For QLFC Round 4, Puddlemere Captain: "This tastes nothing like chicken." Merlin

For Hogwarts Assignment 11, Psychology Task #1: Write about an important first. (eg. first kiss, first date). Alt, write about knowing something is the last time.

Word Count: 1,600

onward to the edge (where we are going)

There are a few things that every single being in the Intergalactic Alliance knows.

Like, if you need a lawyer? You go to a human.

If whatever you plan to do is close to impossible? You go to a human.

If you're expecting to be outnumbered? You go to a human.

They're resistant beings from a planet where everything is designed to kill them, famous for bonding with everything and everyone.

Tee Ray Cy doesn't particularly like this, but ze recognizes its validity. Ze also realizes that zir hesitation definitely has speciist elements in it, so ze tries to absorb that thought and hires a human to work with zir team on the Davis the next time a space opens up. One has to work against one's prejudices after all.

The human in question is someone young — as far as Tee Ray understands. The Awnaeu's system of age is different. Twenty-five Terran years translate to forty-three Galaxy Standard Years. Forty-three! By that time, most Awnaeu would be considering retirement.

Tee Ray by comparison is twenty Galaxy Standard Years. So roughly eleven Terran years, but almost halfway through zir life already, as opposed to the ninth or so a human is. Ze is far from excellent in the adjustment between relative ages for species other than zir planet's own native sentient ones — that is the Awnaeu, of course, and the Xmux who are taller and have scales instead of the fur that protects an Awnaeu's skin. So there is a chance ze has this whole thing down wrong. But ze had checked the calculations as many times as ze had appendages and figures ze's unlikely to make the same mistake the nine times in a row.

The time of the human's arrival on deck comes around before Tee Ray has prepared zirself completely for it. It sneaks up on zir; far in the future one cycle, and one resting phase later, it is time to land on Kelav, the designated place to pick of new crew for a good majority of the ships in the Intergalactic Alliance.

Tee Ray has decided to welcome the human to the ship alone. They will be able to bond with the rest of the crew in their bunks or during mealtimes easily enough, Tee Ray figures. And this way, there is at least a chance that the crew will remain unaware of zir freakout. It's pretty much guaranteed to happen, but there is a chance that ze will manage to show no outward signs of it.

Tee Ray makes zir way to the docking area with two of zir arms fidgeting nervously. Ze can do this.

The human enters, and the first thing Tee Ray notices is the way the human shows their teeth. Ze has read enough to know that it is not intended as a threat, but may the great provider Opac hear zir, it still feels like one.

Tee Ray flicks zir antenna to calm zirself and begins the conversation by assuring zirself that their respective translators can decipher the other's language. After all, anything else would be pointless if they were unable to understand each other.

Once that is all checked out, Tee Ray starts zir welcome speech. The human is already wearing a uniform with a name tag, so ze can address them by name.

"Welcome, Human-Daphne Greengrass. I am Awnaeu-Tee Ray Cy, the Captain of the Davis."

The human holds up an appendage to interrupt. "Pardon me, but did you just say your name is Tracy?"

"...It's close enough," Tee Ray decides. After all, it is known that some species are unable to produce some of the sounds found in other species' names.

"I'm not going to settle for close enough," Human-Daphne announced, head held high. "I was raised better than that. I will pronounce your name correctly, Captain, I was simply caught off by how similar it is to one of Earth's names. I haven't come across any case before. Please continue."

"The first order of business is too double check the correct pronoun. In the file I have received, your pronoun was listed as 'she/her'. Is that correct?"

"Yes, Captain. And yours are?"

Tee Ray informs her about the correct ones, and Human-Daphne moves her head up and down. Thankfully, it is accompanied by a verbal reply as well, because otherwise ze would have had to guess the gesture's meaning.

Tee Ray goes over the general rules of the ship and the expectations specifically for Human-Daphne as a medical professional. It's been around five human generations since they joined the Intergalactic Alliance so the question if Human-Daphne is familiar with the species present on the ship is mostly for protocol. Nevertheless, Tee Ray is relieved when Human-Daphne assures zir that she knows how to treat everyone up to Alliance standards. That is, with the help of a minimum of two colleagues at her side — for a crew with their number of species in it — as no one being could be expected to memorize the physicals of every single species.

The conversation goes over better than Tee Ray had expected and gives zir hope that this will all work out well in the end.

Tee Ray is incredibly glad ze can simply follow the established guidelines to figure out a human's diet, as figuring out such a thing is a hassle and a half. Luckily, between the previous nine species found on the Davis, almost all of Human-Daphne's nutritional requirements have been met, thus avoiding having to overhaul the kitchen system like the time the first carnivore joined the crew.

No one wants a repetition of this.

The kitchen crew had been informed of the necessary requirements and they had been logged into the ship's system as well to double check that everyone's needs could be covered by the food of the day.

On the first day the two of them were in the cafeteria together, Human-Daphne surprised Tee Ray by putting small portions of the Terran style food on her plate — mashed potatoes, if the sign is correct — and looking at the other dishes offered as well.

"What is this, Captain? I haven't seen this dish before." She was gesturing to polukaten, a traditional dish of the Awnaeu, which Tee Ray promptly informs her of.

Human-Daphne pushes a few buttons on her watch and shows her teeth at the result. "It's not poisonous for me," she comments as she loads some onto her plate.

Tee Ray has to approve of that one, ze thinks as ze fill zir own plate with the dish.

Human-Daphne doesn't stop there, she heads over to the section for the carnivores as well, points at another dish, and repeats the question.

"This is ästone. I have read that it tastes like the 'chicken' native to Terra," Tee Ray adds.

"Really? Then I have to try."

Between the mashed potatoes, the polukaten, and the ästone, Human-Daphne seems to be satisfied and heads to the seating area.

And Tee Ray is just curious enough of her reaction to polukaten to join her.

Daphne tries the ästone first.

"Don't believe everything you read," Human-Daphne responds after swallowing the first. "This tastes nothing like chicken. Reminds me more of the Uwda from — what was it — Linuken? I think that's where Uwda is from anyway."

Tee Ray assures her that there is an alternative if she so desires, but Daphne interrupts zir.

"It's not bad at all! The texture is rather like chicken, which is where I assume the confusion came from. That, or the annoying tendency of some humans to say that everything tastes like chicken."

"That does sound annoying," Tee Ray has to agree.

"It is. Nevertheless, the ästone actually goes surprisingly well with the potatoes. Hadn't expected that, honestly."

"So why take both on your plate?"

A beat passes, as if Human-Daphne is debating whether or not to answer. "Mismatched flavours remind me of my family."

"I understand that humans share close bonds with one another. It must be hard being so far away." Tee Ray surprised zirself with the thought as ze expresses it.

"My family was rather distant by human standards, but I still miss them, you know. But I will get used to it quickly. I know I did in college, and I did study off planet, so I know what I'm talking about."

"Where did you study?" Tee Ray asks. Somewhat to keep the conversation going, but somewhat because ze's actually starting to get curious about the human.

"On Hogwarts. Gotta say, I miss the Sergeant Stabby that was deployed there. This one didn't just have the knife as most roombas do, but also googly eyes. The little ankle poker poked his way right into my heart."

"I studied on Hogwarts as well, what are the chances of that?"

"Given the size of the universe? I'd say they're pretty low. There's what? Twenty education focused planets in this sector alone after all."

"This is the first time I came across another Hogwarts graduate," Tee Ray admits between bites. "I went to Slytherin, specifically."

"So did I. You must remember Sergeant Stabby as well, surely."

"I don't. Maybe the eyes were added after I left. What kind of eyes were they? Luxan? Xnox?"

They continue to reminisce about their time on Hogwarts until both of them have finished their lunch and it is time to return to their duties. As ze does so, ze realizes that ze just bonded with Human-Daphne. Or at least ze is pretty sure ze did.