Lieutenant Thenalak, Head Scientist
From Create Your Own Story
You pull up Lieutenant Thenalak's personnel file on your computer, it reads:
Name: Thenalak
Rank: Lieutenant
Date of Birth: March 20, 2356
Species: Hiroxian
Gender: Female
Division of Service: Science
Date of Enlistment: April 27, 2392
Special Awards: Space Command Star of Commendation
You've never met a Hiroxian before, they are rumored to be very reclusive. You consider yourself to be open-minded when it comes to aliens, but you aren't happy about having Thenalak on board. She is the only nonhuman assigned to the Excalibur. Stories of Hiroxians make you uneasy. You've heard that Hiroxian culture is brutal; full of bloodshed and violence. You push the com button and ask Lieutenant Thenalak to come to your office.
"I'm on my way" she answers.
A few minutes later your door chimes.
"Come in" you say.
The door opens and Thenelak walks in. She has long blue hair that she keeps in a braid. For the most part her skin is very light purple, almost white, but there are darker areas around the side of her head that go down her neck. It looks like she is wearing heavy purple eye shadow, but that is just natural pigmentation for her. The eyes themselves look human, but the iris is golden. She has no eyebrows. You notice how human her nose looks. Her lips are dark purple, nearly black, and her teeth are all pointed. The only other part of her that isn't covered by here uniform are her hands, which are frightening. She has five fingers and on each one there is a 3 inch claw. She could probably slash a person to death with little effort. You can imagine her being the monster a child imagines is hiding under his bed, but she is still attractive in a strange way.
"Lieutenant Thenalak reporting as ordered sir" she says.
"Have a seat" you say.
She sits down in the chair on the other side of your desk.
"I'd like to know more about you Lieutenant." you begin. "I don't know much about Hiroxians..."
"Hiroxi" she interrupts.
"I beg your pardon?"
"You said 'Hiroxians,' the plural form of Hiroxian is Hiroxi."
"Oh, I see. Tell me more about the Hiroxi."
"Can you be more specific sir?"
"Where are you from? Tell me about your home."
"I come from River City in the Yamira Province of Hirox."
"Why did you leave Hirox?"
"It's a personal matter, I'd rather not discuss it sir."
You're beginning to become annoyed. You can tell that she isn't going to give you much information, but you continue anyways.
"Very well. Oh, I read in you're personnel file that you are 44 years old, is that right?"
"I believe so sir, at least by Earth's calendar. A year on Hirox lasts longer than a year on Earth, it has been a while since I sat down and did the math to figure out my age."
"Well, you certainly don't look 44" you say trying to sound friendly.
"Thank you sir, I'm actually young for a Hiroxian."
"Oh really? What's the average life expectancy for Hiroxians, I mean Hiroxi." You're finally getting somewhere with her.
"The average Hiroxian lifespan is 180 Earth years I believe, however I've been told some of my ancestors lived to be 200."
"Wow, I'd like to know more about your people, other than a long life span, do the you have any other strange characteristics?"
"Strange? Well, I guess there are a few things about me that are different, but they are normal for me."
"Of course, sorry, but please continue."
"For one thing, I can breathe under water."
"Really? That's amazing. So are you an amphibian? You have hair so that would suggest you're a mammal..."
"I am a pseudo-mammal. Not quite mammal, but not quite amphibian either."
"I see. What else?"
"I have a series of organs in both my forearms which allow me to produce electricity, much like the electric eel of your world, but they can produce more electricity than I can."
"That's... frightening." you say.
"There is one more thing," she continues. "I have low level psychic ability."
"Psychic? Explain."
"I can read minds under certain conditions, I'm also susceptible to picking up the psychic energy of higher level psychic beings."
"Can you read my mind?" You are becoming concerned. You don't like the idea of anyone invading you mind. You also don't want Thenalak to know exactly what you think of her.
"I'd rather not," she replies. "The act of mind reading requires a great deal of effort and would be rather unpleasant for both of us."
You are somewhat relieved. "You mean I would be able to tell if you were trying to read my mind?"
"Most certainly, I'd have make physical contact with you and you would be able to 'sense' me in your mind."
"Well, this all very interesting and I'd love to talk to you more sometime, but now I'd better let you get back do your duties."
"Thank you sir, I look forward to serving under you." She stands up and leaves your office. You feel somewhat better about her now that you've gotten to know her a little better, but you're still not sure.
What do you do now?
OR
