ON
YSS Kyoten
Location: System AX-03
Conference Room A117
Katae was sitting in the conference room with a cup of coffee placed carefully to her left. The heavenly aroma wafted from the cup and teased her senses.
'Interview in the field, definitely different, but then so is this newest recruit. A species descended from rodents on a ship filled with cat girls as some would call us. Talk about irony.' she thought.
The MEGAMI Ishi gave her updates on Sheela's progress, she also had Hisa's initial review of her work.
It was time to bluff her way through this fiasco. Sheela looked herself over to make sure she was still presentable. Taking a deep breath and entered the conference room, A117.
Sheela marched boldly up to the Taisa, looking her right in the eyes. Coming to a stop at the recommended distance, Sheela came to attention and saluted with the back of her right hand against her forehead, above the right eye, claws hidden. "Fli.. Iz mean... Santo-Hei Swiftpaws reporting as requested, Taisa."
Katae raised an eyebrow as Sheela saluted her. While she disliked the new option of hand salutes, the fact that Sheela had saluted wrong made it less acceptable.
She fixed Sheela with her green eyes and counted to five before speaking. "If you choose to salute instead of bow, then kindly perform the proper salute." she said and then returned Sheela's salute with a proper one in return.
"Take a seat Swiftpaw Hei.
Sheela quickly fixed her salute, before dropping her hand to her side once the salute was returned. She took a seat across from her and visibly relaxed, yet still had proper posture. "I guess habits die hard, Taisa." She spoke slowly to pronunciate her words. She fell quiet after that little blurb of speech.
"You might want to refresh yourself on protocols before you return to the ship. Ishi can download them to your communicator so you will have them handy." Katae replied.
"I will do that, Taisa." Sheela gave a soft smile, as she reached over to her wrist computer on her left wrist and typed in commands to download the protocals, She glanced at her computer screen, seeing the download bar begin to turn green as the info was downloaded. As she waited for the Taisa to continue to more important matters. She thought to herself, ~~smooth move mousey...starting off on the wrong paws..~~
"Are you ready? There are no wrong answers. But I do expect you to answer honestly." Katae said, and picked up her cup and took a sip watching Sheela.
Sheela looked at Katae for a long minute or two. Then gave a soft sigh of resignation, "As I will ever be, Taisa. Just don't ask for my orders. Theyz are in my temp den here on the station. I'll get them to the Aeon. If Iz am still assigned to the ship."
Katae smiled, "That's not a problem, those were your copy. Eternity already received them and I have them in my datapad.
~~These people are very effiencient~~ Sheela thought to herself as she studied the Lady before her. "Squeak." Relieved that wasn't a major issue any more.
"So Swiftpaw-San, why did you join the Star Army?" she asked placing her cup back onto the table.
"Iz always had a fascination for the Military and their equipment. It's always been the top of the line. And to operate the equipment such as areo-space crafts of all sizes. Vehicles that can out manuever everything else." Sheela spoke with passion. "Pitting skill against skill of others in the ultimate challenge. Where Iz probaly fit in better where knowledge, skill and experience gets me accepted a lot quicker."
Katae listened, Sheela's response had the distinction of being unique to say the least.
"Well your superior, Usaga Hisa Ittô Juni says you have good technical skills and a definite aptitude for problem solving." Katae said, "She feels confident that with a little time, you will be a valuable member of her team."
"Iz do mez best to be an asset, not a liability. Iz did hit the ground running so to speak." Sheela couldn't help smile at the compliment. First Line Supervisors were the ones to impress for easier acceptance by the Command Elements.
"Why were you on the bridge during the combat on the surface, when as a technician you should have been positioned for rapid deployment to make repairs." She asked keeping her facial expression neutral.
Sheela leaned back in her seat and gave a soft squeak/chuckle at her blunder, "Iz would say Iz had made a wrong turn being unfamiliar with the ship. But ultimately it still mez fault not being more aware of mez choices." Sheela recovers from her little chuckle, shrugs, "Iz made a wrong choice in the heat of the moment."
Sheela looked right at Katae, not afraid to face the repercussions of her actions if Taisa wanted to give her didciplinary actions. "Iz have learned, but Iz never will promise that whont happened again, but Iz do my best to prevent it though."
"Well obviously you should take some time to familiarize yourself with the deckplans for the Aeon. Usaga-Juni will let you know where you should be when we go into combat conditions to be of the most good." She was keeping track of Sheela's demeanor, she was much more calm than some of her earlier recruits.
"Where do you want to find yourself in say five years from now? What plans do you have for the future?" she inquired.
Sheela looked thoughtful, "probaly incharge of mez own team of techs, or some logistic job where knowledge and skill is preferred over reflexes and strength of those designed for combat. Even though Iz am well trained in combat, Iz just didn't have the extra strength that the Star Army wants in their combat soldiers."
Katae smiled, "Well strength is not everything in combat, and our combat armor system can easily make up for the difference.
Do you consider yourself to be a social person? We live in close quarters and everyone needs to get along."
"Having served aboard many ships of the line. Both big and small. Crew is mez family and be treated as such. Wez look after each other through good and bad times. Modesty is something a soldier gets over." Sheela pauses in her speech, looking thoughtful, "If a problem developes between mez and another. Iz do mez best to solve it between us. If it can't be solved between us...then Iz use the Chain O Command. The problem still exist. Iz leave or the individual leaves. Disharmony aboard a ship will kill it quicker than the enemy can." Sheela demeaner became a bit cold during the last part of her speech.
"Sounds good. I do not see any problem with you fitting in. You will when you get back on board get a checkup with our new doctor and decide if you wish to participate in using Soul Transfer.
You are dismisses Santo Hei, go and enjoy your leave." Katae said.
Sheela stood up and turned to leave, but paused and looked back. "Whot's a soul transfer? Yooz put mez soul inna box, yet keep mez animated somehow to perform like a trained monkey?"
"Soul tranfer is a technology we got from the Elysians. Your consciousness is copied and stored. Then if you should be killed, we can grow a new body and put those memories into it. It is quite common for Yamataian citizens, there have been a number of body upgrades. But species that do not use it sometimes are reluctant to undergo the process and that is fine. It is your choice." She answered.
"Sounds like interferring with the domain of the Great Mice, Taisa. Iz look into it." Sheela spoke thoughtfully. "May yooz enjoy yooz leave also," And she scampers out of the room.
End