Cultural Differences (pt 2)
Posted on November 25th, 2015 by T'Lira

A triple beep issued from the comm unit on the desk, signifying that there was an incoming message.

T’Lira looked up, surprised that she would even have a message right now. As far as she knew, her father wouldn’t have replied to her message yet. On average, it would take another seventeen point three one days, depending on his current projects he was engaged in.

Standing, she walked over to the desk and checked it, continuing to be surprised that it wasn’t a message, but was actually a live message. Pressing the “accept” key, she waited.

After only a few short moments, two very familiar faces appeared.

“T’Pela, Chalizsava.”

“I’ve told you to just call me Zsava!” the Andorian instantly protested. T’Pela just lifted an eyebrow.

“I apologize for her abruptness. The cat seems to have fallen ill.”

“The cat? He’s just ‘the cat’? You were the one who found him on the street.”

“I request to know the purpose for your call,” T’Lira interrupted the spat before it could become a full-fledged argument.

T’Pela flashed her a look that made quite clear her appreciation for the intervention.

“Got anything you want to share?” Zsava prodded. T’Lira instantly understood the purpose. Anothee boundary test.

“I am gratified that you received my most recent communication.”

Zsava snorted, “Just be grateful that I read it first. Or this would have been a totally different conversation.”

“Oh?”

“She means that had I read the message first, you would have been remembering a similar conversation from our childhood,” T’Pela explained.

T’Lira remembered that conversation quite well. She had been curious about how the stars would look without a window in her view, so she had snuck out of the house to climb a hill and see the stars. She would have remained undiscovered had she not managed to catch her shirt on a tree branch she had used to climb down from her window and fallen three meters to the ground. She had managed to make it to the hill and back, but she had returned to her sister waiting for her. That had been a very interesting conversation.

“I do not see how the circumstances are even remotely similar.”

“Uh, am I missing something here?” Zsava looked increasingly confused, “Because I get the feeling that whatever T’Pela could say pales in comparison to whatever your parents could say. I mean, traditionalists never change, no matter where you go or what-“

T’Pela calmly interrupted, “I believe we can understand your point, Zsava.”

“Good. So… which one of you is gonna say it first? Because if neither of you is gonna say it, I’m gonna keep bothering you.”

“This will take a while,” T’Pela informed her sister, “How is Taril?”

“Quite well, and enthusiastic.”

“Have you told him yet?”

“I have yet to determine a proper way to do so.”

“If I may offer a suggestion?”

“By all means.”