from the customs area out into the spaceport. "You know, a bite to eat would be great. I was so preoccupied with everything at customs that I forgot that we'd not had much to eat today."

It finally seemed to come to her notice the attention that the three of them were getting suddenly. "Uh, there's a lot of people staring at us." It was a small bit unnerving, and perhaps Shalimar wasn't quite aware of just how attractive she was.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"They've got good taste. I mean, look at you. You've got lovely hair, sparkling eyes, a cute face and a pair of legs to die for." Hey, she was only making an honest compliment and stating facts! Shalimar just happened to have great genes. "You're so gonna have a host of admirers soon." Well, she already had one, who'd recently declared herself her sort-of cousin.


"Oh, look, we can get a bite to eat over there. The Ghoush spicy strip is wicked," she pointed to a fast food joint in the spaceport's commercial area. Though no McYodas, the Eldorai Firestar chain was getting good business here and on Tygara. Many Eldorai decried the spread of ‘xeno junk food' and cultures, but despite this it was popular with Eldorai and non-Eldorai alike.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar found herself quite shocked at the words that came from Elpsis. In truth, she'd never actually seen herself as all that good looking. At least not enough for people to be staring and watching her. Her cheeks flushed lightly, and unexpectedly. "You are quite sweet, darling."

She smiled, "That sounds good. I'm not too picky as long as I get plenty of protein. Cat DNA I think has a lot to do with that." Reaching down she patted Leo gently. Slowly she followed alongside Elpsis, letting her take the lead. "Not too sure what I want exactly, so please Elpsis go first, I'll find something while you order." She chirped, though seeming a little unsure.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"You haven't seen just how sweet I can be," Elpsis declared cornily. She just could not pass up the chance to flirt, even if her innuendo might go straight over Shali's head. "Does cat DNA mean you purr when someone strokes your stomach?" She'd be very eager to try and find out.


Anyhow, her stomach growled. So when it was their turn at the counter, she ordered a Ghoush spicy strip - naturally extra spicy - along with a milkshake and some chicken nuggets with salad. Elpsis was not the healthiest eater in the world. However, all the fighting she got into kept her lean and fit. The same applied to hunting with the amazons or Galina.

 

[Shalimar]

"Perhaps not, but I'm sure I'll find out soon enough," Shalimar replied cheerfully.

She chuckled, "When I feel safe and content, yes I purr. It just depends on my moods really and how I feel in the environment that I'm in. As long as I am comfortable, and feeling safe, stroking my stomach would cause me to purr." At the counter, Shalimar ordered her fair share of chicken nuggets and a couple of other meat like things that she could get her paws on. She had been completely craving proteins for a while now.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Oh, that's real cute," Elpsis opined. Now she had a new mission: Make the cute catwoman with the cool martial arts skills purr! Anyhow, both of them soon found a space to seat after loading themselves with plenty of meat and greasy food.


Presumably at least one of the women in her life would keep her up at night and make sure she burnt plenty of calories and proteins, so Elpsis did not feel guilty. Auntie Siobhan had once seen fit to lecture her about her intense dislike of girls with stick figures. The term 'hourglass figure' was a dirty word in her dictionary.


So once they'd sat down, Elpsis dug into her food. The redhead had the ability to consume significant amounts of food in a very short time period. Luckily, her table manners had improved to the point that she did not come across as a half-starved primitive or wild animal.


"So, we take the 'rail into town and I can show you around a bit. Buy you some stuff. Then I can take you to my place," she said in between wolfing down food. Some sauce dripped down her chin and she licked it away before wiping her mouth.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar shook her head slightly, "It's odd to me, honestly. I know it has to do with how I was constructed." Constructed certainly fit how Shalimar came into being. Every part of her genes were toyed with to bring out the best traits and skills that Madeline desired in her test subject. "It's not something that's often happened. I've never really been in a position where I felt safe and content. So believe it or not, it is something that I'm still adjusting to having."

Shalimar smiled as she took a seat with her food in hand. She took care with how she ate, taking her time with it. She'd gone without for so long that she wanted to savor every bite and enjoy it.

"That sounds like a good idea. If this is to possibly be my home, I do need to know my way around." She seemed lost in thought for a brief moment before she continued, "I'm rather excited about shopping for clothing. It sounds like such a fun thing to do. Even with being locked away for so long, I did always like looking at clothing magazines. What few they'd let me have at least."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Constructed. The word struck a chord inside Elpsis. "You're more than just a lab experiment, y'know. You're a living, breathing woman...with a soul. It's a pretty one," she flushed slightly. The young redhead had become a rather spiritual person recently. No matter the circumstances of her birth, Shalimar was still a daughter of the Great White Wolf and thus a natural part of Creation, just with unorthodox origins. Cold, emotionless machines could not endow a being with a soul, only She could.


As if to cover her momentary embarrassment, she took a big sip from her chocolate milkshake. The redhead liked dark chocolate. "So, you're giddy about shopping, huh? Don't tell Auntie Sio that. Otherwise she won't rest until you're loaded with dresses, lipstick and more shoes than you'll ever use," she joked.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar smiled faintly, "You really are quite sweet, Elpsis. I am a living breathing human, yes. You are right. It doesn't change the fact that the sperm and egg contributions to my creation came from test tubes, and as a just a handful of cells, my genes, every last one was altered to give me the exact traits and abilities they wanted. And mixed with a bit of feline DNA along the way. Fundamentally, I was altered to the point of retaining 1-2% of my 'parents' traits. Constructed while a sharp word, I know, it accurately describes how I came to be."

Shalimar was happily munching her chicken. "It just sounds fun. And the idea of having things of my own, which I chose seems freaking amazing. My clothing, my furniture, bedding all provided by Archangel. So, I never really got to experience these kinds of things. Having my stuff that I like, feels a bit like a dream."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


She gave you a heart and a soul. Machines cannot do that, Elpsis thought to herself, but did not push the point. Whatever technological wizadry the machines might have used to 'construct' Shalimar, they could not replicate the divine spark every woman possessed.


"I get what you mean. Spent most of my life on the streets, on the run or aboard smuggler ships. Only stuff I owned was what I could carry or fit in a freighter. Sometimes even less than that," she munched on her meat. "Was a bit overwhelmning when I went from zero to...actually havin' a nice play to stay and people who cared about me. I can get you some nice things," she smirked at that. They eventually finished their meal, and Elpsis arose.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar stood slowly with Elpsis to leave, "It's certainly strange to go from nothing to having something. And while I don't have things yet, that's coming." She smiled happily, "You mentioned something called Firemane earlier, a business or something that I could work for? What is it exactly? And what do they do?"

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Firemane's part business, part private army, part matriarchal clan," Elpsis said with a completely straight face. After all, that was one way to describe it. "They make weapons to sell on the market, provide mercs and help keep the peace on Tygara and a couple other planets. You'd be very welcome to join and kick the arses of bad guys. Besides, you're pretty."


Conveniently, the monorail stopped at the Lion's Gate spaceport. This was probably only natural because it happened to be the only spaceport in the city - and the entire planet, for that matter. So Elpsis bought them tickets at one of the machines. An Eldorai guard checked their papers, then waved them through, after saying a few stern words about the lion.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar cocked her head to the side, listening to Elpsis describe the strangeness of Firemane. "I see. It seems like a decent place to work." She shook her head, "Work seems a funny term to me. I've never really had any job either. So this is a little odd, but I know it's needed." After all, she had to pay her way in the galaxy somehow.

She then seemed to catch onto the last thing Elpsis said. Her cheeks flushed a pale red as she sheepishly looked away, unsure how to respond. Once they were cleared, she took a step onto the train, following alongside the redhead to take a seat. "I .. uh, thanks." She did finally manage after finding a seat.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Hey, just telling the truth, babe. Have you looked at yourself in a mirror lately?" Elpsis asked rhetorically. The two of them managed to find a seat since this compartment was not too cramped, and so Elpsis sat down close to the blonde, whose cheeks looked a bit more scarlet now.


"Look, Shali, sorry if I'm being too forward and stuff," the redhead said a bit awkwardly. "I just like you and you're real cute. Besides, you got kickarse fighting skills." As if of its own accord, Elpsis' hand had ended up on the blonde's thigh.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar smiled, feeling rather shy suddenly. "I mean, I've looked ... I just didn't think I was anything all that special." She sighed, not sure how she felt about Elpsis' words.

Shalimar shook her head, "It's not that you are too forward, I just have no experience with this stuff. I don't know how to respond, what's appropriate and all. It's just new. And it's awkward for me. I don't even know what I'm comfortable with or not. So, I'm not trying to be offputting; it's just another thing that is extremely new to me and not something I know what to do with yet. That's all."

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


Elpsis grinned, happy that she had not upset the older woman or pushed her away. It was a bit odd, for Shalimar was a couple years older, but the firemane could not help feel protective of her. "Ok. That's cool. Just don't wanna make you uncomfortable. I promise not to grab your gorgeous blonde locks and heatedly kiss your lovely lips without asking for your permission first," Elpsis said with a completely straight face.


She did not remove her hand from Shalimar's thigh though. Meanwhile, the monorail sped across the impressive tracks. The train was quite fast, but not absurdly, so the people inside could get a good view of New Santaissa. Give or take a couple stops, and they'd be in the city centre.

 

[Shalimar]

Shalimar nodded, "Yeah, you haven't. It's just uncharted territory for me; that's all. I've been a little busy running, that I've not had the time or inclination to explore such things." She did smile, "I would appreciate that. A heads up before you do try. Just expect some awkwardness and inexperience. Because hell if I know what to do."

With a soft, relaxed sigh, she sank into her seat just a little bit. She looked to Elpsis' hand on her thigh. She didn't seem to mind in the least. She then scooted over closer to Elpsis to rest her head against the redhead's shoulder, seeming oh so content. The tiniest of purrs finally came from Shalimar, as she got comfortable for the remainder of the ride to the city center.

[member="Elpsis Elaris"]

 

[Elpsis Kerrigan]

[member="Shalimar"]


"Oh, so I'm allowed to kiss you silly if I give you a headsup first?" Elpsis asked innocently. "Got it. And don't worry about what to do. I'm a great teacher." Clearly humility was not one of her virtues. She smiled when Elpsis scooted over to her and laid her head upon her shoulder. The redhead shifted slightly to help Shali get comfortable. "I love it when you purr. It's so cute," she whispered into Shalimar's ear when the tiniest of purrs escaped the blonde's throat. For his part, Leo snuggled up against the feline woman. For a while, he watched the passengers but then fell asleep!


Meanwhile, the monorail raced towards its destination. The city was truly magnificent, with white stone buildings in the more select areas blending with newer, less fashionable district. In the middle of it all weres the giant ziggurat which combined temple, palace and seat of government all in one, alongside the Grand Cathedral, an enormous tower made of white stone. Eldorai were everywhere. Most of them were women, but one could also see men among them. Eldorai society had liberalised and made the genders more equal, but discrimination was still widespread. One could also see a few Tygaran natives, mostly Qadiri. These tended to perform menial tasks, unless they were nobles.


Finally, the rail came to a halt, and passengers were instructed to exit. The message was broadcast over the intercom in Eldarai, then in Basic. "C'mon, sunshine. We're right in the city centre," Elpsis declared cheerfully, ruffling Leo's mane to get his attention.