Disclaimer: I don't own this stuff. It is not mine to use, but since when
do I let that stop me?
Priorities
"Hello, Guinan." Nadhari said glumly as she sat down at the bar in Ten Forward.
"What's wrong?" the El-Aurian barkeep asked.
"Nothing, really, It's just that I don't think I'll ever understand Starfleet officers! My father wants me to decide whether or not the Federation will make a good trading partner, and after six months I'm more confused than I was before!" she moaned.
"You've seen many of them on duty, they're good people." Guinan replied.
"That isn't what I mean. Father already knows it's a good organization, and he knows they perform their duties well, but that isn't what we consider when we're looking for allies. To Galileiaens, it's the people we want to know more about, not the officers."
"And that's what confuses you." Guinan made it more of a statement than a question.
"Yes, I know they are nice people, and I know they work very hard at doing the right thing, especially the Humans, but they don't know how to balance their lives." Nadhari explained.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they become so career-focused, especially the higher-ranking officers. They won't let themselves become too attached to anyone, and the neglect their personal lives horribly, especially the Captains. Why, anyone I've met who's married did so before they became Lieutenant Commanders. Even this Great Captain Kirk never married, and there isn't anyone to carry on his line. Although, I did look into his personal life, and womanizer that he was, maybe it's a good thing there won't ever be another one."
"He had a son once, but he died as a young man. Besides, womanize that he was, we're not completely sure the line's at an end," Guinan cracked a small smile.
Nadhari grinned. "I don't know. A few weeks ago, I attended the reception for that ship that somehow made it back from the Delta Quadrant, what was it called?"
"Voyager."
"Yes, that was it, Voyager! Well anyway, even I could tell that the Captain and her First Officer had feelings for each other, even though they did nothing about it, and that was before I started talking to Lieutenants Paris and Torres. They were married, but then again, they were only Lieutenants."
Guinan nodded.
"Did you know they had a betting pool to see who could guess exactly when the Captain and Commander to get together? There were over four thousand replicator rations in it by last year. Lieutenant Paris said they were going to keep it sitting there, and give it to them as a wedding present if they ever decide to get married. Are these type of betting pools common everywhere in Starfleet? There are two separate ones on this ship."
"Are there really?" Guinan smiled.
"Yeah, And you know what's really funny? The person who started the first one, doesn't realize he's part of the second. You'd think they wouldn't be so naïve."
"Oh?" Guinan said, "I wouldn't call them naïve, just, blissfully unaware."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"So what are you going to do? Aren't you leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'm going to tell my father to approve and trade with the Federation. Then we're going to unleash my older sisters on all of you."
"Why is that?"
"From what I've seen, this part of space needs quite a few more matchmakers."
Priorities
"Hello, Guinan." Nadhari said glumly as she sat down at the bar in Ten Forward.
"What's wrong?" the El-Aurian barkeep asked.
"Nothing, really, It's just that I don't think I'll ever understand Starfleet officers! My father wants me to decide whether or not the Federation will make a good trading partner, and after six months I'm more confused than I was before!" she moaned.
"You've seen many of them on duty, they're good people." Guinan replied.
"That isn't what I mean. Father already knows it's a good organization, and he knows they perform their duties well, but that isn't what we consider when we're looking for allies. To Galileiaens, it's the people we want to know more about, not the officers."
"And that's what confuses you." Guinan made it more of a statement than a question.
"Yes, I know they are nice people, and I know they work very hard at doing the right thing, especially the Humans, but they don't know how to balance their lives." Nadhari explained.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they become so career-focused, especially the higher-ranking officers. They won't let themselves become too attached to anyone, and the neglect their personal lives horribly, especially the Captains. Why, anyone I've met who's married did so before they became Lieutenant Commanders. Even this Great Captain Kirk never married, and there isn't anyone to carry on his line. Although, I did look into his personal life, and womanizer that he was, maybe it's a good thing there won't ever be another one."
"He had a son once, but he died as a young man. Besides, womanize that he was, we're not completely sure the line's at an end," Guinan cracked a small smile.
Nadhari grinned. "I don't know. A few weeks ago, I attended the reception for that ship that somehow made it back from the Delta Quadrant, what was it called?"
"Voyager."
"Yes, that was it, Voyager! Well anyway, even I could tell that the Captain and her First Officer had feelings for each other, even though they did nothing about it, and that was before I started talking to Lieutenants Paris and Torres. They were married, but then again, they were only Lieutenants."
Guinan nodded.
"Did you know they had a betting pool to see who could guess exactly when the Captain and Commander to get together? There were over four thousand replicator rations in it by last year. Lieutenant Paris said they were going to keep it sitting there, and give it to them as a wedding present if they ever decide to get married. Are these type of betting pools common everywhere in Starfleet? There are two separate ones on this ship."
"Are there really?" Guinan smiled.
"Yeah, And you know what's really funny? The person who started the first one, doesn't realize he's part of the second. You'd think they wouldn't be so naïve."
"Oh?" Guinan said, "I wouldn't call them naïve, just, blissfully unaware."
"Yeah, I suppose you're right."
"So what are you going to do? Aren't you leaving tomorrow?"
"Yes. I'm going to tell my father to approve and trade with the Federation. Then we're going to unleash my older sisters on all of you."
"Why is that?"
"From what I've seen, this part of space needs quite a few more matchmakers."