PNPC 1LT Alene Torado — Take Me to Your Breeder
Naxell
((Rest Chamber, Velithari Ship Jorogumo))
For once, First Lieutenant Torado was more or less speechless. It took a lot of work for her to get her mouth to put together any sounds that resembled words.
Torado: So they're basically livestock. You're telling us half your species is treated like livestock.
Alya: ::carefully picking each word:: I do not know your word. I do not have it. ::small inclination of the head:: I have given you the truth of us. If your truth is a different shape, that is not a wrong of mine.
Alene's chin nodded, but not in agreement. Her head twisted and rolled, wrenched by the sheer force of unmitigated skepticism. Not a wrong of theirs? There was plenty wrong, and Alene had to bite her tongue to keep from rambling then off, one by one. There was, yes, the livestock thing. And then there was the kidnapping. And the starship-rustling. Not even to mention the uninvited splat-scans! It had been just one long parade of wrongs since Khitomer dropped out of warp, as far as the marine could tell.
Ohnari: Please forgive our continued questioning, the concept is rather foreign in our society. While the Federation is made up of varied and eclectic variations, generally males are considered equal to females. There are differing levels depending on the species of origin, but for example, on Halii the males and females are considered mirrored halves. Neither half is superior to the other.
Alya: When you have asaked your last question of this room, I will lead you on ::gesturing to the exit:: There is more of the ship to walk and see.
As a child, she'd learned a little about insects, and specifically a wasp that laid its eggs upon the backs of unsuspecting caterpillars. When the eggs hatched, the little baby wasps had a meal right there waiting for them. Then, as now, it seemed deeply unsporting to her. Accordingly, Alene had a lot to say but couldn't figure out how to put any of it into the form of a question. So, instead, she pursed her lips and looked at Alya expectantly.
Alya: We will visit the observation chamber and medical facilities. We have been given permission.
Ohnari: ::brightening:: That will be most appreciated. Please lead the way.
Alya: Response
Dutifully and, for the moment, silently, Alene followed behind Alya, once again putting herself between the Velithari security chief and Khitomer’s Chief Medical Officer. The proximity probably increased the likelihood that something would get misunderstood (or worse: perfectly understood) between her and their host but that was a risk Alene was willing to take if it meant keeping Ohnari out of the slightly-more-probable line of fire.
Ohnari: What does the observation chamber observe? ::pausing, she realized that sounded wrong:: What I mean, is it connected to the medical facilities?
Torado: ::whispered to self:: Ritual mutilation, probably.
Alya: Response
She cleared her throat and smirked, as innocently as she could manage. No, she didn't say anything. Maybe that was the Jorogumo.
Ohnari: Is our crewman currently in your medical facility?
Alya: Response
Ohnari: Surely at this point, you have determined he is not a threat...would we be permitted to retrieve him?
Torado: We’d love to get him out of your hair, and then we can get ourselves out, too. ::squint:: If you had hair. It's a saying from my home planet.
…which would have made a lot more sense coming from someone else from her home planet. She ran a hand through her short-cropped coif. Wasn't much that got in there and needed getting out, which had always been a major advantage of cutting it that way. Plus the heat. And the weight when it was wet. Just generally an all around good call.
Alya / Ohnari: Response
Torado: So, uh, what are you the security against?
Alya / Ohnari: Response
Torado followed, more relaxed now that the request had been made and addressed. Or, at least partly addressed. Alya wasn't the decisionmaker. It wasn't up to her. But at least they were going to see him. Or whatever was left of him. An uncomfortable thought.
Torado: No, I mean, what do your people have to worry about? You seem pretty isolated. Fortified. What's your job around here?
Alya / Ohnari: Response
TBC
——— ▯ ———
1st Lieutenant Alene Torado
Marine Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
As simmed by
Commander Nax-Ellarneii-Tellargo
Commanding Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240001NH3