ten_fwd_ooc | Test Drive #7 - Ten Forward and Captain's Yacht

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test drives

Test Drive #7 - Ten Forward and Captain's Yacht

Option 01. Ten Forward: The first thing you see is a bar. A large, lively bar filled with many different faces and many different smells, sights and sounds. This is Ten Forward, the Enterprise's off-duty lounge; feel free to get acquainted with your fellow travelers and try to find somebody who's in charge: this is your new home now, after all...

Option 02. The Captain's Yacht: Oooh, you sneaky stowaway! You've found yourself in a very exclusive part of the ship: Captain Picard's personal craft, used for short jaunts when a shuttle just won't do. (One must retain some decorum, after all.) It may not be as large as the Enterprise itself, but there are sure to be some surprises aboard once people start snooping.

[OOC: The Captain's Yacht is located at the very base of the Enterprise's saucer portion, so if you put someone in there you can also play them trying to get back to somewhere they know!]

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"I wouldn't exactly call her a Queen, her head's big enough as it is, but yes. Matriarch. She must be protected at all costs--not that she agrees with that statement. At all. "

Still, Rhade remained seated. His family and the other Nietzscheans that settled on the planet Tarazed were taught values similar to Rhade's great great great great grandfather, Gaheris. Contrary to the other Nietzscheans out there, who were nothing more than bullies and had forgotten the way, the meaning of what their species and growth was all about.

Telemachus raised his eyes to her, giving her a hard glare and a small growl, before nodding. "Yes, Lady."

She narrowed her eyes at him slightly at that.

Theiorn relaxed ever so slightly behind her. Perhaps he had an ally here after all. Man didn't smell like a Warlord prince, but if he agreed to serve.... *Prince?* he sent, spear to spear, to see if one with no psychic scent who otherwise seemed to be Blood could communicate mentally.

Rhade scrunched up his nose. That was an odd sensation. Almost like when they went to that other universe and Trance had, what had she called it? Held their minds together like the gravity that holds a planet in orbit.

That hadn't been a fun memory. Beka had gotten unknowingly possessed--and he thought she was just simply nuts. He didn't claim to understand females, and just figured Beka was, well, crazy.

Telemachus noticed her eyes narrow. Not his problem. Not yet anyway.

Theiorn sighed. So much for that.

She eyed his expression warily. "Queen," she said gesturing to the piece, and then proceeded to explain the rules of play, sliding him strategy tips that Theiorn over-spoke for a more male perspective.

"I'm beginning to think I should be playing with your friend over there, but I enjoy a challenge. By the way, does your friend have a name or shall I make one up for him? How about Skippy?"

But he paid attention to her, nodding as she explained the piece and perhaps poor strategy in his opinion.

"Females are more important. Risking your Queen, metaphorical or otherwise is a poor strategy that will impact generations."

"The Queen has more power to protect and defend," she snapped sharply.

"I am Theiorn, current first escort to Lady Aiylisha."

"Then why rely on others? Why not just go out and conquer with your Queen?" Telemachus asked. "I'm not saying you--or your piece-- should be kept in a Tower, but there is a time and a place to rely on others. I would assume that like myself, Theiorn here is stronger than you. If I may suggest? Use it. Everyone has their skills, their abilities, just as these pieces you are explaining to me. "

It was different in Go. Each piece was the same.

"But I'm starting to think we're not talking about chess anymore." He looked at the other man. "Escort? Where I'm from that has a different context, you might want to further explain."

Edited 2015-01-02 02:47 (UTC)

Theiorn spoke quickly to avoid letting the Queen answer.

"Chess conversations rarely remain about chess, this is why the genders rarely play together. Escorts are part of the triangle that most closely supports the Queen. A Queen rules by her court and is protected by it. The first circle is at minimum one Queen and twelve males. The three who serve the most closely to the Queen are the Steward who assists with paperwork and organization, the Master of the Guard who is in charge of her defense, and works with her to make schedules for the other males and to defend the territory. We all report to the Master of the Guard as well as to the Queen, and either a Consort or First Escort. That male escorts the Queen to functions and cares for her day to day well being. The First Escort does not serve in the bed, however, and the Consort does. All other males in the first circle are regular Escorts and the Queen should always have an escort when she is out among strangers."

She turned to glare at Theiorn.

Telemachus had no problem with your typical or non-typical monarchy. The old Commonwealth, before it fell, was led by the Vedran Empress herself, as well as the council of Triumvirs. Tarn Vedra was a monarchy, and while he grew up on Tarazed, it was still the only planet for quite some time to serve and follow Commonwealth law, Vedran Empress or not.

"My people have something similar. A Pride is led by the Matriarch, and protected by the Alpha male. The two are not necessarily linked or related in any way."

"Some territories or provenances have a Warlord Prince who isn't the only Warlord Prince, but the dominant one who holds responsibility for it, on behalf of a Queen."

That surprised Telemachus. "I'm sorry? I don't understand. I'm not sure that would be possible for Nietzschean Prides. The Matriarch is responsible for assuring the Pride's continued superiority and has the final say on prospective mates."

Telemachus remembered Jillian bringing him before their Matriarch, doing the genetic scan, weighing his worthiness, skills and successes. "Does your Queen not have a similar function? Or is your Queen more of a state figurehead? Ruling law and order?"

He understood not all societies had the same focus on reproduction and genetic superiority that Nietzscheans had.

She just stared at him. "Your leaders choose couples against their wills?" she asked, horrified. "I may come in to settle a situation if a Warlord Prince has staked a claim and has become too violent while waiting for the woman's decision, but to order two people together would be akin to r****ing them both!" She was horrified.

"The woman chooses her mate. The male may be chosen multiple times by multiple women, but he has the opportunity to refuse. Likewise if the woman believes the male is unworthy, she has the option to leave the marriage and take the children. In addition the woman control her family and breeding--but it is our Matriarch that decides if the male is worthy of the female who wants to claim him. The more women who want to marry the man, the more likely the Matriarch will view him as an acceptable provider and worthy. The more women choose me as their husband, the more children I have and the better I can strengthen the Pride. "

It was all very matter-a-fact to Telemachus. There was no one in the Known Worlds who didn't know Nietzscheans and Nietzschean society.

"There is no Blood female who would ever marry a male who would expect the right and freedom to also be with other women," she said slightly coldly, "in Blood society, fidelity is one of the things that a man brings to the marriage contract." There would be no question of a romance between her and him now that she knew this view. She knew Queens were allowed by Blood law and culture to take multiple lovers, to have a Consort as well as others, but it was rarely done in Kaleer, and would never be done by her personally. She had no interest in a male that wasn't fully hers. She had little interest in males to begin with.

"A male who steps outside that line, WILL loose their children, no might about it, Paternity would be denied."

"I do believe you have it backwards. It's the females right to chose me, not my right to chose them. "

Not that he thought it would make a difference. He knew humans didn't share the Nietzschean view of marriage, Dylan himself had trouble getting over the loss of his fiancee Sara. He himself had been struck a blow recently, with the death of Lousia, who he had just met but believed they could have a future together, and the assumed deaths of this wife and children.

"You would deny paternity and weaken your Pride over that? In Nietzschean society, they are all legitimate marriages. Unless the Matriarch disapproves." Rhade didn't see a problem with even sleeping around, as long as a child wasn't produced by the act, the Matriarch wouldn't have an issue.

"We do not see it as any weakening of the family for a woman to asset her rights," she said firmly. "Couples who do not wish to be exclusive should not marry and should not have children."

"Of course the Blood in Terelle saw things somewhat differently," Theiorn said, in the interest of fairness.

"And where are the ones who believed that way?" she snapped at him. "Dead. Not even in H***, Prince, Dead. Because that belief was twinned with the corruption of Blood society that spewed forth from Dorthea."

"Like her belief in the complete subservience of males?" He asked.

She snarled at him. "I will not be caught in that trap, Prince. I do not believe in the complete subservience of ANYONE! I also do not believe in slavery!"

Telemachus had to object to that. "I am not anyone's slave. I am my own man, and like my Captain I chose my own destiny."

Although his own genes and the acts of his great grandfather weighed on him and his own actions, as well as through the viewpoints of others. He knew they were constantly comparing himself against Gaheris, whether he was viewed as a hero or a traitor. Telemachus did his best not to cover his face with his hands, realizing he was starting to talk like Dylan too. He was spending too much time with the man. His excessive optimism and catch phrases were like a disease. Contagious.

Out of curiosity more so than the need to continue a fight, Telemachus asked a question. "Do I assume you also don't think pessimism is a survival trait? You should talk to my Captain, he hates Nietzscheans more than you seem too."

"I do not hate Nietzscheans," she said simply, "I just find what you described of a marriage to be something I have no interest in," she said simply. "I reserve feelings like hate for things that require it. Your cultures are not our own. Had you tried to live that way in a Blood territory, you like as not would not live long. But here we are not in our own Realms, we cannot judge you. So long as you do not try to pull a Blood female into that lifestyle either unaware or against her will, we have no quarrel in this regard."

"Except perhaps over a warm mug of Yarabrah beside a fire on a cold Winter's night," Theiorn said, musingly.

She rolled her eyes.

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Test Drive #7 - Ten Forward and Captain's Yacht

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