Posted by Lieutenant Sural (Chief Engineer) in CNS Office-TAG Lt. Sural

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sathut (Counselor) in CNS Office-TAG Lt. Sural

Posted by Lieutenant Sural (Chief Engineer) in CNS Office-TAG Lt. Sural
Posted by… suppressed (9) by the Post Ghost! 👻

<snip>

“Thank you,” Sathut said with a small smile. He found that of all the staff, the only one that had really given him trouble about names was the captain. And she was a hard one to please. He chuckled gently to himself, then turned back to the conversation. “No, actually. Most of my kind find that working with their hands is preferable to sitting in a stuffy office talking to people. But I found myself drawn to people and what makes them tick. And then I had a desire to assist others and, well, help maintain the psychological status of a ship,” he explained with a smile. “But enough about me!” he exclaimed.

“I am curious to know what skills and crafts your people excel in. I understand that their preferred workspace is outdoors?”

“Not entirely. As I said, my people are naturals at working with their hands. We build and design most of the physical infrastructure on Galdor, and the majority of our starships are designed by the Raka. Some like to work outdoors, but just as many love to work within closed spaces - the engine room of a starship, for example.” he explained.

“Were you cave dwellers, initially?” Sural inquired. Building. Enclosed spaces. He tipped his head to one side. “The Raka?”

“Is engineering a natural job for your people?” he asked, smirking slightly and hoping that the vulcan, even if he did not express emotions, would recognize his joke. Asking the same question, but turned around.

Sathut

“Logic is natural to Vulcans. Now. As such, disciplines that adhere to logic are ones which we are more apt to gravitate to. Math. Engineering. Music. Games such as chess. Science too is remarkably logical and involves the mixture of many disciplines. Hence, the reason that the most well known school on Vulcan is called the Vulcan Science Academy.”
- Sural

“Yes, Science. But engineering on a ship is not such a work of studying as much as it is a work of maintaining the physical integrity of a starship and its shuttles, would you not say?” Sathut said with a small smile. He was enjoying this conversation. A consultation with a Vulcan was less about their mental or emotional state and more about a beautiful dance of words that hopefully ended with him understanding the individual more completely.

• Sathut

bump

“I do beg to differ. There was once a quote by an infamous physician a century ago who said, ‘Engineers. They love to change things.’ Change infers study and a desire to increase efficiency and make things better.” He paused for a moment. “I agree that there is an impressive element of maintaining a vessel of any size. Indeed, often the greatest number of crew on a starship are associated with engineering. Yet, behind the scenes, the question that is often asked when undertaking a repair or preventative maintenance is ‘how can we make this better?’. That enlists the aid of the realm of possibility, and that is matched with study and the result is a unique and often new thing. This is why when one looks at the same class of ship a decade into their life that they are not the same ship. Efficiencies undertaken. Adjustments made. Hot tubs installed, for instance.”
- Sural, CE

“The Raka never really were cave dwellers,” Sathut said, shaking his head. “My ancestors were more happy among the treetops, even far into our development of sapience. I can still picture in my mind Treetoop City, which I visited in my childhood… Foliage all around, with not a single moment spent on the ground… Massive trees, with dwellings carved into the trunks and balconies and bridges connecting it all together. It was stunning,” he reminisced.

“And I do see your point,” he smiled with a small nod. At the mention of a hot tub, his eyebrow lifted slightly, but he didn’t audibly comment.

Sathut

Sural looked Sathut up and down again, a critical eye reassessing this dimunitive being. “Fascinating,” he replied, then inquired, “Worlds are singularly unique. The trees must be formidable in size to be able to so engineer them that they yet live.” Inwardly he sighed. Vulcan was a harsher environment and large trees were rare, even now with preserves. “This must be a significant change for you. Have you considered holo-film on the walls of your quarters to simulate your home environment?”

Sural, CE

Sathut smiled. “Ah, yes. The trees of that city are Ba’slu - the sky reachers. The trunk of a single tree can be wrapped around by the outstretched arms of over a hundred Raka,” he said thoughtfully. “And many reach higher than can be imagined into the sky… I believe the tallest Baslu tree to be grown is the seat of city council and the home of the region’s Controller. Some say that the highest branches dance with clouds…” his face became wistful once more. The trees had been carefully cultivated and grown and cared for over the course of thousands of years… the massive forest around the city was as much of a place for horizontal growth as it was a shelter from the winds. “Galdor is… uniquely suited for the flourishing of life. I would be pleased to show you a… imitation of the city. Holodeck technology is not quite enough to capture the wonder of Treetop city (OOC: this is a translation of the name), but it is sufficient for a glance”

His second comment made the felinoid smile. “Perhaps, but that city was not the place where I grew up. It was merely a wondrous adventure every once and a while. My true home was among trees that were notably smaller. A tree that might perhaps have the width within it to fit this room, no thicker. Not quite the wonder of the Baslu. There were many types of trees in my home town. But I do not wish to live in a state that reminds me of land far from me. So no. I do not pretend to live in the woods anymore than you might pretend to live in the desert,” he said with a smile. “Unless I am mistaken and you have a similar set-up to what you suggest?” He chuckled.

Sathut

Sural would have smiled had he the ‘emotional swing’. “I do,” he said. “I was shown the … logic of this by my sister at a time when the technology was shown. I had considered it to be superfluous, however, in conversation I saw the logical benefits of this. In fact, I am a registered installer of the holopaper. It is trademarked and cannot be replicated. I have a scene that has the walls of my quarters to be like that of my room on Vulcan and overlooking the Vok’kan Dune Sea. I find it … calming.”

The tried to process the planet. “I am impressed by your people in being able to collectively cultivate the trees for that long a time. Your people must have a voracious sense of unity and purpose. You are fortunate, it seems, that your world has not suffered from destructive organisms or disunity to threaten your homes.”
- Sural

Bump <G>

Sathut nodded, a smile on his face as he listened to Sural. “I suppose we do,” he said with a smile. “The people of Galdor are… special, I suppose. Most places have long history of wars and hatred, but our history does not include such violence. I suppose, being closer to nature, we appreciated our planet more than some other races may have. And with such differences as we have, fighting over them is counterproductive. We each have our own skill-sets, and I do not believe the Galdori people would have made it to the stars without all five races working together as one.”

“Curious. How does your people then, or yourself in particular, adapt to the greater galaxy at large which has an unfortunate propensity toward violence? And, conversely, why did your peoples seek the stars? It would seem logical that being at peace and in security would suggest not expanding but enjoying as you were.” The Vulcans were certainly now averse to violence and wars, but all the same they had a history that was particularly warlike. They had known both, and had space travel in the formative stages of their existence.

“Curiosity,” Sathut purred, a smile on his face. “An unfathomable curiosity and desire to learn more about the universe. Especially when we started picking up extraterrestrial signals. At that point, there was no logical course of action other than to find a way to explore those stars and meet the strange beings from the transmissions,” he explained

He shook his head slightly. “Ah, once again the conversation turns. Regardless, I think I have gathered enough on your mental state to proclaim you still fit for duty. It was quite pleasant to speak with you, Sural. I hope to spend time in conversation with you outside of this office,” he said with a smile.

Sathut

Sural inclined his head. “Perhaps we can continue this conversation about your people at another time. They are a positive example of society to the surrounding races.”

Sural, CE

“I would enjoy that conversation,” Sathut said with a nod, then quietly ushered out the engineer. He sat down and smiled, finishing his drink before taking down notes.

Sathut