Compatibility
Posted on Sat Nov 10th, 2018 @ 9:40pm by Lieutenant Jaime Mallory & Commander Arlaena Torr
Mission:
My Place In This Universe
Location: Magellan Campus Hangar Bay
Timeline: 2388/08/19 0900 (August 19 2388 0900-ish)
Arleina was purring as she entered the small craft hangar bay. Jay had mentioned that she could work with Jaime Mallory on learning the terrain for when she began flying SAR missions, and she looked forward to meeting the woman and getting to know her. The schedule for staff informed Arleina that Jaime could be found here at this hour -- and Jay had not said that she needed to wait -- so she had come over immediately to begin the process.
Entering, she looked around the bay. Her tail was coiled around her waist to prevent it from being fouled by any stray machinery or crewman; therefore, it was not giving away her state of mind. Only the purring did that.
With a diagnostic finished and documented, Jaime had turned to head towards another training vessel attack fighter when she caught site of Arleina. Oh my gosh, could that be..! If she hadn't been on duty she wouldn't have held back, at first, at giving a wide grin at the felinoid officer.
With a touch of amusement in her eyes, she wondered if Chris had met her, ...tail and all. and smiled politely as she started walking over to her, "Hi! Is there something I can help you with?"
Arleina smiled at the other woman. "That depends. Are you Jaime Mallory?" she asked, giving the other a once-over with her eyes before bringing them back to meet Jaime's.
"Yes, I am." Jaime's own smile had widened, really curious at why she would be there, and her lavender eyes brightened with expression. She's so pretty! "What can I do for you, Commander?" she asked, having noticed her rank.
Arleina grinned. "Arleina will do, Lieutenant." she said, using the rank in return as a bit of a tease. "And Captain Vidod suggested that I get with you to learn the terrain. I'm going to be one of the SAR pilots, and it would be a very good idea if I didn't get lost or crash into something while trying to rescue someone, ho?"
Pleased, and feeling like she was receiving a present, Jaime gave a nod in understanding, her bright smile threatening to become a permanent feature. "Ah, Yeah, I think it's a very wise idea. And..." an idea hit her, "It just so happens I have a few training fighters that were maintenanced this week and I just finished diagnostics. I could really use some help in testing them."
Oh, she couldn't have made the feline happier in this context! Arleina felt the purr grow stronger, and her tail did an excited little dance behind her. Her whiskers flared, and her ears perked forward. "That would be awesome!" she enthused, that coming out far more excited than it was meant to.
"I agree," Jaime chuckled, and motioned for her to follow. "So let's get suited up." and started leading her back towards the suit lockers. Along the way, she glanced over. "I've never seen your species before. So, what are you?" she smiled.
Arleina chuckled. "My, but you're blunt." she commented, not the least bit offended by it. Actually, it was refreshing. "I'm Filra. We're descended from the Felinium. Our space is... far away, and theirs is even farther, so I'm not surprised that you haven't seen another." She answered the question, then her tail flicked and her eyes took on a playful look. "Do you like cats?"
Jaime had grinned at what Arleina had first said and she found the little information about the Filra intriguing. Playfully rolling her eyes over to her, Jaime replied, "Oh, I love cats. And speaking of felines, have you ever heard of a species called Ellicieans?"
Arleina thought about that for a moment. "I think I heard the name once when I flew for my father's Diplomatic ship." she answered with a thoughtful frown. "I can't say I know much about them, though." Sadly, after that, things had gotten... bad for her, and diplomatic information had been far from important to her daily life. Yes, her Master had been a diplomat -- why Chief Diplomat Verydian had appointed him, however was anyone's guess -- but her duties had been flying and things best left unsaid.
"I'm not surprised," Jaime replied, of course having no clue to Arleina's past. "Not many Ellicieans leave their homeworld, although we're surprisingly fortunate enough to have a few here. One is a cadet at the Academy. Another one will be teaching, and from what I hear, her husband is opening a shop on the Station's promenade. They have two children. And then..." she had to grin, "there is my best friend, Chris SilverShadowMoon. Not only is he the Station's Chief Science officer, but a member of our SAR Team. Now, Ellicieans," she continued, to explain, "while considered felinoid, appear to be more like humans with felinoid attributes."
Having arrived at the suit lockers, Jaime stopped them in front of a replicator, finishing with, "They're tall, muscular, and have a fully prehensile tail."
"Well, not all felinoids have fur. Many do, but not all. It depends upon how distant in their genetic ancestry the full felines were." she informed. She laughed at the comment about the Ellicieans' 'fully prehensile tails', considering her options. Jaime obviously was unaware that hers was such, but that was likely because most of the time it lived coiled around her waist.
When they reached the lockers and Jaime turned away from her toward the replicator, Arleina knew how to play this. She uncoiled her own tail and used it to smack the other woman in the butt playfully then wave at her when she whipped around to see what had smacked her. "What?" she asked innocently. "Did you think it was a belt?" But the illusion of innocent curiosity was completely destroyed by the playful glint in her azurite-colored eyes and the smirk that refused to stay hidden.
Having been soaking in the information, Jaime was about to explain how the Ellicieans actually did have a type of fur, while also ordering up a custom flight suit for the Filra, when she felt the 'smack'. Her hands had immediately flown back there, her jaw had dropped in surprise. She gasped, “Oh, my gosh! Arleina!” She started to laugh. "I love you!! I can hardly wait til Chris meets you!"
Arleina giggled, her kittenish streak having earned a good result. "He's the Elliciean, right? That should be a lot of fun!" Arleina enthused. She loved exploring new places and meeting new people. Not as much as she loved flying, but those things ran a close second. "Hopefully he's not one of those far-too-serious people."
Jaime thought for a moment. Chris was just Chris, her childhood best friend. It wasn't normally something she had to think about. "He can be quiet, thoughtful, and seem like he's in his own world. And he likes to tease and has quirky sense of humour." And a hot body, she added mentally and smiling more because of it. "But too serious?" She gave a shake of her head, and then handed Arleina the custom flight suit. "Only when its called for. Otherwise, he's like most Ellicieans, has a mischievous tail, and always up for an excuse to celebrate."
Arleina took the suit, frowning at it. "Unless these are armored, why does a cat need a second set of fur?" she said teasingly. And as to the fellow under discussion. "Sounds like someone who would be fun to hang out with. I really do look forward to meeting him now." In fact, he sounded like most cats when they weren't being oppressed.
Having taken a flight suit out of a locker, Jaime smiled at her sympathetically as she started putting it on. "He doesn't like wearing gear or clothes either." Saying so brought with it a memory of Christopher's mother scolding him once for leaving their quarters nude.
"At least you don't have to wear this all the time." she added.
Arleina scowled half-heartedly at her. "That would be torture." she said, then smiled. "I should introduce him to the little Filra wear when among those not their family. He might not have so much issue with it." She began to put on the suit as she talked, really wanting to meet this person now.
Jaime's jaw dropped and then went quickly into a smile as her imagination took off. "Most likely not. I think I'd like to see this little Filra wear."
Arleina grinned. "Sure. Drop by my quarters some night, and I'll show you." she said as she put on the flight suit, grateful for the modification for her tail.
Jaime's smile turned sly, “I'm going to take you up on that.“
Arleina just giggled at her. "Any time." she said with a wink.
Once Arleina was fully suited up, Jaime led them back towards the fighters. “I can never get enough flight time,“ she commented.
"Girl after my own heart!" Arleina admitted. "I love to fly! It's... freeing!"
“Oh definitely. So, let’s get these babies in the air.” Jaime gave her another smile, and then her fighter another once over before climbing into the cockpit and pulling on her helmet. As any time she flew she felt anticipation roll in the pit of her stomach, warm and energizing.
Arleina grinned and followed suit, hopping up into the cockpit of her own fighter. This was always so much fun, and the purr escalated in volume as she put on her helmet and ran through the pre-flight checks quickly but thoroughly. She hated that the helmets flattened her ears, but that was a minor thing now. She was going to fly! "Let's bring it!" she shouted into the air as her fighter closed, and she brought the engine to life.
