05-19-2024, 12:30 AM
While Jenny was relieved that West shared her unease at Turner's revelation, Turner seemed insistent on digging himself deeper into the hole; he admitted that he had been drunk and that the idea was deeply rooted in Caitian culture and history; this was news to Jenny, who, like most civilised species who had served with Caitians, had followed the assertion that Caitians were not obligate carnivores and that a large majority were actually vegetarian. Turner's revelation now made her consider whether the species had deliberately obfuscated a distasteful part of their culture, or whether someone had played an even crueller practical joke on the young Caitian who had been raised by Humans.
I can't even ask M'Rell without making things awkward...
"Yes, well...I can assure you that we won't be serving real alcohol aboard any time soon, nor will the replicators provide such...food..."
The two questions were fairly competent questions for people so young and lacking in experience. West wanted to know why the Yeager looked the way she did, while Turner was requesting advanced leaves of absence at the same time every year. Both were easy to answer, technically-speaking, but Jenny knew that Turner's was not something best openly discussed. Caitian mating practices were not taboo subjects like Vulcan pon-farr, it was common knowledge among anyone who worked with them that they needed to mate once a year; the fact he was requesting the same time every year indicated that he either had a standing arrangement, or proved yet again that his instruction in Caitian culture was sorely lacking.
"The Yeager's design was...inspired by a vessel bearing the same name some thirty years ago during the Dominion War. Starfleet needed hulls and the shipyards were already at maximum capacity, so they started mashing designs together to get combat-ready ships into service as quickly as possible. They called it the Frankenstein Fleet. The Yeager of those days took the primary hull and nacelles of an Intrepid-class and welded them to a secondary hull of a shipyard cargo drone, which gave it its unique profile. Our Yeager was designed by a woman called Nahamcam; brilliant engineer, but like all Pakleds a bit too fond of mashing things together and calling it a starship. Rumour suggests the ship slipped through the cracks during the approval stage and the bean-counters only realised their mistake once the structural work had already been completed; I'm not sure I buy it, but if it is true, their mistake is our gain."
With a shrug and a small smile, Jenny indicated that that was really the only answer she was able to give. Then she turned her attention back on Turner, her expression a little more serious.
"While the Starfleet Bureau of Personnel Guidelines mandate that I approve reasonable leave requests, the reality of shipboard life is that no plan survives contact with the paperwork it requires. I would love to be able to guarantee you personal leave, but circumstances don't always allow it and between us, our ship is understaffed as it is. If I were to grant this request, I would need you to understand that any leave given in this way would be undertaken aboard ship, so no going home or jetting off to Risa, and that if your services are required you will be expected to report for duty as normal - when you put the uniform on, you put your own personal needs and desires second to those of the crew. If that's not acceptable, I will gladly recommend you for a Starbase or ground posting where they have more leeway in these kinds of things."
Leaning back in her chair, Jenny gave the Caitian a small smile; his first day probably wasn't shaping out the way he'd expected, and it was time to give the guy a break.
"Take some time to think about it, I don't need an answer right away. In the meantime, you should probably go and report to your Department Heads; we launch in an hour. Dismissed."
I can't even ask M'Rell without making things awkward...
"Yes, well...I can assure you that we won't be serving real alcohol aboard any time soon, nor will the replicators provide such...food..."
The two questions were fairly competent questions for people so young and lacking in experience. West wanted to know why the Yeager looked the way she did, while Turner was requesting advanced leaves of absence at the same time every year. Both were easy to answer, technically-speaking, but Jenny knew that Turner's was not something best openly discussed. Caitian mating practices were not taboo subjects like Vulcan pon-farr, it was common knowledge among anyone who worked with them that they needed to mate once a year; the fact he was requesting the same time every year indicated that he either had a standing arrangement, or proved yet again that his instruction in Caitian culture was sorely lacking.
"The Yeager's design was...inspired by a vessel bearing the same name some thirty years ago during the Dominion War. Starfleet needed hulls and the shipyards were already at maximum capacity, so they started mashing designs together to get combat-ready ships into service as quickly as possible. They called it the Frankenstein Fleet. The Yeager of those days took the primary hull and nacelles of an Intrepid-class and welded them to a secondary hull of a shipyard cargo drone, which gave it its unique profile. Our Yeager was designed by a woman called Nahamcam; brilliant engineer, but like all Pakleds a bit too fond of mashing things together and calling it a starship. Rumour suggests the ship slipped through the cracks during the approval stage and the bean-counters only realised their mistake once the structural work had already been completed; I'm not sure I buy it, but if it is true, their mistake is our gain."
With a shrug and a small smile, Jenny indicated that that was really the only answer she was able to give. Then she turned her attention back on Turner, her expression a little more serious.
"While the Starfleet Bureau of Personnel Guidelines mandate that I approve reasonable leave requests, the reality of shipboard life is that no plan survives contact with the paperwork it requires. I would love to be able to guarantee you personal leave, but circumstances don't always allow it and between us, our ship is understaffed as it is. If I were to grant this request, I would need you to understand that any leave given in this way would be undertaken aboard ship, so no going home or jetting off to Risa, and that if your services are required you will be expected to report for duty as normal - when you put the uniform on, you put your own personal needs and desires second to those of the crew. If that's not acceptable, I will gladly recommend you for a Starbase or ground posting where they have more leeway in these kinds of things."
Leaning back in her chair, Jenny gave the Caitian a small smile; his first day probably wasn't shaping out the way he'd expected, and it was time to give the guy a break.
"Take some time to think about it, I don't need an answer right away. In the meantime, you should probably go and report to your Department Heads; we launch in an hour. Dismissed."