Fic: The Summer Intern (cont.)

[jeriendhal]

Nan just lay there for five minutes, waiting for the cramp in her leg to clear, before levering herself up onto her feet. She pulled the trap door shut and tottered inside, brushing off the front of her blouse. The interior of the treehouse was one large room, with one section partitioned off for what was probably a bathroom and laundry area. The rest of the room was decorated in what could be charitably described as “Modern Bachelor Pad”. A large video panel occupied the northern wall, in front of a traditional vulpine conversation pit, and an unmade bed was directly opposite. One the east side was an expensive looking kitchen and dining area, and to the west an office area with a desk and comconsole with a tri-d display and a secured FTL comm. The top of the desk was invisible under piles of printouts and portable display pads. Over in the kitchen there were dirty pots in the sink and the conversation pit was filled with stained clothing.

The First One emerged from the bathroom, wearing a t-shirt labeled “Miskatonic University Phys. Ed. Dept.” He glanced at her, running his hand through his hair to comb it. “So why are you here anyway, Fran?”

“Um, that's Nan, sir,” she said. “And I'm here because I'm this year's Freeman Scholar. Because of my language work,” she added.

He cocked his head. “Language work?”

She swallowed, the sinking feeling that had been gathering in her stomach starting to feel like a lead weight. “It was in the paperwork that was forwarded to you. You... um, you did read it, didn't you, sir?”

“Pretend I didn't,” he replied.

She began to explain, her paws flapping nervously. “Well, it was about language structure, and trying to modify Galactic Standard to accommodate the ferin susceptibility to viewing authority figures as their “master”, especially anyone in a higher supervisory position. I'm sure you've heard of the problems with lower ranking ferin in the Service inadvertently imprinting on their superior officers.”

His look was withering. “Once or twice, yeah.”

“Of course. Um, anyway I was originally studying defunct human languages, they used to have hundreds pre-Human Subjagation. One of the most prominent was called Japanese, used by an island culture that was mostly wiped out during the Dominion's use of tsunami attacks on the human populace. Their culture placed a high value on avoiding direct confrontation, and that was reflected in their language, speaking around subjects rather than in a more direct manner. Adopting similar a similar language structure when speaking to ferin might result in fewer incidents like the unfortunate time that Professora Blake accidentally ordered you to...”

“I think I get what you're saying,” the First One said, cutting her off. “So you think by making folks talk different you can keep them from ordering ferin around?”

“Well, essentially, yes.”

“So they decided to send you over here to work with me for a season to see what ferin are really like.”

“Well, not exactly. I've met plenty of ferin at the university and of course when I was in the Service.”

“That's not the same thing,” the First One said. “This is the real world, our world. You're a guest here, ya understand?”

Nan swallowed, not sure where the conversation was going. “I know the Reserve is your domain, First One. That's written law.”

“That's not what I meant.” He waved his hand, dismissing the subject. “Anyway, I'm stuck with you for the rest of the season, so you'd better start making yourself useful.”

Nan straitened up. “Of course, First One. What would you like me to do first?”

He pointed to the pile of clothes sitting in the conversation pit. “Stuff those in the laundry, then you can get to work scrubbing the pots in the kitchen.”

Her heart sank. “Yes, sir.”

Oh, by the Holy Den Mother, this was going to be a long summer...

TBC

Comments

[mjkj.livejournal.com]

Poor Nan...

Yeah, he still is a brat :P

mjkj

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Yeah, since we can't tell why he doesn't go "hey, stop sending interns to me, they annoy me", but are just shown that he bullies them, so far he comes across as a compelte ass to me.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

He's got his reasons, trust me on this.

[ankewehner.livejournal.com]

Yep, I'm waiting for them to come up.

[chaypeta.livejournal.com]

Getting his new intern to wash his clothes and clean his house. Yup, he'd do that. lol.
I like the research Nan is undertaking. That's an interesting take on avoiding imprinting issues, not that I'm familiar with Japanese language structure.