Creature Companion

Posted on 26 Feb 2015 @ 12:39am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Petty Officer 1st Class Siren Hex Saalm & Ensign K'os Beaumont & Nesh Saalm & Aila Saalm

2,114 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 07 - Sojourn
Location: Rigel VII - Vajripam Outskirts, Targ Farm
Timeline: MD 27 - 1340 hrs

[ON]

The day before Lirha and her group were scheduled to depart Vajripam had been quite an eventful one for the newly-wed commodore. She'd gotten up early at the instance of her mother who had taken the liberty of cramming several tourist trips into the span of several hours, and so she, Nesh, and Siren had spent the entire morning and early afternoon cruising around the city in their rental hovercar exploring the sights and museums of the world's capital.

It had been a pleasant trip, though, and it was a good feeling to be able to spend time with her mother, sister, and new wife on what was officially their first trip as a new 'family'. The last scheduled stop for the day turned out to be quite a surprise for the Saalms, and Aila wouldn't have done the wedding trip justice if she hadn't picked out a surprise gift for her daughter and in-law.

Said gift was actually a small creature -- at least, they started small. Lirha hadn't had a proper pet since the tribble debacle a couple months ago, and now after mentioning the incident to her mother, Aila had arranged for the acquisition of a more...suitable creature companion. After all, targs were renowned throughout the galaxy for their fierce loyalty to their owners, and it was Aila's opinion that they'd be perfect for a starship pet.

And so, the Saalms' hovercar touched down in the parking lot of Vajripam's most prominent targ farm, located on the outskirts of the city not too far from where the tribble farm was. The doors opened and out climbed Lirha with Siren and Aila in tow, and they proceeded to make their way to the doors of the facility's entrance. The commodore pressed a button on the nearby keypad to ring the chime and alert anyone who was inside that there were customers.

Siren rested her hands on her hips, curious over the whole thing. "I have never seen targs before," she finally admitted, chuckling to herself as she shook her head. "Are they cute?"

Lirha shrugged while they waited, not sure how to answer. Different people had different tastes in pets and she wasn't sure what Siren would think if she'd never seen one before. "Well, I think they are. Especially when they are little...and their manes are made of soft fur," she replied with an honest smile. "When they grow up, they are similar to a large Earth dog. Only a bit stronger. And with more personality."

Near the pair was Nesh, who had been dressed for the exciting occasion, insisting upon going when she heard there were animals involved. She was nearly bouncing in her seat the whole way, face nearly pressed against the window, all but breathing fog all over it. As they exited the car, she continued in her bubbliness, following behind Lirha and Siren, chiming in when she felt the need to. "Most of them like their tummies rubbed too-they make this cute little noise when you do it! They're so so adorable!"

Navaar heard the chime and debated whether to leave it or not. Her joints ached and she really wasn't in the mood for people. With a slight groan she pulled her self out of the chair she was sitting at and made her way to the doors. With a slight heave, she managed to open them enough for her green face to peer through. Her left eye was more squinty than the other one and she peered at them suspiciously. She looked to be about middle aged, perhaps a little older and her hair was starting to grey. She had the wrinkled and scared face and hands of someone that not only worked outside for a living but someone that also handled tusked animals.

Her eyes blinked a couple times as she stared the women down. "What is it?" She said, her voice more hoarse than one would have assumed. She lifted a thin arm and after tucking her chewing tobacco back into her cheeks, she took a long slow spit into a metal cup she held.

"Hm," Aila arched an eyebrow at the display, blinking as she took a moment to just take her in. Delightful. She cleared her throat delicately, clasping her hands together. "Aila Saalm....I arranged to choose a targ for my daughter....?" it was phrased almost like a question, in hopes it would ring a bell.

"Saalm?" Navaar stared hard. If it had rung any bells at all, it wasn't quite certain. Her eyes went to each of the other women in turn, perhaps wondering which 'daughter' she referred to. She said nothing right up to the moment where it looked like Aila would have to say something else. The old farmer's face disappeared and a moment later the door slid fully open allowing the women to enter.

Aila let out a soft breath, relaxing as the door opened for them, murmuring an Orion phrase that translated roughly as 'all's well that ends well'. She looked around with dark eyes, but it was the smell that hit her first. It was certainly...unique. "Whatever pleases you, my dear, you can have whatever you wish," she said firmly to Lirha.

"But not these ones." Navaar's raspy voice had a hint of annoyance to it. Her squinty eye seemed to wander, but her one good eye stared intently at the one referred to as Lirha. "Those ones ain't pets." Her thin arm flapped towards one of the large indoor pens. She turned on her heels and started to head towards the back of the large complex. The further in the women got, the louder it became. Wranglers were busy pushing their way through one of the pens as they went about their daily chores. Grunts, squeals and banging was a near constant sound. The older lady had to raise her voice to be heard over everything. "It's jus' out back here." As they reached the back of the building, Navaar reached a scarred hand towards the handle but stopped, turning towards Lirha. "Ya ever cared for a Targ before, girl?"

Lirha was pretty sure 'mistress' was the polite way to be addressed. Or 'commodore'. But realizing the lady she had been following probably hadn't gotten out much away from the targ farm, she was willing to overlook the apparent lack of formality. "I have not," she simply replied before continuing on with her requests. "I was hoping for a young one no bigger than a meter...mild-tempered, healthy, and male."

"Good thinking. Hard pressed ta find a mild-tempered female targ." She reached up and scratched an itch absently on the eyeball that had been wandering. Only then was it obvious that it was a fake eye. At least now it pointed somewhat straight. "Right." Navaar heaved on the door and led them outback, where the facility opened up to several large fenced pastures. Earth tourists usually likened it to a large pig farm back home. Indeed, if anything it certainly smelled like one.

Navaar spit into her cup before using it to indicate one of the pastures. "We have the male pups in that one right now." She peered hard at Lirha. "Go on in. Take a peek."

Stepping into the targ pen with enthusiasm, Lirha began to slowly wade through the collection of adorable little creatures. Most of them appeared no older than a couple months and they seemed to be happily frolicking with each and rolling around in the dirt. At such a young age, their tusks were tiny and often times barely noticeable, and their manes were in the beginning phases of forming and fluffing out.

Something tugged on the back of Lirha's foot when she tried to take another step and she turned around to see a toddler targ looking up at her with big brown eyes and a hefty chunk of her pant leg secured firmly in his mouth. He gummed the fabric with a few chomps then gave a soft grunt, and Lirha couldn't help but become instantly attached to him. She leaned down and ran her green hand over his snout and back in between his ears where she gave him a friendly scratch, which in turn solicited a series of happy squeals from the targ who then began to sniff her hand with his wet nose.

Siren watched with wide eyes, just taking in the sight of the hog like animal, shaking her head slowly from side to side, tilting it as she stared at the little thing. "That is definitely not like a dog...."

Nearly hanging off of the edge of the targ pen and attempting to not reach out and pet nearly every targ that wandered by, Nesh frowned when she heard Siren's reflections. "What makes you say that?"

"Cos it looks like a pig....and pigs are messy....and big...and our quarters are small...." Siren pointed out, uncertain about the whole adventure. She moved closer, reaching her hand out to the targ, at least trying to interact with it.

"But they're loyal, and full of character," Aila tempted gently with a small smile, moving to rub her arm. "I think they suit you both."

"Hm...." Siren looked across to her, but with a knowing smile and a chuckle at the persuasion attempt. To be fair, the 'hm' wasn't an 'I love it' or an 'I hate it'.

Lirha reached underneath the targ she was petting and gently picked him up and cuddled him to her chest. He seemed quite content with being handled and tucked his back legs in so they weren't dangling, then began to lick the Orion's arm.

"I think he suits us too," she agreed with her mother while giving her wife a big smile. "Here, hold him and pet him," she said to the red-head while moving close and offering the pup for Siren to take.

Siren laughed softly at it quite literally being thrust on to her, but she was good natured in taking hold of it. She was awkward in how she held onto it and pulled it close to her chest, almost as if she wasn't quite sure how to do it or where to tuck her arms. She looked into the dark, large eyes as she scratched the bridge of his snout. She couldn't help but chuckle softly. It was one ugly mother... "Hm, well the little thing needs somewhere to call home...." she had something of a weak spot for misfits that needed to belong somewhere. Because really, that's how she'd viewed herself.

"Excellent, well that's settled then," Aila said quickly with a light clap of her hands, before she could go back on it or change her mind.

The commodore put an arm around Siren's shoulders and hugged both her and the targ close. "Yes, it is settled," she grinned with anticipation while looking over to the handler who had showed them into the pen. "We will take him. Do you... have care instructions, perhaps? For life aboard a starship?"

"Starship? Well..." Navaar looked like she was thinking harder than she had to for the question. "They wouldn't need to wallow, because them ships of yours have fancy environmental controls. He'd like that from time to time though. Maybe on yer holodecks?" She handed Lirha a harness and leash from a bin by the fence.

She cleared her throat and with a surprisingly affectionate tone she explained Targ care 101. "He isn't leash trained. But they're very smart and will learn quickly." She eyed the other pen as if she were concerned the Targs there would overhear her. "When I say smart, I mean smart like a toddler. They get into all your shit, if you don't secure it away. You have to keep them stimulated with toys or by playing with them. You don't want a bored Targ, at least not at this age or they'll start rooting and exploring for things to get into. When he's a little older, and your patient enough to train him, he will be loyal and caring."

"He better, or there's-a-gonna be trouble," Siren warned, but it was softened by a scratch under the pup's chin. "Just you wait, you can be our quarters guard," she chuckled, shaking her head before looking around the group. "Looks like we've found the newest member of the Saalm clan..."

[OFF]

--

CDRE Lirha Saalm
Mission Advisor
USS Galileo

Navaar
Targ Wrangler
[NPC Beaumont]

PO1 Siren Hex Saalm
Intelligence
USS Galileo
[PNPC Blake]

Cadet FG Nesh Saalm
Scientist's Mate
USS Galileo
[PNPC Kita]

Aila Saalm
Mother & Civilian
[PNPC Blake]

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