Forums » Sci-Fi Roleplay » Travellers (Semi-Open RP between Tara and Catrin)

Catrin nodded. "Thank you."

Then she turned to Tara, thoughtful. "Oh, I'm sure we'll manage to explain," she said reassuringly. "I'm the one who's the bad influence, after all. You're right, though. For AIs, it would probably be much less gratifying than a relationship with a fellow AI - it must be like seeing each other once a year on holiday even when the two would be together. How odd." She shook her head and smiled. "But I really did think your search was about the culture's influence on short-term relationships! And mate selection," she added as an afterthought. "Are there any unbiased studies on that?"

Tara nodded, "Oh, there're quite a few studies on that. I think I might have some from other races in my archives somewhere... though those ones aren't all that helpful. They're a bit too short-term, really. I suppose the meaning of 'short-term' changes with lifespan. I mean, short-term for a Xin'Ta'Faxi, who'll live for about two hundred and fifty years on average is different than what a Human or I would consider short-term." She smirked slightly, "Of course I'm one thousand and ninety seven years old and that kind of age generally skews your temporal perception a bit."

Catrin laughed. "Oh, I see what you mean. Hmm. Have there been any notable conclusions?"

Tara grimaced, "A lot of conflicting views. Most of the studies from the Younger Races seem to conclude that we don't even have a concept of short-term relationships, which is obviously wrong. It's just that our short-term and their short-term is quite different." She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully, "The studies from my own Race seem to conclude that either our culture dissuades any form of sort-term relationship, or that it actually encourages it because of the focus on the long-term. Also, it seems our concept of short-term relationships is starting to lengthen time-wise... but that seems concurrent with the larger numbers of my people reaching Elderhood."

Catrin tilted her hear. "How long are Terelain short-term relationships, then? Do you have the sort of short-term relationships where the couple find out they don't fit much with each other after two or three months? Or maybe you wouldn't consider that a relationship, only failed dating?"

Tara snorted derisively, "Definitely failed dating, and I think that kind of things ha;pens in every species. Of course concepts of time below decades and years are kind of... shaky and vague for my people, or at least they were. Days and months matter little to a race like mine, in fact we didn't even have a word for 'month' for... oh... six, seven thousand years after the founding of the Second Kingdom? Most species order their months via a lunar calendar, but Aerin has three moons, and their phases aren't entirely in sync, so we never developed a time management system based on lunar phases... except for when there was a triple full moon, or triple new moon. Which only happens once a year anyway." She chuckled, "We probably wouldn't even bother tracking years if it didn't mean we'd start forgetting how old we are or when the Age started."

She frowned slightly, looking thoughtful, "As for how long a shot-term relationship would last... it kvaries from couple to couple, of course, and person-to-person on what they consider short-term. I mean, an Elder might consider a relationship lasting decades, even centuries, to be relatively short, whereas someone aged within their first half millennium might consider maybe less than a decade or less than two decades to be short-term."

Catrin laughed and sipped her drink. "Hmm. Well, it is a little weird to me. I am used to races with different timeflows, but then their metabolisms and daily routines are adequately slower, or faster. Or could you have a different concept of relationships due to the time it takes to raise children to adults? I think most races' short-term relationships, the time when they are blindly in love, is designed to get the potential offspring born and at least to the point of not needing an alert caretaker all the time. Depending on what a given culture considers a relationship and if the children are even brought up by their parents, of course."

Tara nodded, with a knowledgeable expression, "That is usually the case, I've found. There does appear to be a distinct correlation between the rapidity of maturity in a species and the length of their relationships. As for my own race... well... it takes fifty years for us to reach the same physical development as a thirty year-old Xin'Ta'Faxi or an eighteen year-old Human, and a full century to complete all of the education, training and other requirements before we are considered full-fledged adults and capable, entirely independent citizens of the Kingdom." Her eyes went distant and a fond smile parted her lips, "My kittenhood was so long ago now... but it was a wonderful time. We spoil our children rotten, and do all we an to protect them, for we have so very few and each one is precious... and the communities we live in are generally small, especially out in the colonies, so when you are young it is like you have one great extended family... to have borne a child is a point of great honour amongst our females, and becoming a mother can instantly propel you two or three places higher in social standing amongst your peers."

Catrin smiled warmly when Tara mentioned her own kittenhood, and then she nodded. "That does sound like a plausible explanation. So, would you consider having a relationship if you knew you wouldn't want him as a mate, but knowing that you could have a nice short-term time with him, from your own perspective?"

Tara 'shrugged' with her tail, "I don't know. I've never reall given it much thought... I suppose so... but then the whole concept of 'attractiveness' is to do wit mate-selection anyway so..." She giggled, "I know way too much about psychology, sociology and evolutionary biology... understanding the mechanics behind all this is so unromantic!" She shook her head, "Still, I don't think i'd be opposed to the idea, if such a thing were to occur..."

Catrin chuckled. "Hmm. Well, I'm nearly certain there is a biological mechanism built into you that switches off critical thinking and many other things when your genes conclude that you found the right mate and should... mate." She grinned. "Most species have it, otherwise they end up being too intelligent to procreate, and die out. So I won't worry about knowing too much science, if I were you. You'll probably lose it all when the time - and the significant other - is right, and what do you know, you may end up being very romantic."

She laughed, "Oh yes? I can hardly imagine giving some male a Rer'vati charm, or getting a garland of Shi'atra blossoms from him!" She smirked to herself, "And he'd have to work his tail off to impress me before I could contemplate allowing anything more than a peck on the cheek, thank you very much!" She giggled, "I might just have a chance to find out at the festival, when we get back to Aerin."

Catrin laughed, displaying the feline equivalent of wrinkles forming around one's eyes. "Oh dear. Well, that's the spirit! Are you sure you want me to come along? Having to explain things to me might throttle your dating chances." She paused and smiled. "Then again, I'm sure I can be quite independent if you explain what to do in case you suddenly, um... stop being available as a native guide," she added with a 'wink'.

Tara looked embarrassed, and would have blushed had she been Human, "Well, there's not much chance of me just abandoning you... but I suppose it's better to be safe than sorry. The main thing to remember is that age plays a very big part in my culture. Whilst you must always defer to those of a higher station than yourself, even nobles must show proper respect to those of great age. So, one of the first things you need to learn about anyone you meet is how old they are and what they social status is. Now, social status is pretty easy, since the clothing and jewellery they have will be an indicator of how wealthy and powerful they are. Age though, as you can guess, is harder to discern when your species stops ageing after a certain point. Custom and etiquette dictate that when you introduce yourself you state your birth and family names, lineage, the name of you same-sex parent, and your age."

Tara smiled to herself and shook her head, "We call this the 'Short Name' since it is only a fraction of a full Terelain Long Name. My Short Name would be, 'Tara Ilendi Nihr'Aedrimar, Sidriel Nihr Maeira, Sra'Ulthun-Rehs'run'." She paused and shook her head, "Not exactly short, I know, but the Long Name is even worse, anyway, that translates to 'Tara Ilendi of Aedrimar, Daughter of Maeira, aged one thousand and ninety four." She smirked, "In the interests of brevity, some people might just give their birth and family names and age, but that can be seen as being overly informal for complete strangers."

She paused fro a while as she reflected on what she was going to say next, "Since you're actually a million years old, I suggest we down-play your age a bit. No one'll believe you, and even if we use your active age... well that was over thirty thousand years, right? So people will have expected to hear of you... since you're from the dawn of modern history." She tapped a finger on her chin thoughtfully, "You'l have to be younger than Elderhood, because most Elders are well-known... so somewhere below three or four thousand should be good."

Catrin 'shrugged'. "Whatever is most appropriate will do as far as age is concerned will do. I don't really count the million of inactive years, I spent it in an altered state of consciousness, so it didn't feel like it. And yes, it was about thirty thousand active years, but I usually pretend to be in my thirties, so three or four thousand years will be an interesting change. I will have to have some past made up, though, and of course it would hardly do to seem unklowledgeable about things that one of my age should be well aware of."

Her features rearranged themselves into what would have been an exasperated smile. "Old civilizations with longevous members usually mean that etiquette is of literally vital importance. I'm honoured to learn your longer names. But it is a reminder that I should study your etiquette. Which will, no doubt, be insanely complicated." She smirked and finished her drink before continuing. "Well, that is an interesting challenge! Especially considering that I am immune to feeling awkward, given the circumstances," she said with a 'wink'.

She expected Tara to be horrified at what that implied, so she quickly added, "I would understand completely if you chose to attend separately from me, and I can even do my best not to give any indication of having a connection with you. I can always flee, you cannot. However," she smiled. "I can behave, if necessary, and should you choose to actually publicly associate with me, I will do my best not to endanger you.

I'm not saying it will necessarily work, though. You may feel you know what you can expect in life, a couple of main possibilities with some variations on them, but it may take a turn for the more unexpected, exciting, and more dangerous, if you are seen with me." She paused, almost hesitant for a moment before picking up where she left. "I thought you should be aware of this."

Tara nodded, "Very important... and quite complicated." She giggled, "It gets worse the higher up the social chain you go, I mean there's not much etiquette and social nuance amongst commoners, but as soon as you start on the minor nobility it quickly starts to become... a headache." She then looked briefly horror-struck as Catrin mentioned her lack of awkwardness, but she went on too quickly for her to respond, once Catrin was done talking she said, "Since we'll introduce you as a commoner from a small border colony, there shouldn't be too much etiquette and social dancing to be done, mostly you just have to be polite; never address anyone of higher rank than you unless spoken to, don't use anyone's personal name without permission, you'll have to use title and name instead, for instance, I would be Scholar Tara, or Ilendi-Scholar. Oh! And don't forget to bow if you meet a noble, or if any priests go past, and if you ever find yourself in one of the temples, you must bow towards the inner sanctum or an altar as soon as you enter.... and if you ever go into the Royal Palace, be sure to bow before the Spire of Names in the courtyard."

Tara paused for a while, a worried look on her face, "And... just to be sure... if you meet an Elder or a Mage pay the utmost respect to them. Mages, Elders and Nobles are the most powerful individuals in our nation, although the more powerful Guilds also have considerable sway... as for the events of the past few thousand years... Let's make you a bit younger, maybe seven or eight centuries; there'll be less to remember and any social missteps might be put down to relative youth, at least amongst the older segments of the populace."

Catrin chuckled. "Yes, it tends to be that way, doesn't it?"

She listened to Tara, sporting a rather doubtful expression in the process. "Well, I'm not sure what the Spire of Names is, but I suppose I'll recognise it when I see it."

"Hmm. How about making me even younger? I really don't mind. As for the Mages, Elders and Nobles - while I will be respectful and all that, eh, how to put it... some of them might sense there is something unusual about me, and if what you said about them being used to intriguing for millenia is true, and I have no reason to believe it isn't, they would never let it show. Moreover, I generally seem to run into important people. And lastly, and this is really, really important." She gave Tara a very serious look.

"Most sapient beings prefer predictability in their lives, however that is not how life works. And I don't see this as preferable, either. My values are very... alien. If I negatively affect your career, or life - not intentionally, of course - I will probably view it a learning opportunity for you. Your interests will not be paramount to me when interacting with anyone. So if you want to be safe, it would be for the best to forget we ever had anything to do with each other. If, on the other hand, you want adventure of the sort which Thyr disapproves of..." she shrugged a little. "It tends to happen to people around me. Or maybe not. It depends on what sort of beings your Elders and Mages are."

Tara seemed to consider this for a moment and then grinned, "You tend to need an adventurous spirit in my line of work; seeking out new worlds and new civilisations and such... besides, when has Thyr's disapproval done anything to dissuade me from an adventure?" She then took on a serious expression, "But I understand. I'm not expecting you, a being from an entirely different universe, to have the same priorities I do, and I know that it might be dangerous, but I don't abandon my friends, and I doubt anyone's going to come after me. I'm just an academic; there's very little of value that could be had from doing anything to me."

She was quiet for a time and then said, "You'll definitely know the Spire when you see it; it's a large monolith that stands in the courtyard of the Royal Palace, inscribed on it are the names of dead. There are four of these Spires in existence, three on Aerin and one in orbit of the planet Gilau. There are actually two Spires in the courtyard of the Royal Palace, the oldest, the second one ever built, is dedicated to those who died during the First Great War, the Gillorian Occupation and the War of the Exile Returned, and the second is dedicated to those that died during the Second Great War, as is the one in orbit of Gilau, though that one is in remembrance of the Gillorians rather than our own fallen. The other Spire of Names is in the city of Othrinel, located in the Homeward Isles of the Eastern Continent, the former capital of the Exilic Regency of the Lost Terelains, what is sometimes called the Kingdom in Exile. That Spire is dedicated to those Lost Ones who perished during the Diaspora and the crossing of the Eastern Ocean and it was the first one ever built." She smiled sadly, "They are monuments to the fallen, and therefore worthy of reverence and respect... we bow to them to honour the dead."

Tara 'shrugged', "You're not likely to visit the Royal Palace, but you might visit Othrinel, or Gilau... though why you'd go to a barren, scorched wasteland is beyond me. I suppose you might like to see the former Throne-World of the Second Gillorian Empire, or see the sites of a few famous battles in nearby systems or something..."

Catrin's expression seemed partly sad and partly entertained. Maybe it was because she had a rather black sense of humour. "Well, it might not be exactly adventures; who knows, in your culture, maybe it will end up being more along the lines of important people including you in their intrigues and plans." She turned a little less entertained as Tara continued.

"I do abandon my friends, however, when necessary. My life is about what has to be done, not what I wish to do. So please, pursue your own interests and don't endanger yourself on my behalf. As a matter of fact, you could have value to my potential future enemies as someone they could use to put pressure on me. Normally, my habitual abandonment of friends and loved ones would actually be beneficial to you in that respect, because anyone who knows me would simply leave you out of things, as including you would only make things worse for them. However, any enemies I would make here would not be aware of that. And with old bored beings at play, even those who aren't outright my enemies may try playing me like a pawn for their entertainment. If you are included, you might find these interactions different from what you are used to as a researcher in that you will have less control over the situation, and you will not be able to run away from it and return home, because in a sense, you will be home."

It was difficult to tell whether Catrin wanted to dissuade Tara from openly acknowledging she had anything to do with her, or if she was neutral about it and intended her to be as informed as possible. She leaned back comfortably to listen to the description of the Spires, and nodded. "I see. Thank you for the explanation. I am unlikely to visit, but it is interesting to know."

Tara nodded, "I know, I've got no illusions. It'll be dangerous to b associated with you, but I can help you. Let's face it, I'm the best guide you could have stumbled across. I can give you an overview of the customs, laws, and cultures of most of the major civilisations in the Known Galaxy and I can put you in touch with experts who can tell you about virtually anything you care to name." She smirked, "I even know an expert on galactic politics who can get you elected Archniath of the Church of the Guardian of Xin'Ta'Fax, President of the Earth Empire and appointed Royal Chancellor of the Third Kingdom, and all before tea time." She tapped a finger to her chin, "Then again, he's got politics in his blood; his great, great grandfather was the man who my people commissioned to make a longevity estimate on the Galactic Senate when it was founded." She smirked, "His report pretty much boiled down to 'I won't give it a year', and it's managed to last one thousand, six hundred and forty-eight years so far. I think that's why he's so dedicated to his job; he wants to expunge that stain on his family's record."

(I was thinking we do another time-skip until we get somewhere more interesting than in-between Jumpgates, say arriving in the Aera System? That way we can RP Catrin and Tara enjoying the Festival of the Thousand Years, plus I've got an idea brewing somewhere in my head for an actual plot we could try.)