Verbal Data Mining

Posted on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 1:02am by Department Master Chief Petty Officer Stephen "Orthos" McKnight & Major Daisy Rohr-McKnight
Edited on on Fri Feb 28th, 2020 @ 1:03am

Mission: Mission 28: Those who Remain
Location: Various Locations - USS Song of the East
Timeline: 0800Hrs - February 24th, 2391

Dr. Zydu Rohr stepped of the transporter pad. The Petty Officer operating the device was a little confused at the site of the older Klingon women in casual civilian clothes.

"Excuse me Ma'am." The PO addressed the woman. "Can I ask what business you have here?" he asked politely.

"Certainly." she replied. "I am Dr. Rohr and I work at the Utopia Planitia Shipyards. I am here to see Master Chief Petty Officer McKnight." she answered in kind.

"Very well Ma'am, I just need a retinal scan." The PO asked. Dr. Rohr nodded and the PO scanned her. It was a positive match. "Thank You Doctor. The Chief's office is down the hall on the right and is labelled."

"Thank you" Dr. Rohr replied as she headed down the passageway.

Master Chief Petty Officer Daniel McKnight, better known as 'Orthos' was busy unpacking the few items he had brought with him, anything he needed, he could pack into a duffel and none of those was clothing.

He heard the doorbell beep at him as he hung one of his two swords, the other he had on his desk, the door opened as he picked it up. "Can I help you?" he inquired polity, blade in his hand.

"Yes, I am looking for a Master Chief Petty Officer McKnight?" The woman inquired. She took a quick look at the blade in McKnight's hand and then back at him.

"You have found him." Orthos answered before he lifted his blade so it rested against his shoulder. "Doctor Rohr I assume...?" he regarded the Klingon woman before him as he quickly saw that this was Daisy's mother. "I assume this is a matter of familial honor that I didn't marry your daughter?"

"What?" Dr. Rohr was a little taken back by Orthos' words. "No. No, not at all. This is the Federation. We don't follow those savage and archaic practices here." Dr. Rohr told Orthos. "No, I am here to talk to you Mister McKnight." She told him. She looked at the blade. "Talk peacefully. Just because I am Klingon don't assume I will fly into a blind rage." Dr. Rohr held up her empty hands "See, no bat'leth."

Orthos raised an eyebrow. "You confuse me Doctor... I've never encountered a Klingon who had any measure of sense... other then Daisy of course.." he commented as he turned and proceeded to hand the blade up, next to its twin. "Then... whats on your mind Doctor?"

"My first name is Zydu. Doctor just sounds too formal." Zydu told Orthos. "Daisy has decided to procreate. I would just like to meet her partner." she told him.

Orthos thought the term 'procreate' was a little too obscene for him, the look on his face said as much. "Yes, Daisy and I are having a child together.." he raised an eyebrow. "I do however have many questions for you since we're finally getting to meet... Daisy never speaks of her family... in fact.. she goes well out of her way to avoid speaking of them... I ask why... what's the issue between you guys?"

"Issues?" Zydu asked. "It is Daisy that doesn't communicate with us. Since she has been in Star Fleet she hasn't been home once." Zydu told Orthos. "We have no idea where she is or what she does."

"You are part Vulcan? Or is it Romulan?" Zydu asked Orthos.

"Mmm.." Orthos regarded the Klingon woman. "She mentioned how you frowned on Starfleet... she's actually in the Marines... and I hear that she's being considered for promotion to Major." he raised an eyebrow. "If I said part Romulan, would it matter?" he added before she could responded. "My mother is Vulcan actually."

"I'm sorry, I think you are mistaken." Zydu told Orthos. "While I would admit that my husband and I are not entirely pleased with Daisy's career choice I'm sure Star Fleet would not put some one with Daisy's intellect in the position of a simple grunt." Zydu explained.

"Daisy isn't a grunt." Orthos regarded the other woman. "Daisy does not speak of your family... I find myself asking why... its because you look down on her... and by extension. You look down on me."

Zydu found an empty chair in Orthos' office and helped herself to a seat. "It is not that I look down on Daisy. I do worry about her." She told him.

Zydu looked at Orthos "I am sure I do not have to explain to you what a Klingon blood feud is do I?" Zydu asked rhetorically. "Our House was one of great engineers. My grandfather fought in the Four Year War. My father and three brothers were all engineers serving in the KDF. All of them were killed by a rival House. I fled the Empire and vowed never to return."

"Now I have four children of my own. I don't want them involved with violence." Zydu told Orthos. "I have three children who are accomplished in their fields of engineering or medicine. None of them have any disposition for violence and are peaceful." Zydu then let out a deep sigh. "Then I have Daisy." the older woman paused a moment. "Of all my children she was the most intelligent. Daisy was also the most trouble, although not intentionally." Zydu explained. "She was an obedient child and overall well behaved. It is just that she was attracted to activities that were violent or unorthodox. She tried to learn Klingon once before I told her that was strictly forbidden. I had to keep her out of organized sports. She even tried to learn to use a bat'leth! Can you imagine that?" Zydu told Orthos. "I tried to keep my children out of the burning cesspool that is the Klingon Empire and there is Daisy running back in."

"You denied her, her culture and her right to choose," Orthos told the older Klingon woman standing across the table from him. "Whether or not Daisy lets our child learn Klingon... is between her and me." he explained.

"I kept her safe!" Zydu responded to Orthos loudly. "There are those in the Empire that would wish our line to be extinct. I do not like that daisy is making herself more known to those people. Why would you put her and your children in unnecessary danger?"

"Daisy keeps herself safe these days." Orthos responded quietly. "As for my other children. I will inform them all that there is trouble brewing inside the empire regarding my present girlfriend." he regarded her. "Living in fear is no way to live...."

Zydu sat in silence for a moment. "let me ask you this: Has Daisy ever acted too aggressive or used an unneeded amount of force?"

Orthos raised an eyebrow as he thought about it. "Nothing really jumps off the page at me." he paused. "there was the private who got into a fight with me... she nearly broke his arm for it.. Why do you ask?"

"Because Daisy is half Klingon." Zydu responded. "She has the biological urge for violence. My other children have theirs under control. Daisy seems to be different."

"Biological urge for violence?" Orthos repeated back to her. "Do you know how utterly insane that sounds..?" he regarded her. "Especially to me..."

"The Klingons are one of the most violent races in the galaxy." Zydu explained. "And other races, such as the Jem'hadar also have violent tendencies."

"So are Vulcans if you get then angry enough... We all have dark tendencies.." Orthos paused. "What are you so worried about other then assassins..?"

"You make my point Mister McKnight." Zydu told him. "Vulcan culture has developed a large amount of self discipline and self restraint techniques. Vulcan culture is based off high orders of logic and not on the lower brutal instincts. Daisy has never been exposed to Klingon culture because it embraces violent emotion. Human Culture, for all its imperfections, is more evenly balanced."

"Daisy will find her own balance. You just have no faith in her." Orthos responded.

"Daisy hasn't earned that." Zydu replied. "She entered Star Fleet as soon as she could. She didn't even enter the science or engineering branches. She decided to tote a gun."

"You are justifying yourself and your choices to me... when my judgement is clouded on the matter..." Orthos explained.

Zydu looked Orthos up and down. "I am glad to see that my daughter choose well in her partner's intelligence." Zydu stood up. "Thank you for your time Master Chief." she told Orthos.

Orthos regarded the older woman. "I did not rush into it with Daisy... I'm only here because I was offered a posting, otherwise I would be with her."

"Don't apologize to me for advancing your career Master Chief." Zydu told him. "Not everybody is offered the position you hold. Now I'm off to see Daisy."

"Try and be civil with her... for the choices she's made.." Orthos responded evenly.