What is this gruel?

[Brainiac Five]

Perhaps he should have slept more last night.

Granted, that was easier said than done, given that the 'he' was Querl Dox. He hadn't decided to sleep in his own quarters until his second day with the legion, having slept on the transport to Earth, and deciding to stay up the entire night in this strange, new place, had helped him adjust a little better. (The time change from Colu to Earth was quite a toll to take, he had soon found.) So, this being his third day with the Legion, last night was quite an experience for Querl.

Spongy. The bed felt... Spongy. What were blankets doing on it anyways? In the night, nobody on Colu would stop to think of their material bodies as cold or warm, being so absorbed in their abstract thought and work. Besides, blankets would only serve to possibly mess up the wires that connected anyone to the coluan sleepnet... Oh. Right. The realization that he had been cut off from the sleepnet hadn't truly dawned on him until then. He was lightyears and lightyears away from his sleepnet pod back in his home planet. There was no feasible way he could even begin to try and connect to the network. There was no possible sharing of data. No possible interaction with others. He was... Entirely alone in his thoughts, with no company but the ringing in his ears, and the scratching of the blankets against his skin, as he pulled them across his person. It was strange, to have such quiet nights. The opposite of Colu, really: The day being completely silent, and the evenings alive with interaction...

He didn't sleep well that night at all. Constantly waking, only to find that a crinkle of the bedsheets had shifted. Frowning, as he felt a soft mattress, instead of a metal slab. It was so unusual. Something he wasn't used to at all... Yet, something he would have to become quickly accustomed to. The only world he had ever felt somewhat accepted in was gone. The freeness and intangibility of his thoughts in the dusk were gone. The sleepnet was an evanescent part of his life now, whether he wanted it to be or not.

He also, hadn't expected the wake-up call. Groaning with fatigue, as he rose in the morning, mind cloudy, and voice groggy, as he answered the page he had received. Ignoring the statement Imra had made about 'trying to invest in pajamas'. Pajamas? What were those? Querl furrowed his eyebrows, yet stumbled out of his room after washing up a bit, as she had instructed. Apparently, Legionnaires had to be up 'bright and early!' for 'on-duty' days. Querl frowned. Coluans needed nine hours of sleep on average at least- The price to pay for their constant mental exertion, though that was the primary impetus to creating the sleepnet. Though again- He had no sleepnet to aid with organizing his newfound data. Waking up at seven of the clock am every morning wasn't exactly his idea of a great motivator either.

So, he sat, wearing the same clothes as he had the past few days, simply staring at his bowl of some 'cream-of-wheat'. Wheat didn't produce lactose based fluids... How did one...? Querl let his eyes sink even further, as he ignored the petty thought. Humans had strange names for everything, anyway. Tapping the saucer a bit with his spoon, as he struggled to keep himself from falling face-first into the bowl, and falling asleep right then and there. After all, he did have to keep up some sort of reputation among these people, correct? Though he had to admit, their constant stares did unnerve him slightly.

Then, he was currently aware that at the moment, he seemed more like a grungy vagrant than the smartest being in the galaxy. Eugh.

[Cosmic Boy]

So his late night, while productive, had a rather unfavorable side-effect; one he had expected, of course, but it hadn't made the following morning any easier. His violet eyes were tinged with red and the dark circles beneath his eyes seemed to show in varying layered shades each hour that he had stayed up past his own "reccommended hours of sleep" that he'd tried to impress upon his team.

So much for the boss following his own rules, right?

Caffiene was first on the agenda, Rokk managing to navigate the halls of their still new headquarters to make his way down to the cafeteria. Frankly, he was almost afraid to touch anything, much less allow his feet to touch the shiny floors; Braal wasn't exactly known for having anything that appeared even remotely expensive or new unless you were in the "high-rent districts" of Braal's larger cities. What was left of them, anyway. (Ow, didn't quite miss the doorframe, huh?) Rokk was able to focus enough to hover a few inches off the floor, but the lack of jarring pressure under his feet caused him to doze off more than once, smacking into the occasional wall and door until he finally sought out the coffee.

A small victory, but a victory.

Of all things, Rokk was simply grateful there were so few of them on the team so far; fewer people to watch him bumble about in exhaustion. Blinking his still bleary eyes, he caught sight of one of their newest recruits about to fall asleep in his breakfast; at least he wasn't the only one having issues becoming accustomed to Earth. The gravitational pull of this damn planet was playing havok with Rokk's senses...

Of course, that wasn't the reason for his self-imposed insomnia.

Crossing the room, Rokk sat across from and a seat down from the sleepy Coluan, raising his mug of coffee in a toast to no one, yawning. "Rough night, Dox?"

[Brainiac Five]

"An understatement, if you would." Was the snort of a reply, as Querl quickly straightened himself, attempting to appear more dignified. As if he were less of a sleepy mess. Eyeing Rokk warily, as he corrected the spoon in his hand, his movement rather stiff, as he ingested his first taste of 'cream of wheat'. It was hard to surpress a cough as he swallowed it, however. Looking a little strained as he kept his mouth closed, promptly lowering the spoon. Giving Rokk another glance, before returning his attention to his food, instead choosing to lift the small cup of strawberries from the edge of his tray, and draw it close to him. Grabbing his fork, and beginning to eat those instead. Bites slow, as he kept nervously allowing himself to look up at Rokk, but then hastily back to his food.

To be perfectly honest, the situation, though barely social, was still making Querl uneasy. He was being watched. By an organic. An organic who just so happens to be his superior. Even if he was covered in noticeably recent bumps and cuts. Perhaps if Querl was just... Silent, he would go away? After all, his engaging with Tinya had only made her want to continue talking to him, despite his cold demeanor. These aliens were so weird. This place was too foreign for his liking. This entire change in his lifestyle was just so odd... It was certainly a lot to take in. And, Querl reasoned, made it a good idea not to talk to anyone. Not to form any sort of small camaraderie. After all, if their missions included the possibility of death... Querl had read over and over again that people dying was a bad thing. Especially if you knew the person that died. Querl wasn't too eager to experience that, even though his calculations made it inevitable.

Ah, grife. Early morning thought processes for a tired 12th level intelligence... How quaint. And completely unneeded.

Though, it hadn't kept him from eating, he noticed, as he dipped the fork back into the cup, only to find it empty. A thin frown forming on his face at the revelation.

Self Note: Strawberries, or Fragaria × ananassa, were not completely unpleasant to consume.

So, with another weary, yet uneasy look at Rokk. (Grife, he probably had half the thought process of a lunavore, now that he thought of it. The way he kept absentmindedly bumping the coffee mug against his lips and teeth in the most idiotic manner. Yet.... Social interaction...) Querl reached for his glass of orange juice, sniffing it, before downing it. Wiping his mouth on the wrist of his glove, before turning his attention to the other people bumbling into the cafeteria. Apparently, Querl's scheme to duck in, eat before everyone else, and hole himself up in the laboratory for the rest of the day.... Wasn't about to work. Pity.

Though, that didn't stop him from freezing up a little, muscles tensing, and his body going rigid as his eyes darted across the room. All thoughts of movement escaping him, though he wanted to leave as fast as possible. Suddenly, the single presence of Rokk behind him didn't seem like so much of a cause to be nervous...

[Cosmic Boy]

Ow. Right in the teeth. Sighing heavily, Rokk set the mug down, temporarily defeated by his exhaustion; he'd just have to take a stim or something before the training sim, else he'd end up getting himself or someone else hurt.

"This planet's electromagnetic fields feel weird. The whole planet doesn't feel right. So many bad things have happened to it over the centuries," he said mostly to himself, his words trailing off to a quiet mumble as he continued. "She's sick. The humans don't seem to realize it, they think they've "fixed" the pollution damage by banning fossil fuels, but...she's still sick." Rokk shook his head and rubbed at his face; he really needed to try to sleep at some point in the day. "Mn. Nothing, sorry...I still haven't gone to sleep. I was up all night going over reports since I felt sick."

He didn't know who he was apologizing to or who he was even rambling to; he was certain the Coluan had tuned him out already, if their race's reputation was any indication. Rokk rubbed at his temples, trying to think of a way to temporarily "block" the damage he was feeling and "reopen" himself to it in small increments until he was used to it.

He'd never been off Braal, after all.

"Having trouble getting used to this place, too?"

[Brainiac Five]

Of course, halfway through his blathering, Querl would completely disregard most of what Rokk was alluding to. Multitasking to the best of his ability, given his lacking in current competency. His body actually beginning to show the slightest quaver, as his focus kept changing. His mental cogs spinning, and spinning, as he tried so hard to put 'mind over matter', and keep himself awake.

It wasn't to say that Rokk's sudden question didn't startle Querl either. Snapping his attention back from his mindless staring. Which, prompted a more... Composed demeanor, right? Querl masked his nervousness with boredom- A trait he'd found himself using more often than not- Prodding his tray to the side, and putting his elbows on the edge of the table. Resting his head in one hand, and drumming his fingers in a discordant rhythm. He wasn't at all used to interacting with organics... So casually. "It is that obvious?" He questioned, voice quiet, as he did. Eyes averting Rokk's, instead focusing on a small crack in the wall behind the other. That certainly made talking easier. "You're braalian, correct? The different, weaker polarities of Earth must be wreaking havoc on your system.... I highly suggest looking for a magnetic stimulant, that you can slowly wean yourself off of, if you plan to stay here long..." Perhaps Rokk had already said something related to that. Querl didn't exactly care, continuing on in his cool, almost mechanical tone. "...Being away from Colu has certainly affected my being as well, though, obviously in different ways from yours. If I begin showing symptoms of incoherency, or a lack of rational thought processes, I would implore you to lock me away in a secluded area. Until I manage a thirteen hour, uninterrupted sleep, that is. That should solve any related problems..."

He stopped himself there, slowly turning his head, and narrowing his eyes slightly at the influx of people into the cafeteria. Mn... He wasn't quite prepared for this at all. After Rokk lost his interest in carrying on their meager conversation, Querl had already formulated a plan for 'escape'. One that involved as little social interaction as possible. He just cradled his chin in his hands at the thought, letting his half-lidded gaze drift back to Rokk. The intent seeming almost threatening, yet with a twinge of his own uneasiness.

He would have to get used to this sort of thing eventually, he knew. That didn't mean he wasn't going to put it off for as long as he possibly could.

[Cosmic Boy]

Nodding, Rokk made an attempt to finish off his coffee without his face hitting the table. "Mn, the thought had crossed my mind. If the med bay here doesn't have anything useful, I may just have to get Lightning Lad to zap me a few times before every training session...or mission. Ugh. Worst case scenario, I guess."

Though at the mention of the effects of sleep deprivation on Dox, Rokk was slightly more alert and made a mental note of it; as the leader, he needed to keep the well-being of all his teammates in mind. And in Dox's case, they certainly couldn't have the resident genius going kooky on them just because of a lack of REM sleep.

"And I'll keep that in mind," he said with a nod, smiling. "And if you would prefer the information remain confidential, then no worries. Well...it would be me and Imra, but it's hard to keep things from a telepath even when they aren't prying, right? I'll watch out for any odd changes and rearrange any schedules so you can sleep, or at least try to. And if you would rather a different sort of bedding, just send a message to my comm and I'll get it taken care of."

[Brainiac Five]

Querl lowered his brow, pursing his lips slightly. "Has information on me ever been confidential, Krinn? If I didn't know better, I'd say the coluan elders have some sort of 'Weekly Brainiac Data Collections' page somewhere on the Titanet..." His eyes dropped to the table again, looking over every crease and indent the surface had visible. Pupils meticulously analyzing the microscopic valleys and mountains. A small, and completely ineffective distraction. He wasn't oblivious to the fact that he had basically been a laboratory specimen for all his time on Colu. Used as a living calculator. Given projects simply to occupy his time- He was quite aware of how this was busywork. It was also quite easy to pretend it was engaging- It satiated the Council of Elders, after all. Convinced them that they could control the being they feared. Or... Would have, if he hadn't gone ahead with several unauthorized experiments, and made himself known as a nuisance to the general public.

Though Rokk's next comment brought Querl's attention back to Rokk once again. A scowl now apparent on his face. He thought he had downplayed the scenario. He was NOT about to be coddled, and that statement, no matter what intentions Rokk may have put behind it, sounded condescending to Querl. It made it sound as if he couldn't handle a bed. He was Brainiac Five- He could handle anything that anyone else here could- And at least a hundred times better as well. "That will not be necessary." Was his simple response, though. His irritation submerged below his monotone reply.

He shifted at this, letting a little bit of his discomfort show, but still trying to hide it. Smalltalk was awkward. He was beginning to decide he didn't like it.

[Andromeda]

Laurel was not tired. Physical weariness, sleepiness, and exhaustion were things she had not experienced since arriving on Earth. She was however sleep deprived. This did not make for a pleasant combination; the young Daxamite had all the irritability and tension of going on four nights without sleep now with none of the drowsiness or lethargy to mollify her expression of it. She'd reduced the holo-projector to scrap metal when the wake-up call had assaulted her newly super-sensitive ears and now she stomped into the mess hall, added to her own frustration by crushing the first bowl she attempted to grab, snatched up another furiously and, upon filling it, turned to sit at the nearest table. As it so happened, it was occupied.

"Sir," Laurel's greeting to Cosmic Boy was more terse than formal, his and Phantom Girl's voices having kept her awake all night long even from two floors away. She also only flipped him half a Daxamite salute, right fist pressed to her left shoulder but not bothering to put down the bowl in her left so as to complete the gesture with her other hand pressed to the small of her back, that Laurel's mother would have had her court-martialed for presenting to a superior officer. It was nothing compared to the hateful glare and positively venomous tone which accompanied her second greeting though.

"Coluan." The emerald-skinned boy already set her nerves on edge; at least most the other aliens she'd come in contact with thus far had the decency to physically resemble Daxamites. Coming across his condescending holo-message upon entering the lab the day before, already feeling inadequate for having to go up there to repair a plasma rifle she'd crushed the barrel of in her bare hand whilst trying to get in some target practice, had left her struggling not to punch him on principle.

Collapsing into a seat beside, but a safe couple feet away, from Cosmic Boy; Laurel promptly snapped her spoon upon picking it up, muttered a choice profanity from her homeworld, dropped the shards to the table top with a clatter, and resolved to simply drink her cream-of-wheat from the bowl. At least the food was fairly good here, whatever small silver lining that counted as. While being the daughter of the station commander back home had earned her more frequent culinary privileges than the average cadet, nourishment on a military base prioritized efficiency over taste on the whole.

[Brainiac Five]

So. Having Rokk approach him wasn't enough, was it?

At Andromeda's furious encroachment upon the table, Querl instinctively wanted to put up a forcefield, and quickly flee the area. It seemed like the most logical and rational option, given that Laurel seemed completely and utterly unstable at the moment. Cursing and muttering under her breath, and glaring down everything around her. Her eyelids slightly puffy- From what he could gather, she might have had just as much sleep as he or Rokk had. Perhaps less, if that was possible. An unnerving idea.

Her greeting wasn't much to quell Querl's uneasiness either. Her curt, and quickly spoken identification was enough to set him on edge. He didn't quite know whether to snap back at her, or to simply leave, anymore. Logic demanded the latter, but he oh so wanted to indulge the former. However, she didn't seem to be interested in conversation. Much less with him. The glint in her eyes, her fidgety and stiff movements- Daxamites were notorious xenophobes. Andromeda certainly lived up to the stereotype. Though, despite that, there was something remotely appealing about her that Querl couldn't exactly put his finger on. Something about her physical appearance that might make her worth addressing. ....Eugh, such thoughts were most likely attributed to "hormones" though, correct? Ngh... He had his tests for the day, in that case. He did not need such idiotic distractions, such as physical infatuation. Much less with a xenophobic elitist.

He quickly stood, gathering his eating utensils in an organized fashion. Dipping his head to Rokk, before turning to Laurel. Neon yellow irises contracting sightly, as he couldn't help but let the words roll off of his tongue. "Daxamite. I would be cautious, if I were you. Earth is notorious for having many foods with traces of lead in them. Apple juice, grape juice, peach slices, pears, mixed fruit and fruit cocktail... Quite frankly, you might be surrounded by lead at any given time, in this room alone. Though, I suppose you knew that, given that your species is 'Superior in every way'." With a narrow-eyed glare, Querl turned on his heels, bringing up his dishes, before dashing out of the cafeteria. Flinching a bit at every person he encountered himself, if he was to be honest.

Then, being afraid, and absolutely abhorring drawn out social interaction wasn't the same as blindly hating someone for their species... Right?