New Consortium
Posted on Sun Jun 8th, 2025 @ 5:55pm by Ensign Kasm
781 words; about a 4 minute read
Having arrived at my new home abord the USS Washington, I find it to be both different and yet the same as my time spent on Rock at the Academy.
My first few moments here were met with the same comments as my first few moments on Rock. Though at that time there were four other of my fellows with me as we began our new life in the Academy Consortium. And the universal translators given us by the humans did not successfully translate the negativity of the words the humans had for us. Now, after we have had time to fine tune the devices, they at least help to also share, what humans call, connotations.
I still don't quite understand how an entire civilization that spans many worlds and many humans could have survived so long with their inability to be honest and straight forward in their communications with one another. We have had to learn the concept of non-truth speaking and, what is it called? Sarcasm and innuendo. It is so hard to determine if what is being said can be trusted. I learned the hard way (as humans say) that accepting what one is told is what is true. In fact just the concept of true vs false is a new concept for us (something that I have made sure to send to the Top Space Consortium in my weekly reports, to make sure they understand how humans interact with others).
My set task has been to follow the protocols learned at the Academy for being a 'Security' officer. Also, an odd concept as why would you require security? Another idea that is foreign that people would not do what they say, or do things that they shouldn't. Everyone should be doing their assigned tasks given by their Consortium. Regardless, I have found that though learning about the science and technology is fascinating, I have enjoyed the concept of being the one to keep an area safe from danger. Perhaps I will at some point encounter this danger and have an opportunity to deal with it.
I have found that this ship, like Rock, work on what they call a 24 hour day. And like the people on Rock, they break that into three parts, 8 for work, 8 for pleasure and 8 for sleep. I still do not understand how they can not be properly motivated or dedicated to their Consortium that they do not spend the full 16 hours performing their duties. I am hoping that they will see what it means to be a part of such a grand undertaking by my dedication to the task I have been assigned and will begin to emulate my actions.
Other than the initial conversation with the human when I first arrived, I have not had any further incidents with the humans and other humans on board the ship. For the most part, it seems that they just turn and walk the other way when they see me, or stand aside and let me pass without any acknowledgement. That is fine as I have learned that humans like to speak of inane things when they speak at all rather than speaking to the task at hand and how that service can be improved.
The other human, he calls himself a Bajoran, Nalas Bareil, who is also in security and part of my "team" is an interesting fellow. We have spent many hours discussing our home worlds and learning about how we differ. I believe that this interaction will help me in understanding better those that I am to perform tasks with. As with other humans I have interacted with, many of his concepts of proper action make no sense to me. He is constantly trying to get me to go to the 'bar' with him and 'hang out' with the other security officers. Perhaps at some point I should try that, though it feels like if I do so, that I am not doing my task as a security officer.
He does seem particularly interested in my both my bonding arch and the statue that my wife carved for me to have a physical memory to carry with me on my travels. As with most humans, they seem to think that what they call dilithium crystals are rare and valuable. Where on my world they are common enough to find small pieces in stream beds and larger ones in the mines.
With all that, I believe my time in the Washington Consortium will be of value and allow me to learn much of what is out there on other worlds. I hope that the others that came with me are having similar success.
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