Ensigns 101 & 000 - Warp Test, part 2: Family Units
Mason G
(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Astraeus ))
(( 24 hours after Class P planetary survey ))
As the crew chattered around them, 101 and 000 kept their attention on their station. A lull in activity didn’t mean the end of the warp test, of course.
Every now and then they exchanged information in Bynar or made a small adjustment, tinkering and smoothing every little detail. Each time the ship shuddered, they recorded all associated information. It was relaxing to do so, and they slowly watched their table of data grow longer and longer.
Serala: What is our ETA at the colony?
Raga: At this speed, not long I imagine. ::His brow raised slightly in amusement:: Why?
Any: Responses
Serala: Why? Because I have a date waiting for me. I wouldn’t want to be late.
Mei’konda: Well, then. I suppose we’ll haave to ensure we maaintain at least our current velocity. We wouldn’t waant to disrupt our First Officer’s sociial life.
Raga: Ohhhhh. ::There was wholehearted amusement in his tone:: With who? Keep in mind
I can reach out to Shemsh Security if you don’t tell me.
Any: Response
Raga: Ishka’s been exhausted caring for the twins. But if you need a sitter, I can ask
if she’d be up for it. Plus, I don’t think Bean has seen the twins yet. We could raise the gravity in our quarters for a few hours if needed so she can see them. It shouldn’t affect their development at all.
Any: Response
Raga: Zaraiya Nitha and Samier Ecik Raga. We’ve had a tendency to call them Zara
or Raiya and Sammy. ::He smiled warmly::
Any: Response
Quietly, 101 and 000 listened to the chatter. They didn’t really know anything about anyone else’s love lives or families, so they understood very little of the conversation. Asking for those personal details felt kind of nosy for some reason, but other humanoids seemed very comfortable with it…
The train of thought made the Bynars wonder how the crew perceived them. Did they think of the pair as simple teammates? Maybe siblings? Lovers?
…Maybe they should just try to be friendly.
101: ::to Toryn:: We didn’t know,
000: that you had children.
Raga: Response
101: It must be difficult to care for twins,
000: with only two parents involved.
Raga: Response
The ship shuddered again with the effort of maintaining their speed, and 101 and 000 paused to quickly record a long string of data. Hopefully a pattern would emerge soon so that they could diagnose whatever was causing the shudder.
After only a moment, they responded,
101: Bynar pairs are made in infancy,
000: so that our bodies will grow to mirror each other.
101: Of course,
000: paired babies still need to be cared for,
101: but it’s inhumane to separate them,
000: so both sets of parents join,
101: to form a larger family unit.
Any: Response
101: When Zero and I were matched together,
000: my parents, 100 and 001,
101: and my parents, 010 and 111,
000: all moved in together.
101: It’s easier to care for two babies,
000: with four adults in the house.
101: Some family units are more complicated,
000: and some split after the children grow up,
101: but ours was straightforward,
000: with six people total.
Any: Response
HCO Officers
USS Astraeus NCC-70652