There was barely a ripple as nostrils and eyes broke the surface, this could well be an alligator in the Atchafalaya Basin. But no, it was in-fact the holo deck on a starship over a century away as light travels.

In the early hours before the start of his shift “Morning Bright” has chose this particular place out of a child like curiosity. Inspired buy his new captain. With a gentle undulation of his body, and powerful strokes of his tail he swam to the shore, sliding up the bank much in the same way the native reptiles did.

Tho the safeties were in place he still had to deal with the native fauna, and as the largest ‘gators’ approached his size they could be a concern with out said safty protocols. In fact the slide he had chosen to come out of the water was occupied buy a large bull, and it reacted with a threat posture, tail stiff, mouth agape and a gut earl his. Despite being fully sentient and of a civilized species, Gnal still reacted to their baser instincts, as did most other intelligent species. The Alligators threat was met buy “Morning Bright’” own. He rosewoods his full hight, deploying both his dewlap and crest to full hight, wile his head turned orange and turquoise. His body canted to the threat, his head up the alien’s head looked massive to the poor eyesight of the terrestrial predator.

The two circled one another utile The alligator had a clear path to the water, and “Morning Bright” was on the bank. After the beast slipped into the water, “Morning Bright” relaxed and composed his features, looking around rather sheepishly to insure that no one had seen his childish indulgence.

With a rumble of pleasure he policed up his uniform and he gain to dress, pulling on first the blue gaiter, and then the black and grey tunic, clipping rigid caller closed and ensuring the cape laid properly across his back. The synthetic fabric would be dry the instant the holograph ended taking with it’s pseudo-water. Refreshed after his morning run, and invigorating ‘bath’, he looked forward to the camaraderie of the mess hall. It was his habit to arrive early to take in the bulk of his meal in relative private as Gnalish table manners could be disturbing to the more delicate of sensibilities. He could then enjoy the rest of his ‘ ‘meal’ with our fear of offending his ship mates.

True to her word, the Counselor had provided a rather comfortable accommodation in one corner of the mess. With a plush carpet over tatami mats, cushions for the humanoids who seemed to enjoy the area as a social gathering point in their off hours and a large, sturdy table in the middle.

Making his way into the mess hall he ordered a large bowl of mollusks and aquatic vegetable, similar to terrestrial snails and kelp, along with a bowl of herbal tea. Standing over the low table he quickly gulped down his meal in a most unsettlingly predatory manor and washed it down with his snout in the tea bowl. After drying his snout with with the hand towel the replicator had provided with his meal,”Morning Bright” returned the dishes to be recycled and ordered a pitcher of flavored water and a bowl containing a mix of small fruit, toasted insects and nuts. This he would snack on wile he enjoyed the company of his shipmates.

Ensin “Morning Bright”