Engineer's Log, Stardate ???

[blindlygo]

Since being given leave to wander the city, Geordi had spent a lot of time at the Renaissance Center. He'd discovered the database accessible from the communicator quickly enough, but there was something constraining about staying in the cramped temporary quarters to read it, and out in the city at large, the distractions were innumerable.

It had made the discovery of the library and museum building at the Renaissance Center invaluable. With his meeting with Science Captain McEngineer hinging on the arrival of the Glorious Dream of Uncontested Starfall, Geordi had found himself at loose ends for an uncertain number of days, but he was determined to use it productively- and that was where the database came in. No matter the outcome of that meeting, after all, he'd still have to figure out a way to get by here until the problem with the fold-space accident could be reversed, and that would require learning about this Fleet, in every way he could.

When he'd started out, finding a datapad and a open seat in the building, it had seemed like a good idea, but now, hours later, after more pages than he could count, he realized he was reading each sentence several times over to actually pick up the information. With a huge sigh, Geordi leaned back in his chair, and ran his hands over his face. "I feel like I'm back at the Academy," he said, slightly louder than he'd intended.

Comments

[weeabhoo]

After several hours at the same station, sleep spread sticky cotton over his eyelids and Jinto put his head on his forearms and began drifting away.

"I hear that..." He replied, in that half-awake state where the normally shy might express a bit of solidarity with a stranger.

[blindlygo]

"Hm?" Geordi straightened in his seat and glanced around at the sound of the nearby mutter. When he caught sight of Jinto, he realized just how far his comment must have carried. "Sorry. Didn't mean to disturb you," he said. This time, his voice was quieter, and he took a moment to glance around the area, to see if anyone else in the area seemed to have been disturbed by him.

[weeabhoo]

Jinto sat up, suddenly awake, cheeks flushed. All around him were holos of ship schematics.

"Oh, man. Fell asleep. How embarrassing." He swiveled towards Geordi. "It's OK, I shouldn't have fallen asleep anyway. I guess you're trying to take in all this new technology too, huh?"

[blindlygo]

"Trying being the key word. Seems like you're having the same problem," Geordi said, with a sympathetic tilt to his head as Jinto sat up completely upright. "There's a lot to take in, even in cases where it seems familiar."

[weeabhoo]

He nodded and noted the man's eyewear. Well far be it from a guy wearing a tiara to question anyone else's accessories, symbol of rank or no.

"I thought having served on a starship the last couple of years I'd have an advantage. But now I'm having to unlearn what I thought I knew about ship construction."

[blindlygo]

If Geordi was aware that his VISOR was a subject of scrutiny, he made no indication of it. Instead, his attention was focused on the holographic images that Jinto had apparently been focused on before his unintentional nap.

"Having a ship the size of a city will do that. I've certainly never seen anything quite like it."

[weeabhoo]

"I've seen a few. The Abh capitol is one large, constantly rotating, interconnected series of space habitats. The fold-space engines and humanoid fightercraft on the other hand..."

Ah, but he realized he was being shortsighted. It could have been a whole lot worse.

"Well, at least we're not coming here from a planet that hasn't even achieved spaceflight yet. That must be a real shock."

Pity the magic people. But not audibly. They might zap you.

[blindlygo]

“Well, sure, that sounds like a space station, or a starbase. I’ve seen plenty of those. But one designed to move, maybe even at warp speeds, is something else.”

But that was not the main point, and Geordi nodded in agreement to the second statement. “One or the other is already a lot to deal with. It’s the reason we don’t introduce space-travel technology to planets that haven’t developed their own, where I’m from.”

[weeabhoo]

Jinto cocked his head slightly, curious.

"Is it really so bad for them? Suddenly going from only in-system travel to part of a nation of many systems didn't seem to harm my home planet..." He trailed off, before suddenly realizing something. "Oh, sorry, I've been rude. Front Wing Flyer Jinto Lynn, Abh Star Forces."

[blindlygo]

"Geordi La Forge, Starfleet. Not the one here," he added the last line with a wry smile. He'd gotten plenty of questions about that already. He extended a hand, casually, for a shake.

"The philosophy behind the Prime Directive- the name of that particular regulation- is that we don't have a right to decide how other species, other worlds, develop. Sure, we could do good by teaching advanced medicine, or stopping a war. But when does it go too far? The Prime Directive is meant to ensure that it doesn't. It's not always the good thing to do, or the right one. But it's a rule for a reason."

[weeabhoo]

Jinto could see that Starfleet had a code of honor it operated by. He didn't entirely agree with it, but it was better, he thought, for an organization to have principles he didn't agree with than no principles at all.

It took a moment for Jinto to recognize the handshake. It was a gesture he hadn't made since childhood (the Abh preferring more formal bows and salutes), but he tried not to be too clumsy about it.

"Well I've certainly seen interference go to far...Usually when trying to help turns into trying to turn a planet into an imitation of your own culture."

He remembered the United Mankind's attempts to bring subject planets into line with their narrow vision of 'democracy' and purge any remnant of Abh influence...including such measures as banning blue hair!

[blindlygo]

Even if it was awkward, Geordi didn't seem to mind, at least not if his friendly expression was any indication. He dealt with the hesitant handshake easily, then when it ended, put his hands back to the data pad, for all that his attention was still directed at Jinto.

"And that's why we have the rules we do. Of course, the Prime Directive doesn't exactly apply here."

[weeabhoo]

"So how are we gonna handle it? It sounds like the Abh and the Federation have exact opposite policies, but at least we have policies...It seems like the most harm we could possibly do is when we're trying to achieve opposing goals."

Jinto was not one for the dam-the-torpedoes improvisational approach. He tended to crave clear instructions. He didn't mind if Geordi didn't know what to do either though. Just sounding these questions off to someone helped him think about them.