Posted Oct. 20, 2021, 7:25 p.m. by Ensign Rand Farquharson (Yeoman First Class) (Jennifer Ward)
Posted by Commander Roman Alden (First Officer & Chief Science Officer) in Side sim: The Report Dilemma
(snip
Roman was very relaxed. Tea in one hand, leaned back against the back of the chair (rather than sat perfectly straight), his chair facing Rand’s so he could look at her. He remembered the story about the pine marten, though he could not recall the end of it. It had been one of the first she’d shared, and he must have fallen asleep before she finished it. “What happened to teach you to leave the wildlife alone?”
~ Roman
Rand had the good grace to look sheepish. “Before this, I was under the false impression that there were wild animals that weren’t dangerous at all, in any way. I found this Mountain Hare stuck, really struggling, caught in some chicken wire that had been left out. I thought I could use a stick and get it loose. It didn’t look hurt, just stuck. Well the more I tied ta pry the wire loose the more the hate moved, and it just got loose. Which meant I got closer tryin’ ta fix it. I figured it was a rabbit, wouldn’t do anything.” Rand pushed up her sleeve and there was a small thin scar, several actually, like a perforated line an inch or so above her wrist. Hard to notice if she didn’t point them out. “Well…it bit me, then it kicked me. If not for the wire it was caught on, that kick probably would have broke my wrist. It was a harsh way ta learn that lesson, but I did. I never made that mistake again.” Some people might have been afraid after that, but Rand, she empathized with the hare. It probably realized she was trying to help but was so afraid it lashed out. Just like her, she got so afraid she reacted badly and made mistakes. “After that I learned ta use my head instead of my heart. Good intentions are great but things go wrong if ya don’t think first.”
Rand
Roman grinned once again. “That is exactly why I’m nearly as careful with the prey animals as the predators. They evolve a great many ways to not get eaten.” The scars weren’t obvious, and he had to lean forward to see them at all. It definitely could’ve broken her wrist, looking at it. Rabbits could kick hard enough to break their own backs. He seemed thoughtful for a moment, and then blurted, “I wanted a pet rabbit, once. Never got one.”
~ Roman
“I made the mistake of associating prey with docile.” Those star bases that are starting to allow pets I bet pets like that - gerbils, ferrets, rabbits, hamsters, fish - would probably do okay on a star base. Cages can be built up to add more room and they don’t need to be walked like a dog or cat. Rand had an idea. “Rabbits are adorable. I love the way their noses twitch,” it was said knowing she sounded totally childish, but she didn’t seem to mind with Roman. “Why didn’t you get one? Because of your dog? My parents said that a rabbit would be too scared in a house with a dog.” She grinned, “And my dad said he wouldn’t get ride of his beagle. It sang with his pipes.”
Rand
“They can be trained to use a litter pan, and they can be just as affectionate as a dog or a cat,” Roman said. “You just have to be careful they don’t get the chance to chew anything they aren’t supposed to.” He’d done his homework on owning one, what they ate, what they needed. Rabbits even liked simple puzzles to solve. Roman thought it was lame, like the default bunny, but his favourite were the Dutch breed bunnies. “A bunny can do okay in a house with a dog or a cat, they just have to be kept separate, don’t let the dog or cat scare them.” After he’d done all that research on what a rabbit needed, he’d presented his case to the family nanny at the time, who was quite impressed. However, when she passed the word on to his parents, they said rabbits were too messy and smelly, and that it would destroy the house, and so it was a great big no on that. “The dog died when I was twelve, anyway, so no, it was that my parents said no.” It was probably the first time he’d ever mentioned his parents directly.
~ Roman
“Well that would work if you didn’t have me, 3 years old, trying ta make the animals be friends. That was when I went through my bunnies are cute stage. I had no idea how ta take care of one then, though.” Rand didn’t miss the mention of his parents, and she realized with surprise that it was the first time he really mentioned specific members of his family. Rand sighed internally. She had a feeling his parents had unrealistic and strict expectations. Violin at 4, no pet for a child old enough to be responsible, things were ‘expected’. It was little things he said like that. “What type would you have gotten?”
Rand
© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service
Version 1.15.11
RSS Feed