As Aric gradually regained consciousness, the sterile scent of antiseptic assaulted his senses, and the soft hum of machinery filled the air around him. Slowly, he blinked his eyes open to find himself lying on a sleek, futuristic hospital bed, surrounded by advanced medical equipment and illuminated by the gentle glow of ambient lighting.

Beside him, a humanoid alien nurse bustled about, her graceful movements guided by practiced efficiency. She turned towards him as she noticed his awakening, her eyes large and luminous, filled with a mix of concern and curiosity. Aric thought of the alien as a woman because the humanoid features was of a woman.

And apart from the doctor, there were multiple flying round and other shaped drones floating around. Though he was in a private room, he could see these androids/drones/robots flying around. They looked shiny and spotless.

He almost jumped up. 

"&*%$#%&**%%^." The alien said. 

"For how much time did I lose consciousness?" Aric asked. 

"%$%^$&^&*." The alien said.

"I am sorry I can't understand you." Aric said. The alien felt a bit annoyed and left. Aric didn't know why he lost consciousness and almost wanted to make a run after he saw that his orb was still there inside his consciousness but he also knew that if he did so, he might never he able to come here again as he might be checked upon. 

The alien nurse came back with a tray on her hand. She took a very small flat metal. She took the metal on the tip of her finger and then placed the metal under Aric's ear. Aric wanted to avoid but thinking it was an hospital he let her touch him. The cold metal felt a bit hot after a second or so. 

"Now can you understand?" The alien said and this time Aric could easily understand. 

"What.. What was that?" 

"Did you just come out of a cave or something? Your body has no genetic enhancement for a human that you are, no immunity against the various diseases out there, no registration in any species registration. Even the DNA that you have doesn't match up with anyone in the database that we have. What the hell are you?" The doctor asked, quite animated and annoyed by her patient's apparent lack of understanding.

Aric was speechless as he heard that. This person did a background check or something? Of course, he didn't have any background. And Earth wasn't even discovered yet by whoever the King or the leader was of the planet or multiple planets.

"I am sorry, doctor. I will take care of myself," Aric said, feeling a bit scared that they might ask him to pay because he didn't have a cent of the currency these people used.

"No, you don't understand. The virus and bacteria that we found in your body have never been seen before. I ran them through the database, and these small microscopic creatures shouldn't exist anywhere, so I really want to know where you came from."

Aric didn't know what he should tell her, but he could see that this alien doctor was really looking forward to the answer.

"Actually, you know what, don't answer that. I had been searching for a topic to publish my research paper on. Now that I have the virus and bacteria samples, I can culture them, grow them, and stamp my name on them. The doctors around the universe will soon know of me. Kid, sign my inter-species NDA document, and I will never speak of you ever again," the doctor said, her eyes shining with excitement.

"What?" Aric was dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. What was this crazy doctor talking about?

"Cough.. Cough.. I think Doctor Fitz should give this young kid some space," came a voice from the open door. Aric turned his head to see a young humanoid male and one a bit older humanoid male standing there. Doctor Fitz turned around and looked at them.

"Don't try to trick me. I am pretty sure you found him on the roadside somewhere. It's a miracle that you found him and brought him here. I just want to be famous. Kid, sign the documents, and you are free to go. The universal translator will be the price for your signature."

"Don't you think it's very cheap? The universal translator doesn't even cost 10 credits in almost all currencies. Give the young human something. He doesn't have a registration in his own species, which means he is either royalty or some kid who had been trafficked from an unknown human planet which had never seen the light," the older humanoid alien said.

"Trafficking? Hmph! We are in the cross borders of Sora and Vallin. They wouldn't dare to step foot in this place if they don't want the local gangs to kill them. In addition, no trafficker is stupid enough to not let a human go through the process," Doc. Fitz said. Aric wanted to say something, but he knew it was not his place.

"But that doesn't allow you to act as you like and be cheap. Give the kid proper compensation and discharge him. He doesn't have a genetic enhancement, and from the looks of it, he is in desperate need of it," the old man said.

"Fine. But he doesn't have any registration. How will I compensate him?" Doc. Fitz fidgeted about the whole money part, but for some reason, Aric could tell that the doctor was a bit afraid of the old man, and she always looked at the young adult from time to time. It was as if she was trying to gauge his emotions. The young alien didn't show any emotions on his face and just looked at her.