GEK
PuzzleType: TRA_NPC_FILLER_
#1
Alien: Friend, any good advice? Yellow is good, yes? Due some luck!
The Gek seems absorbed in a display of flashing red lights on the screen in front of them. They stab at the buttons, and periodically the lights flash yellow. This is accompanied by a fanfare, and appears to please the Gek a great deal.
{Advise they continue}
The Gek heeds my advice, and makes a particularly elaborate series of button presses. The lights do not turn yellow. The Gek appears very troubled.
{Advise they stop}
The Gek is unimpressed with my meddling. They ignore me, and continue to play.
#2
Alien: You smell me friend, but how do you feel? What does it do to your soul?
As I approach the Gek, I become aware of a thin mist surrounding them. It is lightly, almost pleasantly, scented. Nonetheless, I cannot help but feel a deep apprehension.
{Wave away mist}
I cough as I try to wave away the strange mist coming from this Gek. Try as I might, I cannot clear the air. I must leave.
{Leave quickly}
The Gek watches me as I leave. I can feel their eyes following me, but worse - the mist seems to follow me too.
#3
Alien: Scrub scrub scrub! So fresh, so clean, so happy!
If I look closely, the Gek appears to be secreting a greasy substance from their skin. The oil covers their body, rolling into their cracks and crevices. It smells sweeter than I anticipate.
Perhaps I should give the Gek some privacy.
{Stare}
The Gek ignores me as I stare at them. I do not know how much time passes as I stand hypnotised by the slow drip of oil upon scales.
{Leave}
I leave the Gek be. We all deserve our privacy during intimate moments.
#4
Alien: Friend! A real friend does not spy on other friends plans, yes?
The Gek shoots me an irritated glance as I approach. They conceal whatever it was they were working on, and pointedly wait for me to leave.
{Try to see their work}
The Gek gestures at me angrily, waving me away. As I turn, I notice them making what appears to be addition to their list.
{Leave}
The Gek stares at me as I leave. They do not resume their work until they are certain I am too far away to see it.
#5
Alien: Lost it all... no units... trade account is blocked... feels like I lost my blood!
The Gek is a most miserable sight, a picture of dismay and deflation. They look at me in a way that begs for pity.
{Wave them away}
The Gek hangs their head as I leave. I did not think it was possible for them to look any more deflated, but I was wrong.
{Give 10 units}
The Gek is overjoyed, looking at me with what might even be described as love.
#6
Alien: Hello friend! My face is trustworthy, yes? Units for you! Just need account details.
The Gek holds out a small device. The exact nature of the display is not clear to me, but I recognise the symbol for units, alongside an extremely large number.
{Attempt to take units}
I interface with the Gek's device. It lights up as we exchange data, but otherwise nothing else seems to happen. I receive no units, but the Gek appears delighted.
{Leave}
Something about this Gek makes me cautious. I leave, their device untouched.
#7
Alien: One, two, three... one, two, three, four... one, two! Two!
This Gek is absorbed in some game of their own creation, playfully clicking their tongue as they look around the room. When they see me, I am given three brief clicks before they continue their more general survey.
{Click my tongue}
The Gek squeals with delight. I do not understand the significance of what has occurred, but I am pleased to have made someone happy.
{Leave}
The rhythm of the Gek's clicking changes as I leave, but otherwise they pay me little regard.
#8
Alien: Hello friend. Smell is good, yes?
From the moment I entered the room, I could smell this Gek. I do not believe a more alluring scent has never entered my nose. It feels inevitable that I approached, like fate itself had pushed me to this moment.
{Surrender to bliss}
I inhale deeply. My mind seems to pause, lost in deep relaxation the likes of which I have never experienced. I do not know if this lasted moments or years, but as I resurface I feel entirely refreshed, as if I were whole new person.
{Resist the smell}
As I resist, I feel the Gek pheromones beginning to do their work. But I triumph, and pull myself away.
#9
Alien: Buy! Buy! No, no, no! Stop! Stop! Sell! Or maybe buy.
The Gek is busy watching a small screen. Numbers flash, change colour, soar to new heights and then tumble downwards. It is a struggle to keep up with this torrent of information, let alone process it.
{Observe quietly}
I watch for some time, but I am unable to make sense of the data they Gek is watching so keenly.
{Interrupt their concentration}
My attempts to interfere are ineffective. The Gek is so used to processing all this information, one more source of distraction barely makes a difference.
#10
Alien: Friend, it is nearly the end of the day. My eyes are tired, my hands are tired. So nearly time for home!
The Gek seems to be lacking all energy. They are consumed by the most terrible lethargy, barely able to drag themselves to examine their personal timepiece.
{Pat them sympathetically}
The Gek smiles wearily, but I fear I have only indulged their tiredness.
{Slap them}
The Gek is startled. I have taken them by such surprise they do not know how to react. I leave before they come round.
#11
Alien: Hello friend! I have many new smells, from many days of work! Observe!
The Gek examines me before releasing a series of unusual odours. They come thick and fast, each producing strange new sensations. I smell fear, love, yellow, moonlight, sleep, the number four. And then, it is finished. The Gek looks proud.
{Ask for more}
The Gek seems thrilled to have pleased me, but they are exhausted by their demonstration. I leave them to rest.
{Walk away}
The Gek is crestfallen. They poured their soul into this display of smells, and I have snubbed them.
#12
Alien: Another friend. But no friends are Vy'keen. All say Vy'keen are bad, but I would love Vy'keen friend.
The Gek examines me as I approach. They are clearly disappointed, although they offer no clues as to why.
{Shout}
The Gek is initially startled, but then begins to smile. They shout back. If I did not know better, I would swear they were saying 'Grah!'
{Stare}
The Gek stares back, disdain in their eyes. I leave.
#13
Alien: Two, three, four... two, three, four... two, three, four...
The Gek barely regards me as I approach. They are clearly expending a great deal of mental effort concentrating on something. They sway gently, miming delicate finger movements.
{Whistle}
The Gek follows me lead, thrilled to have a musical companion. I cannot hear the tune in their head, but whatever instrument they are imagining is giving them great pleasure.
{Wave hands dramatically}
The Gek takes my waving to be some indication of tempo, and increases their movements to match time with me. I stop before I exhaust them.
#14
Alien: Hello friend! You will help Gek, yes? Simple thing, only need genetic details for petition!
The Gek looks at me with hope, their trustworthy eyes and beak beaming as I approach. They gesture towards me with a data pad, as if to make a request...
{Touch the datapad}
I touch the datapad, giving my biosignature. I am not sure what the Gek intends to do with these details, but it is no matter. The machine does not appear to support a lifeform such as me, and rejects my input.
{Refuse}
It does not seem wise to go around touching devices offered to me by strange Gek.
#18
Alien: Not again! Too many like you, insulting Gek, laughing at pheremones! Go away!
The Gek gestures at me angrily as I approach. They wave their tiny hands and snap their break with considerable fury.
{Cower}
At first, the Gek seems surprised to have so scared me. But they soon adjust to their new found power, and cackle at my flight.
{Laugh}
My laughter only enrages the Gek further. I leave before I drive them to violence.
#15
Alien: Ah, mother, father, fellow spawn... the memories...
The Gek is lost to an idle reverie, pleasant smells drifting from its glands as it sways side to side. They pay me little attention.
{Sniff the Gek}
I inhale deeply. The Gek smells delicious, and does not seem to mind my intrusion among their private scents.
{Leave}
However beautiful this Geks smells, they are not producing this pheromone for me. I leave them be.
#16
Alien: Friend! Hello! I have been awake! Yes, not asleep!
The Gek snaps to attention as I approach. They seem bleary-eyed, as if they have been asleep.
{Reassure}
The Gek relaxes as I show them I mean no harm. As I leave, I notice their eyes beginning to return to their slumber.
{Shout}
I shout at the Gek. They wince, their tired mind struggling to focus.
#17
Alien: Have you seen it, friend? The eye, the great crimson eye?! It always watches!
There is a fear lurking behind the eyes of this Gek, as if they have seen things that no being should see. They gesture at me with alarm.
{Reassure}
Nothing I do calms the Gek. They were anxious before I arrived, and will remain anxious after I leave.
{Panic}
My panic only seems to increase the Gek's alarm. I leave, both of us screaming.
#19
Alien: Fun... oh, friend, do you see it? Fun!
The Gek glances at me as I approach, but they are clearly preoccupied. They are struggling to control themselves, a laugh desperately trying to escape.
{Tickle}
The Gek explodes with mirth. I leave, before this turns to irritation.
{Leave}
I doubt I will ever understand whatever private joke the Gek is enjoying. I leave them to it.
#20
Alien: No, no, no. Traveller always brings trouble! Not for this Gek. Not for me.
The Gek protests as I approach. I have made no demands, and yet they seem keen to pre-emptively turn me down.
{Bow}
My gesture of politeness does little to reassure the Gek. They dismiss me.
{Leave}
The Gek looks relieved as I leave, as if they have avoided some great catastrophe.