STF

An off-duty visit - Tag Sural

Posted Jan. 27, 2019, 11:55 a.m. by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sathut (Counselor) (Riley W)

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sathut (Counselor) in An off-duty visit - Tag Sural

Posted by Lieutenant Junior Grade Sathut (Counselor) in An off-duty visit - Tag Sural

Posted by Lieutenant Sural (Chief Engineer) in An off-duty visit - Tag Sural
Posted by… suppressed (10) by the Post Ghost! 👻
<snip>

Sathut listened to the Vulcan’s words. He was curious as to where these suppositions had arisen from. “You are accurate about the community-based lives. We live in the trees, in villages and cities carved into the trees which support us and give us our food. Families tend to have five to nine children, often with many twins. Twins are more common than single births. We don’t place particular emphasis on food, although we do quite enjoy eating it. Loyalty to the family is expected, but we do not particularly favour females over males, or vice versa. The Raka do not have much, as you say, sexual dimorphism. Our noses and other senses tell us far more than the eyes. It is better for a tree-dwelling species to be all equally lithe and strong, would you not agree? I have been amused by some humans who confuse is male and female before learning the more subtle differences that set us apart. Voice, coarseness of the fur, cheekbone shape… We do not play exceedingly much, although as with all children, our young ones are very playful. The Raka tend to be a little more focused on the idea of artistic expression, we leave the sports to the larger folk like the Lareri. When we have games, we prefer those which challenge the mind over those which challenge the body. Strategies are our strong point,” he explained.

Sathut

bump to get it back on the board
OOC: Thank you

All this information was intriguing, and he dipped his head in affirmation at the ‘question’ of strength needed for the trees, however, what caught his attention more was the ‘family’. No Vulcan in recent centuries could boast that amount of children. He paused to take more tea and ten inquired. “The numbers in your family - the children - are staggering. What are the family dynamics like? Logic, like most things, is taught as well as ‘caught’. It is a philosophy that Vulcans believe to be necessary - so much so that it is strictly followed by the vast majority of the population. At an early age it brings a discipline to life including family life. How is life among … so many?”
- Sural

Sathut thought for a moment upon the question, then a moment longer on his answer. “The numbers have never seemed staggering for me. I suppose it is because the Raka have a low heterosexual marriage rate. Most individuals either stay single their whole life and do not have offspring, or they find love with one of the same sex as they are. Or perhaps it is the other way around and the rate of child-bearing bonds is a result of the number of offspring from a single pairing…” he said thoughtfully, thinking for a moment before continuing.

“Life in a large family, as mine was, is quite fun. One is never lonely or in need of a friend, for there is always siblings nearby to harass or assist. The home was somewhat crowded when Umva visited after Res was born,” he chuckled, smiling in reminiscence. “I love my family, and still visit them whenever I am home. I think that familial bonds are one of the more important things to my culture.”

Sathut

What an unusual little being, Sural thought to himself. And part of an equally unusual and perplexing, if intriguing, species. “Large family groupings are highly unusual for Vulcans. As such Vulcans as a group take the perpetuation of the species seriously and .. logically. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” He pondered more of what Sathut said. “How is it that in one statement you say that familial bonds are important when you also say that there are very few families in your society? I admit that is perplexing.” And, to a Vulcan as Sural, self serving, in quite opposition to the Vulcan values. However, that being said, Vulcans subscribed to the IDIC values, and felt that the universe had room for many divergent viewpoints.

He had noticed that Suthat had looked at his family photos and the chess board. Logically he considered that this was casual interest mixed with the eye of a counselor. Behind them the holopaper generated a hollow sound of wind in the wooden and bone chimes outside of the ‘window’.

Sural

“We believe that family - more than just parents and children, but also siblings - is important for proper emotional growth. That is achieved by having few families, but those few families are large. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few… Yes, I’ve heard that phrase before…” He said thoughtfully.

“Different species have different family groupings. Arwan live in three-generational family groupings, so their “siblings” turns out to be their cousins. The Laleri have a structure similar to the ‘Nuclear’ family of Earth society. The Pipini do not track parenthood, they simply enjoy time in their pods until they reach maturity. The Hatriku are strange to us in that they strictly track motherhood and fatherhood, but the biological parents are not very invested in the raising of their own children. Sometimes a Hatriku will never meet their own Biological mother”

Sathut

Sural had to think about that one. It was a perplexing society, to him. There was a great deal of variation within it and, by all appearances, while it appeared to work, it was far from logical. His fingertips came together as he thought. “Was was the most poignant memory of your growing up?” he asked.
- Sural

Sathut had to think about that for a while. “Well, I’m not entirely certain. I have many memories from my childhood. I suppose something that sticks with me particularly strongly is my first time meeting someone from off the planet. My uncle is in Starfleet, and he invited us to meet his human friend one winter. We all went to the guest-house, a building made with scale for tall-folk, and had dinner. It was my first moment where I thought… I want to do that. Meet aliens and get to know them, explore the stars…” he smiled slightly.

Sathut, CNS

Keeping it alive

A brow rose imperceptibly and his fingertips parted and came together again. It must have made for a curious dinner. He glanced over at the holo-paper showing the desert scene beyond the house and attempted to imagine that scene. Trees. Forests. An array of small curious creatures amidst another, larger, generally hairless biped. “What role does your uncle play?” He asked. Given what Sathut had said, logically there could not be too many of his race in Starfleet. “Does your family, then, show a draw toward wanderlust?” Then, bringing the whole conversation into focus, “How old were you then?”

Still considering the desert scene, he recalled the first planet - apart from earth - that he had visited which held considerable foliage. Curiously, their ‘rivals’, the Andorians, had a much similar landscape as Vulcan - his sand and heat, theirs ice and cold - however in nature nearly the same. Slowly his gaze returned to Sathut. “More tea?” He asked as he reached for the pot, ‘warming up his own’ while waiting for Sathut.
- Sural

“My Uncle Tagu is an engineer, like so many Raka in starfleet,” he chuckled. “And no, we’re not particularly likely to have wanderlust. No more than an average family. Although perhaps a few individuals do have a taste for it. I don’t know how old I was, exactly… Probably around three, maybe three and a half. I think it was my second year of primary…” he thought for a few moments. “Some tea would be lovely, thanks,” Sathut added with a nod.

Sathut, CNS

Sural took a moment’s pause to pour out the tea and set the pot down. “On Vulcan, rather curiously alike to the Japanese Samurai of Earth, the quest for a perfect tea - more the ritual than the tea itself - is a tradition within certain clans. Mine included. I find their ways inasmuch their quest for perfection in what they do to be akin to my own personal philosophy. ” He glanced up to Sathut as he picked up his cup in a slow, smooth motion. “Are there any such similarities that you have discovered, be it with Terrans or another culture that is similar in sentiment to your own?”
- Sural, CE

Sathut took a sip of the tea, enjoying the warmth. “I find it difficult to find similarities - often the differences are more apparent. But our culture does have certain similarities with the ancient natives of North America. They had an emphasis on family and on stories that I feel is similar. Some of the tribes had a matriarchal political structure, which is similar to the early structure of my own culture’s society,” Sathut reflected.

Sathut, CNS

“Are you mated?” Sural asked. “And if you are, is she the dominant in the family in the course of a matriarchal society?” Vulcan society was mixed in this, leaning toward that which was most .. logical at the time. It had undergone considerable variation in its history. Since adopting the philosophy of logic they have had greater flexibility in leadership, though, statistically, their planetary leaders had been heavy on females occupying that position. Each had been quite .. formidable .. in negotiations.
- Sural

“I have no life partner,” Sathut spoke, a sad smile alighting upon his face for a few moments. “A lot of the time, those of us who venture out into the realms of Starfleet service remain single throughout our lives. Occasionally that is not the case, but it is generally held. Those of my race on Galdori vessels are not so strict on themselves, but our services can last years, and the idea of having a loved one as close as a mate and not being able to see them more than once or twice a year… It is not something I wish to experience…”

Sathut

Sural raised a brow. “Why is that? Is not family considered as close?” His tone was in no way antagonistic. Technically, his tone was even and, if curious and interested, quite devoid of anything else. Sathut might gather that were Sural a lawyer he would be a particularly annoying one. For Sural, the question was honest. He himself was not mated - yet - however his impression of family bonds were that they were equal to that of having a mate. Furthermore it was not uncommon for Vulcans who had left the home world and family to have long stretches of being physically apart. In Sural’s hearing, Sathut’s people held family in reasonable regard, however, in the race there appeared to be a strong independent streak of individuality. Because of that he posited that there was a similarity in sensibilities about being away from those close to them.

Sathut coughed lightly. “In short, Sural, it simply is. The long answer has to do with the Psychology and Biology of the species of my world. Mating is not merely a social and physical connection, it is psychic. We have an organ with a mild telepathic effect, which is strongly connected to, well, reproduction. And when individuals who have formed such a bond become physically distant for extended periods without also ending their relationship, it is very emotionally painful. And the people of my world cannot rid ourselves of emotions like your people have…”

“My aunt,” he began, “has a talent for cooking. Recently I was sent a replicator program for two of her dishes. One is a form of salad that would not be appropriate for this setting. However the other is what she calls a ‘davish’. This is a form of layered biscuit that has ‘toma’ nuts and a honeyed paste in alternating layers. It is most acceptable and, I believe, a logical addition with this tea. Would you care to try?”
- Sural

Sathut shook his head, taking a shallow breath. “These factors also prevent us from forming romantic relationships with aliens. Even if the physical compatibility was present, no other race has the En’ne,” he sighed lightly. “Although I doubt you will be able to truly understand…”

Sathut, CNS

keeping it on the boards

you ok, Wookie?


Posts on USS Olympic

In topic

Posted since


© 1991-2024 STF. Terms of Service

Version 1.15.9