Lt JG S'Rorr - No Love for the Ancestors

[S'Rorr]

(( A "Trusty" Diner, Carbon Creek, Pennsylvania, Earth ))

Ada: I'm fine, thanks. ::The server left.:: This is going to be great. So many good birds, and forest critters. ::She took a bite of her breakfast.:: And bears. But they'll leave us alone.

S'Rorr: ::piling his bacon onto his pancakes:: What's a bear?

Ada: Well... ::she debated it but decided to give him a sincere answer:: Large mammal, omnivore. But honestly pretty docile and not interested in hassling people.

S'Rorr: Really? How big do they get?

Ada: Oh sure, but luckily they're the smallest bear species on the continent, black bears. About 2 meters long, maybe about a meter tall. Sometimes they weigh over 250 kilos. So, big but not huge.

S'Rorr: I might need to replicate some extra food before we get started. I'm not sure I packed enough and locals tend to get a little weirded out if I eat wildlife. Humans are SO strange sometimes. Oh, I mean no offense, Commander.

Seleya: Is this trail popular enough that we will often come across others hiking it as well?

Ada: Oh, I'm sure we'll run into some other hikers, but it's not a typical day trail so there won't be too many.

S'Rorr: A human friend from medical school took me to his family's home in São Paulo, down in the Ribeira Valley, where they grow these huge banana trees. That man would peel a banana and put it in his MOUTH and eat it ::said as if this was the most unthinkably horrendous thing a person could do::, and I mean, all day, think nothing of it, but I pick up Brazilian wandering spider out of a bunch and eat that and suddenly everybody's gagging and looking at me funny?

Seleya: Perhaps it is not common on Earth.

Ada: ::laughing, shaking her head:: No, not common on Earth. Not unheard of, but not common. Earthers can be a bit... narrow-minded. Too many of them don't leave the planet enough. But what's wrong with a banana?

S'Rorr: What.. ? bananas are creepy.. they're just.. ughg.. and they smell.. and the.. uh uh. I don't even like being near them. That whole trip was kind of nightmare fuel, haha. What about you two? Got any "funny" fears?

Seleya raised an eyebrow.

Seleya: I would not classify it as a fear. But I do not understand the practice of having pets. And the idea of containing wild animals, or once wild animals in one's home seems odd and unsanitary. And I prefer to not have their animals approach me.

Ada: Aw. I miss having a cat. But they have long since been domesticated, and have a symbiotic relationship with humans. But I hear you, there are human cultures that have similar attitudes. I, for one, am terrified of heights. Seems kinda funny to me, at least.

S’Rorr: Heights have never bothered me at all but I understand the aversion. It's not uncommon. ::to Seleya:: Do your people have any cute pet animals?

Seleya: My people do not have pets. On Kazletzin we did have several domesticated animals that evolved naturally with us. And my people tried to conserve as many animals as they could aboard the ship called the Iltiliu. However after several decades of wandering and without holodeck technology, animals were having health issues, depression, and reproduction rates had plummeted. It was decided that it would be crueler to keep them alive. So they, unfortunately, had to euthanize those animals that were suffering, and let the rest live out a comfortable life as they could. When we finally landed on Taithros, it was decided we would respect the wildlife of our new home and interfere as little as we could. So we don’t really do pets. However it is not uncommon to see wild animals wandering through the cities as if they were residents too.

Ada: I didn't realize that your people had to endure all that. I'm sorry, and sorry for my ignorance.

S’Rorr: It seems nice, actually, to live that close with nature.

Seleya: Taithros has strict laws regarding hunting, and trading in animals is outlawed, even offworld ones, and so is trapping. There are a couple holographic zoos for animals from Kazletzin, Taithros, and even around the galaxy, but no live animals are allowed to be kept in captivity, unless for medical or rehabilitation purposes. There was an animal called Rhriakzra on Kazletzin, there were hunting companions. Several of our kin now living in the Klingon Empire took them over to the planet they now call home. So there are still some animals alive, however it is my understanding they’ve become somewhat of an invasive species.

Ada: Introducing xeno-species is always complicated. I've overseen some terraforming projects over the years, and it never goes smoothly. There's just too many variables.

S’Rorr: Definitely. It seems like even ecology experts sometimes have to roll the dice and hope for the best.

Seleya: Apologies if I over explained it all. What’s the story behind your ‘fear’, Commander?

Ada: Not at all. Thank you for explaining, I value the opportunity to learn more about you and your people. But ::she looked Seleya in the eye, with a slight smirk:: call me "Commander" again when we're off duty and see what happens. ::She laughed:: Call me Azura, because that's my name.

S'Rorr laughed lightly as well and put on a big, toothy smile. He'd done a fairly good job over his years on Earth of maximizing the charming qualities of his smile and minimizing the terrifying snarling qualities. Still, sometimes his sharp teeth looked offputting. Sometimes, he'd test the water and look for reaction to see if he should smile more or less in a given company.

S'Rorr: S'Rorr or Rory. Whatever's easiest to pronounce. Anything but 'Doc'.

Seleya: Response

Ada: I get it. I had to adjust to Commodore Rajel's insistence to be addressed as "Jalana" at all times. Felt weird. But you asked where my fear of heights came from, but I don't know actually. I couldn't point to any events in my childhood, but I know that getting blown off a mountain in a research station when I was on sabbatical didn't help with that. ::She pat her abdomen.:: Still have the scars from that one. How about you, S'Rorr? Lose a fight with a banana split sundae?

S'Rorr shoved the last of his bacon and pancakes into his mouth and dabbed at the sticky syrup on his face with a bit of damp cloth.

S'Rorr: You must not know me well. I'll never lose a fight with a sundae. But no, maybe it's part instinct? They kind of look like they should be alive. A slow squirming yellow slug with razor teeth, like a big leech.

Seleya/Ada: Response

S'Rorr: There aren't any creatures like that on Cait, but actually.. Caitians aren't originally from Cait. It was a colony established by the ancestor we and the.. Kzinti.. ::said with no love:: .. share. But maybe on our original homeworld, something like that. If I'm the only Caitian that doesn't like weird yellow fruit, I'll eat my hat.

Seleya/Ada: Response

S'Rorr downed the last of his water and sat back, gently pushing his empty plate away from himself.

S'Rorr: ::pushing dishes away slowly:: Aaaah.. That was good! I can feel the sugar. You know that coffee drink didn't give me much hope for this place but I've turned around completely.

Seleya/Ada: Response

S'Rorr: If you'll excuse me for a moment, then. I'll see if the kitchen will let me borrow their replicator to make some extra supplies for me.. I'll meet you outside.

S'Rorr stood up and as the server came by to clear his dishes, he put his hands together and issued a short bow to thank her for her work. He stepped away to talk briefly with the proprietor. Though their food was cooked in house in the traditional way, S'Rorr suspected they had a replicator for ingredients and humans, he found, were usually very friendly, accomodating, and helpful.

((OOC: S'Rorr is not exiting the scene and will meet the others outside after filling his pack with sweets))

Lieutenant JG S'Rorr

Counselor

USS Chin'toka

A240206S04