Stardate 55356.6 - Voth Encounter, Part 8
 

IWhile waiting the day or so it will take the Cheiron to arrive at a pre-determined rendezvous point, I and my crew are teking some time to get to know our Voth and Baguua hosts a bit. I must say that, although the Voth have been gracious, Minister Ruao and Minster Taalo seem less than comfortable with the close quarters with humanoids (namely me).

[Scene: Voth transport, meeting area with conference-style table and comfortable chairs.]

[Mood: Quiet, not much conversation as the two Voth sit silently working on adminstrative duties. The Baguua assist them. The Jem'Hadar are in some sort of meditation. Captains Klingman, Ariin, Ciriin, and Mirodon are playing poker...]

Klingman, "Minister, mind if I ask you a question?"

Ruao, "Are you speaking to me?"

Klingman, "You are the minister here aren't you?"

Ruao, "Yes."

Klingman, "Why are you so uncomfortable with me?"

Ruao, "Our Doctrine holds that we are the pre-eminent form of intelligent life in this part of the galaxy. The presence of humankind suggests origins which are contrary to our doctrine."

Klingman, "So what if you origins are in question? Do they change who you are or what you have accomplished?"

Ruao, "Imagine for a moment if you were told you were descended from bugs rather than what I understand to be a belief in an origin of primate form. Imagine how you would feel being the descendants of bugs."

Klingman, "I think I've just been insulted."

Mirodon, "I think so."

Klingman, "Minister, even if I was descended from a bug, it doesn't change who I am or how I think about the universe around me. You're still Voth and I'm still human, Mirodon is still part Trill and part Klingon, and the Jem'Hadar are still Jem'Hadar. We still see the universe with the same perspective we did a moment ago and are still open to the same growth and change in our perceptions. To cling to one's heritage is fine, but without the ability to accept new ideas, there's no growth."

Ruao, "Are you suggesting we are a stagnant civilization?"

Klingman, "Not at all. I simply suggest that the universe is what it is. The Idjalich are a perfect example if this - on the surface on might consider them to be malevolent creatures, but the evidence supports pure biology for their actions. I suggest that your biology is what it is."

Ruao, "So you feel our interpretation of our own being is in error?"

Klingman, "No, just changing and evolving. I'm curious, how DO your people perceive their past and their origins? You don't seem to have a home planet, yet you must have a history and a paleontology of your own. Where do you come from? How do you think you got here? Was it some divine interevention? Was is an evolutionary change that brought you to where you are? Are there other species like you?"

Ruao, "You think in rigid absolutes, yet you claim that we should abandon the absolutes we know to be true."

Klingman, "How did you arrive at that decision? I'm talking abot the universe being a dynamic entity, and you're putting words in my mouth about how I think. You seem to think that I'm threatening your very existence, but you're the one with the ship and the entire civilization. I'm just one person on a single species waiting for a way to get home. I think you should worry more about those arachnids that were devouring your ship and crew."

Ariin, "I think this conversation needs to end. It's getting rather heated."

Klingman, "You're right. Call."

Ariin, "Two pair."

Ciriin, "Full house, kings over queens."

Mirodon, "Just a pair of nines."

Klingman, "Damn. Full house, eights over sixes. You win again."

Ciriin, "Age hath its secrets. No offense, Mir..."

Mirodon, "None taken, old timer."

Taalo, "This mention of age... you do not look any older than he. Just how old are you?"

Mirodon, "The symbiont that lives inside me is 409 years old, I'm just over 30 myself."

Taalo, "I'm nit sure I undersand, symbiont?"

Mirodon, "Some members of the Trill species are joined to a symbiont, a sentient wormlike being that resides in a pouch under my abdominal musculature. The symbiont links neurologically and physically, and as a host I retain all the memories of past hosts."

Taalo, "I find this interesting. How many of these 'hosts' are there?"

Mirodon, "In my case, I'm the eighth host. Before me, the hosts - in order - were Aolin, a physician; Miian, another physician; Nurami, a teacher; Elian, a performer; Ashari, a geologist and astrophysicist; Eriadne, a physicist, surgeon, exobiologist, and a student of logic and intellect; and Cuwin, an engineering expert. Me, I'm just a general scientist who likes to tinker with quantum propulsion systems."

Taalo, "Yet you are humanoid."

Mirodon, "In the broadest sense, yes. I have the basic characteristics of a hominid, much like Captain Klingman."

Taalo, "How can you be both humanoid and yet have such radically different biology?"

Klingman, "My biology isn't that much different than his. I can hold a symbiont just as he can, although specific genetic sequences make him able to be permanently joined, whereas I lack some of the genetic material for that. All in all though our genetic makeup is more than 99.99% identical."

Taalo, "We do not have such genetic commonality."

Mirodon, "Actually, you do. you're genetically similar enough to the Gwyr and Celan to be reproductively compatible, although it would require some genetic manipulation and I'm sure some physical manipulation. No offense, of course, to your own genetic background."

Taalo, "I will take no offense, although such practices are taboo. It is considered scientifically unethical to alter our genetic makeup. How can you do the same to yourselves?"

Mirodon, "Most humanoids think and behave in similar enough ways to be compatible sociologically even with members of other species. For us, some of the physical barriers don't really matter. I'm part Trill and part Klingon, albeit at the expense of a mixture of genetic heritages. As you can see, I have the forehead of a Klingon but the spotting of a Trill."

Ruao, "So intermixing of species is common..."

Mirodon, "In some species, yes. Not everyone is a mixture of races of course... the Captain is pure human, and Ciriin and Ariin are pure Suunyati."

Ruao, "are you all considered 'humanoid' then?

Ariin, "in the strictest sense of the word, no... niether Ciriin nor myself can procreate with humanoid species, and in fact this is not our natural form."

Klingman, "It's not?"

Ariin, "Did you think a multidimensional life form would look this cute?"

Klingman, "Sheesh, I'd live to dig into your physiology and see what's really in there."

Ariin. "I'm sure you would. Not sure you'd care for what you see though."

Ruao, "Well, it is time for our rest period. We shall arrive at the designated rendezvous point in less than a day. You may make yourselves comfortable."