<On>
[Petrova's quarters]

The hours had passed. They were in orbit of Earth now, and she had rested and found her determination. She was gonna bring Ryylar down to meet her father, to share the visit to her mother's grave with her, to offer moral support. It was something that needed to be done. She sighed softly, straightening her uniform, buttoning it up properly and heading towards her door, suitcase in hand.

The door chimed.

"What the .. " she muttered. <Now what. Well, since I'm at the door anyways, might as well open it and see.> And so her door slid open with it's trademark hiss.

Sulan entered, extending a scarred have to shake. "Greetings. I am Lieutenant Sulan, Junior -Grade. I understand that you are my immediate superior?" She sits in an unoccupied chair. "I was hoping to speak with you, if I may, sir."

The aged russian woman gave a BLINK as this scarred vulcan just invited herself into her quarters and took a seat. ".. First of all, I prefer to be called Ma'am. Second, I was just on my way out. Third - I am Everyone's superior, except Caelen's - you'll have to be a bit more specific. Sulan did you say ? .. Ah, yes, our new chief of Security. I've already gotten complaints about you." The auburn-haired woman had her eyes slightly narrowed, looking Straight at Sulan, as she set her suitcase down again. She remained standing, folding her arms over eachother.

Sulan steepled her finger below her chin and crossed her legs casually. She looked at the human, reading the emotions plainly on her face. Annoyance, mild-anger, mistrust. She looked around the room at the objects decorating the walls. "A pity truly, my methods are somewhat.... unorhodox by human standards."

".. Not to mention bloodthirsty, barbaric and violent." Kristiana sighed softly as she sat herself down across from Sulan, still looking directly at the vulcan woman. ".. But, they deserve it, bunch of wimps. I was chief security for several years before taking on this position. The way my security officers have been treating some of my crew got my blood boiling, and if you see a few of them in the brig with their teeth knocked out and cracked ribs, that's My handiwork."

Sulan nods. "Most agreeable. I favor those methods myself. Sometime violence is the only thing that will get through to an inferior species. I see you have a fondness for bladed weapons as I do." She said while looking at the collection.

".. Inferior species ?" Kristiana raised a brow, eyes narrowing just a bit more. "I was under the impression that things like racism were outlawed in the federation, and all members were treated equal .. ?" The russian woman tensed slightly, not liking the implications of Sulan's words. She didn't respond to Sulan's question about the bladed weapons. It was a good collection, though. Various types of swords from various periods on Earth, some pole-arms, like a Halberd and a Naginata, but the centerpiece was the intricately enscribed, original, Bat'leth. The only piece that was a real combat weapon instead of a replica of one.

Sulan stood, moving over to the weapon collection, and picking up the
Bat'leth. It was pefectly balenced, and showed signs of having been used in combat. "Another unfortunate failing of the Federation, Ma'am. The failure to acknolege the fact that some species are better than others. This alone, has held the federation back for decades." She stares at the blade gleaming in the light. "An efficient, and beautiful weapon... I've had the honor of using them before."

".. And what, pray tell, makes you superior to us, lowly humans, then ?" She would rise to her feet, taking the Bat'leth from Sulan's hands and carefully placing it back on the wall. That weapon meant a great deal to her, and she wasn't gonna let a racist Vulcan smudge it.

"Several things." She said quietly, trying to calm the human. "Strength, intelect, culture, and wisdom, to name a few." She sits again, wondering if the human would attack her in the rages they were prone to. "I realise that it is difficult to accept your inferiority, but with time, Vulcans can mold you people into something approaching our near-perfection."

Kristiana shook her head. Slightly at first, then more. "I _so_ don't agree with you. True, vulcans are on average stronger than humans. But Klingons are on average atleast as strong as Vulcans, so to say that Vulcans are superior because of strength is a load of bovine excrement." Kristiana sat back down again, eyes narrowed to mere slits, at this Vulcan.

"Intellect ? That's almost impossible to properly measure, with all the different forms of intelligence. Spatial acuity, understanding of abstract constructs, emotional capability, ability to use and adapt an existing knowledge-base to suit new problems, creativity - all depend on different aspects of intelligence, and some of those are very hard to measure." Kristiana continued.

"Culture ? How would you measure That ? We humans have a Very rich and diverse culture - more so than the Vulcan race. So what if a good portion of it is marred by war and conflict ? It's what brought us to where we are, today - the most prevalant race in the federation, one of it's founders. It's what Shaped us into what we Are. So, what exactly about our culture is inferior to yours ?"

She still wasn't done with her rant. "Wisdom comes from experience. Most and best experience comes from mistakes. Mistakes are made more in a rich and diverse culture than a single one which outlaws one of nature's driving creative forces - emotion. Emotions give rise to individuality, to creativity. Emotions allow us to be sad and angry, but also to be happy and content. Emotions allow us to be in love, emotions guide us, steer us, grant us our intuition. Without that, we wouldn't be anywhere Near where we are now. Maybe having no emotions works for you, and your race, but to us - and Everyone else - it's what makes us unique, more than machines." Kristiana leaned in and spoke softly, but darkly.

"If achieving your 'near perfection' means that I have to cast away everything that makes me an individual, a personality, instead of a biological machine without driving force, then you can Keep your perfection, and shove it where the light doesn't shine. And furthermore, Lieutenant - we do NOT accept Racism on this ship, in Any shape or form. You are free to believe whatever makes you comfortable about your own superiority, but from now on, you Will treat your fellow shipmates as befit their rank and actions, Not their race. Am I understood, Lieutenant ?"

"Quite." She said calmly. "Thought I will find it difficult if you continue to allow such negative emotions to overrule your thought processes. I cannot claim to understand why humans would willingly choose to remain in a mentally inferior state, as one who would be subject to emotion. But then again, vulcans are far older. We had mastered nuclear power while humans were still living in caves and painting their faces with their own excrement." She holds up a hand, forstalling Petrova's further wrath. "Now, on to the matter which brought me here: punishments for the security officers, and the Cait, Ryylar. I suggest mass termination of all of their positions, and deportation to Earth." She folds her hands in her lap, scared one over unscarred one, and looked with an epressionless face, waiting.

Kristiana would not let a Lieutenant Junior-Grade shut her up by changing the subject. "I'm not done, yet, Lieutenant. What you consider our inferior state, is our greatest strength. It allows us to be creative, in ways that a pure logical being simply cannot achieve. That's why humans like Kirk, Picard, Sisko, Janeway, Soong, and numerous others are all more widely known and celebrated than vulcans like Spock or Sarek. But this is all besides the point. Vulcans are superior to humans in some ways. Humans are superior to vulcans in other ways. In the end, it's the differences between our species, and our co-operation, that makes the federation what it is. That makes us strong, that made us able to withstand the Dominion, the Borg, the Cardassians, and you name it."

Kristiana sighed softly and shook her head a bit. "If all federation members thought and behaved the same way, we'd lose what makes us strong, Sulan. It's our diversity that has brought us where we are. That made us the power in the region. That keeps us firmly in our seats, and that will continue to keep us where we are. Vulcan logic combined with human inginuity is what makes us strong."

She sat back now, still looking at Sulan, though a bit calmer again. "Atleast, that's the way I feel about it. Yes, Feel. That is what I believe. And I doubt you can say anything that would make me change my mind. But you're welcome to try - Another time. I have business to attend to, today."

She shifted a bit to make more comfortable. "Punishments for Ryylar and the offending security crew has already been decided upon, and has begun. As far as I'm concerned, the case is closed."

Sulan nods. "A pitty we don't have time to discuss our differing philosopys futher, for I would tell you how being half human weaked Spock's bloodline. I believe you would be suprised to know that cirtain factions on Vulcan see Spock for the heretic he is. Your are correct, that Vulcan logic does make you strong. In fact, it was Vulcans that kept you from killing yourselves off. Cocran's vehicle would have been adapted to a weapon if not for the Vulcans showing up and 'pulling your asses out of the fire' to use a human phrase." She stands, and gracefully moves toward the door. "I believe it will be facinating to serve under you. I'm off to speak to the Cait. Oh, does it understand Federation standard fully, or will I have to use smaller words in order to speak to it?"

Kristiana rose to her feet, sharply, and turned to Sulan. "You are out of line, Lieutenant ! That Cait is not an 'it' but a full member of my crew, and you will treat him with the respect that goes with that !" Her fists balled, she was livid at this racist vulcan now, after the latter insulted her boyfriend. "Now if I hear so much as a single racist word out of you, I will have you on report !"

"Understood. I was under the impression that he was a pet of one of the crew. I was not aware that he was fully sentient." She bows slightly, in the vulcan style. "I apologise for inadvertantly causing you to feel negative emotions. With your permission, I will return to my duties." She rubs the area where the EMH had touched her neck with the hypospray. The human's irrational outburst had caused her headache to returm momentarilly. She shunted the pain aside with a vulcan mental excercise. Dealing with humans was like dealing with Romulan children. Noisy and unexpected.

Kristiana had her eyes narrowed, still, as she watched Sulan, cautiously. Some superior race, if a little argument is enough to give her a headache. "... Dismissed, Lieutenant."

Sulan exits, dismissing the human from her thoughts.

<Off>

Fire and brimstone by the Pegasus' two most formidable women:

Lt Cmdr Kristiana Petrova
Executive Officer
USS Pegasus
"Is that vulcan so much as BREATHES wrong near Ryylar .. "

&

Lt JG Telek Sulan
Chief Security
USS Pegasus