Reminiscing (Retro Post)

Posted on Sat Jun 7th, 2025 @ 4:19pm by Ensign Kasm

1,024 words; about a 5 minute read

Mission: Cead Mile Failte
Location: Various
Timeline: Prior to start of current mission

::ON::

[musings of a Pandoran on Risa Station]

Harumph, finally made it to Risa....

Kasm is one of a few dozen recent graduates of the San Francisco Star Fleet Academy. Sent to Risa as a waystation on their way to their assigned ships.

Why do humans find it necessary to Rest and Relax all the time... And why do they have an entire planet dedicated to Resting and Relaxing...

At least the residents here were kind enough to give me a snack to chew on upon arrival, and on a convenient string around my neck no less. The flowers do have a unique flavor to them. I could get used to this, I wonder why none of the other people who arrived with me are not partaking of the gift, perhaps they want to wait till they get to their rooms and eat in private. Which seems a bit odd as at the Academy, they all seemed to be happy to consume food in large chambers they called, ummm, oh yes, cafeterias or was it mess halls. Weird name mess hall considering they were always kept very clean and organized. On Pandora the 'cafeterias' were just places to quickly grab nourishment before returning to work.

Glancing down at his orders and wondering about the 4 day pass and accommodations arranged by Star Fleet for him before needing to report for duty. Grumbling, he tosses that part of the orders in a bin as he leaves the receiving area, and immediately looks for a shuttle to the Washington which, he hopes, is in orbit around Risa.

While looking at a map of the station he hears the squeaking of a small human as she pulls away from her mother to run up to him, since he had turned off his universal translator to reduce the incessant chatter from the people around him to a simple buzzing instead of the inane blathering of non sensical things that humans like to go on about. The girl runs up to him with the obvious intent of petting him; looking over at her - as they were nearly eye to eye - he bares his incisors in the most menacing manner he can and growls. The girl stops short, tears welling up in her eyes, turns and runs crying to her mother who glares at him with daggers of disapproval for making her child cry. Kasm will never forgive the first contact officer who dubbed them "Pandorans" after some fat, lazy bamboo-eating ursoid animal that lived in glass prisons on Earth centuries ago.

Turning back to the map, already having forgotten the girl, Kasm finds what he is looking for and goes directly to the SF station office to arrange transport to his ship. Along the way he ignores the bright lights, sounds and new experiences presented to him by the Risa station, carrying along with him the only thought "what a waste of space". Arriving at the SF office Kasm identifies himself requests to be sent to the Independence. After verifying his identity they inform him that the transport ship to the Washington won't be leaving for another 4 days...

[USS Washington]
The rendezvous between the Washington and the transport ship lasted less than 5 minutes, just long enough to transport Kasm to his new assignment.

Upon arrival, the transporter operator does a double take at the officer that appeared on his transporter pad. Kasm steps over to the second transporter pad and collects his bags and steps out of the transporter and towards the door. As the door opens and he steps through, the transporter operator shakes himself and says "Welcome aboard the Washington sir". Kasm harrumphs and continues out into the corridor. Pausing for a moment to get his bearings, he turns towards the turbo lift.

As he comes around a corner Kasm passes by a few officers as he approaches the turbo lift. One of them makes a quip about him saying "look, someone's pet got loose" - much giggling accompanied the comment.

Kasm came to an immediate stop, standing there for a moment when he heard the same officer say something about how "cuddly" he looked. Setting down his bags, he turns and steps up to the officer who looks down at him with an air of superiority and a snarky smile on his face. Before the officer could say anything more, Kasm taps him in the groin, its enough to make his great-great-grandchildren wince in pain. As the officer bends over from the impact, Kasm grabs a handful of his uniform and pulls his face close into his own and growls "I am not cuddly, I am not a pet, if you ever disrespect me again I will rip out your heart and eat it in front of you as you die". The look of fear in the officers eyes was palpable, "do we have an understanding?", the officer works through the pain enough to nod his head as tears are flowing down his cheeks.

Kasm takes a half step back and tugs a bit on the officers uniform which is enough to allow him to collapse in the fetal position on the deck. Turning to the other officers who laughed at him he growls and says "do we have a problem?", the other officers take a step back and quickly shake their heads to the negative.

Satisfied that he has set the standard of behavior for the crew on this ship in relation to himself, Kasm turns away from the officer groaning in agony on the deck and retrieves his bags. Continuing to the turbo lift on his way to the first officers office to check in and get his berthing assignment.

[Current Stardate, Lower Decks]

Kasm has been relegated to the lower decks since his arrival on the Washington, after the incident in the corridor outside the transporter room. When the XO received the report about it, he instructed the Security Chief to keep Kazm away from the crew for the time being to allow for any angst towards him to settle down to prevent any further incidents.


::OFF::

Ensign Kasm
Starfleet Security Officer

 

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