JP - PNPCs Sherana & CPO Shedet - With Knives Out (Part 2)
Captain Nugra
(( Arboretum ))
Shedet started at the word selkie. Or as better pronounced in her own language shelklee or “The defiant ones''. It was an open secret among much of the Orion or the word that was used by a Federation ambassador or three to keep the Orions in check. Years before allying with the Federation, they had been a people the slavers had taken from their world and inadvertently transplanted them to a planet in the Gamma Abrin Sector. Some stories said that a slave ship crashed while other, more modern Orion leaned towards the “pirate with a conscience” that crashed the ship on purpose to free the slaves from eventual servitude.
Of course, when it came to the slavers and her own people, she had a certain level of cynicism. Yes, slavery had been outlawed to appease the Federation when the economic weight of their government descended on the Orion sector which reached its fervour with the negotiations over Coridan in 2268. The failure of the Orion Syndicate to stop the mission, the joining of Coridan to the Federation, and the obvious hand that her people had in it, turned Orion into a true neutral. Well, a good 70% of the Orion fleet mutinied and became the modern Orion Syndicate but that was expected.
In short, Shedet could feel the itchiness of the Pharoah Cartel tattoo on her thigh and her gishule mark from her dancing days on where she would normally sit. Yes. She had made some pretty stupid choices but she was still alive.
The emotions roiled through her as she tried not to stumble into the room.
Shedet: It's pretty but I’m surprised an Orion would mention Pacifica so easily with our people’s history and all.
Why was this woman irritating her so much? Shedet just felt the urge smack her for being so loose with her speech.
Sherana: Why wouldn’t I. It’s a plant. You asked about it. I answered.
Shedet’s mouth quirked up in an irritated expression.
Shedet: Pacifica is a subject that is taboo. Something you should have known.
Sherana: That may be true for _you_. I am not Orion, I am Klingon.
Oh! Well, that explained the rather pathetic understanding and irritating speech manner. This Orion should have been properly trained by a matron or given some basic history by her mother. Shedet brushed her hair back with a tilt of her chin.
Shedet: Ah. I see. I was unaware you didn’t have a proper education as there are certain words and subjects that are taboo. A matron could have taught you this if you were so inclined.
Sherana growled, a deep grumble coming from her belly and she stepped forward, and despite the equal height it looked like she was towering over Shedet.
Sherana: You watch your tongue, Ha'DIbaH!
Shedet narrowed her eyes and all of a sudden had this strong urge to strike but common sense told her that attacking anyone who was trained by a Klingon right out without a plan was stupid. Why had this hate hit her so hard all off a sudden?
Shedet: I cannot say yours is very pleasant with that language.
Sherana: ::snarling:: I may look like an Orion to you, but I am fully Klingon. And I have my ways to make you shut up if you don’t do it yourself.
Shedet: I do see you emulate the bravado of the species quite well. oO I wonder if it is as hollow. Oo
Sherana: The only reason you are not in the ground under this plant yet is that I owe the crew of this ship. But I don’t owe anything to you, petaQ!
Shedet glared at the woman in front of her. The first thought was how quickly she could take the nearby shovel to her head before the weapon that was more than likely hidden on her was pulled out not to mention she was just a little outside of arms reach.
Calling on as much of her calm as she could, Shedet forced herself to turn her back and walk a few steps away towards another plant.
Shedet: You owe your allegiance to this ship and by extension this crew for which I am a part of. My Klingon is rusty but is there not a Klingon Proverb of Qu' buSHa'cughSuvwI', batlhHa' vangchugh, qojmatlhHa'chugh, paghghaHSuvwI? (Translation: If a warrior ignores duty, acts dishonourably, or is disloyal, he is nothing.)
The Botanist squinted her eyes. How dared this woman to throw her own people’s sayings at her? And even worse, how dare she to be right? Outrageous. She didn’t say anything and watched the other woman like a predator watched their prey.
Shedet continued to move to keep her opponent in the corner of her eye.
Shedet: What I am trying to say is that you are a guest of this ship. I’d hate for an..interaction...that changes that over a...misunderstanding.
Sherana: I am not a guest. I am part of the crew and have been for six years. What would you know about my place here?
Shedet: You are an exchange officer of the Klingon Empire serving at the pleasure of the Commodore. That much I know.
Just that Sherana had worked here as a Civilian for 5 years before becoming an Exchange Officer, but she was not going to argue that with this … woman.
Sherana: You may know our words, but you don’t use them with honour. You use them to get what you want, that alone is dishonourable and deserves my blade to your throat.
Shedet: ::slightest of smirks:: Good to know.
The haze of emotions coursing through Shedet’s body was unfamiliar and strange. She understood what Sherana was saying and did not know why she had an overwhelming urge to poke her, to smile and sidestep, to...manipulate. If people thought Ferengi were sneaky, they never dealt with her people in detail.
Sherana: If as you said before you are part of this ship, and I am part of this ship, is it a habit of yours to insult your shipmates? If so ::Her voice got lower and more growly:: I must re-think my impression I got from Federation Etiquette and return to my roots. Because fighting my crew mate is a _Klingon_ matter of honour.
And she had already talked way too much for her own taste. She almost hoped that Shedet would give her more reason to draw that blade of hers. Back in the Empire, it would already stick in her throat. She had not gotten soft, she just respected the Captain of this ship too much to kill off her crew but Shedet appeared to beg for it.
Shedet: I see. Well, it’s good that you were able to learn something. ::feigning yawning:: Oh, my the time, I do believe I have somewhere else to be. I shall leave you to attend to your….leaves.
Sherana stared at the woman who simply turned and left the Arboretum again with a deep growl. In this moment she did not even realize that this was a really strong reaction. Being taunted was nothing new, not even in Federation space. But for now, she didn’t see that, all she saw was that veil of red and she needed to get rid of that if she wanted to stay here. Killing someone was not in the charter of Starfleet ships.
So Sherana grabbed her secateurs and turned to her plants. Right, time to cut some dead leaves.
----
JP by:
Sherana
Botanist / Part time Security Member
simmed by
Commodore Jalana Rajel
Commanding Officer
USS Constitution B
A238906JL0
&
PNPC Chief Petty Officer Shedet
Science Officer
simmed by
Senior Commander Nugra
Intelligence Officer
USS Constitution-B NCC 9012-B
V238008N10