Lt. Commander V'Nille - Storytime
Renée Chalfant
(( Assembly Bay/Observation Bay, Starbase One ))
(( Overlooking both the USS Chin’toka and the USS Valkyrie-A ))
She twisted her body slightly in order to grab the meat cube and popped it into her mouth as soon as she was standing up straight again. The taste of peppers and some unfamiliar spices filled her mouth and nose, making her muzzle scrunch up a bit in pleasant surprise.
V’Nille: Mm, it’s good. So, the Valkyrie-A. What do you think of the move?
Grallator: Well, Commander, I must admit I didn’t expect to be transferred to a new ship quite so quickly. I had imagined settling into this one for a couple of years—long enough to learn which corridors lead somewhere useful and which ones only exist to confuse me. But a heavy cruiser is certainly an upgrade. Bigger engines, bigger responsibilities, and, I suspect, bigger headaches. Still, if we’re going to be hurled into battles, I sincerely hope we win them all. Losing tends to be terribly inconvenient, and I’ve grown rather fond of surviving. What about you?
V’Nille: ::nodding in agreement:: I agree. A bigger heavy cruiser with the range and firepower that I believe the Achilles-class has will provide some interesting challenges on its… own.
Any: Response
Her voice drifted off slightly as she watched the tall Bolian dart forward as if his life depended on it and come back to the conversation with a handful of some sort of eggs. Pickled, if her nose was informing her correctly. She chuckled and sighed.
Grallator: Apologies for the interruption, Commander. The transfer to the Valkyrie‑A actually aligns rather well with some of my engineering capabilities—or at least the ones that don’t involve accidentally setting things on fire. I had imagined staying put a little longer, but a heavy cruiser offers… opportunities. Bigger systems to tinker with, bigger headaches to solve, and, I suspect, bigger explosions if I get it wrong. Still, it feels like the right fit, and I’ll do my best to make sure the ship runs smoothly—preferably without screaming at us in the middle of the night.
V’Nille nodded once more, both agreeing with his statement and acknowledging the success of his hunting raid. A distinct lack of ancient ghosts screaming at them was a nice benefit of moving to a new ship, or so she hoped.
V’Nille: Or ejecting the computer core spontaneously in the middle of flight. That would also be nice.
Any: Response
Grallator: Yes, that too. My parents’ hair would stand on end—if they had any, of course—when I tell them. In fact, I suspect they’ll manage to look scandalized anyway, which is quite an achievement for people who are technically bald. They’ve always had a knack for expressing shock without the usual biological equipment, relying instead on eyebrows, sighs, and the occasional dramatic silence. So yes, when I explain this transfer, I fully expect them to perform the traditional parental display of alarm, hair or no hair.
V’Nille: They sound like they’re quite expressive. You said they would be scandalized? Do they not approve of your career in Starfleet?
For some people, the Caitian knew the question would be a sensitive subject but she figured that if Grallator brought it up, it was a fair question to ask.
Grallator/Any: Response
V’Nille: Ah, that makes sense. Parents can be … difficult, at times. I’m blessed with parents that are fully supportive of me being here. I think they’re more amused at the fact that I joined on impulse more than anything.
Grallator/Any: Response
V’Nille: Oh yes, very much on impulse. I was walking around, as one does when they’re bored and seeking something to do, and ran into the Starfleet recruiting center. We got to talking, he offered to let me take the test for the Academy to see how well I’d do, annndd I failed. ::chuckles:: But I didn’t like that feeling of failing at a test like that, so I studied some more and retook it. I remember right, I got it on the third try.
She reached out for another piece of meat and popped it in her mouth, swallowing it in one bite.
V’Nille: And that’s how Starfleet got stuck with me!
Grallator/Any: Response