"You mean you don't even date?" Tom was now genuinely interested.
"Not in the mannerrr humans do, no. We use ourrr frrriendliness to interrrest many males. We get to know them forrr many yearrrs. Eventually, we pick a favorrrite. Then, we arrre mated and become m'sarrr'e; lifemates."
"So..." Tom was almost afraid to ask the question, "are you wanting me to be in the running as a lifemate?"
"Oh, no!" P'rr's responded quickly and a bit loudly. She looked around and smiled at the people now staring at her in the messhall. She lowered her voice, "This is just how Catian females arrre. I mean nothing by it. It means nothing morrre than a human male watching an attrrractive female walk past. The trrruth is, Sirrr, although most Catian females find human males pleasant to look at..." she looked down at her cup and scratched at the table with her claws. What she was about to say could be misconstrued. "...frrrankly...yourrr culturrre is a bit...distasteful to Catians." She measured each word she said.
Tom's expression was of shock, "Really?" Realizing that she truly wasn't interested in him was both a relief, and a mild offense. "Why?"
"Well, Sirrr...once we mate, we mate forrr life. We rrremain mated even if one mate dies. Until we met humans, we had no worrrds like 'divorrrce' or 'separrrate'." She struggled to say the words. "Such a species-wide acceptance of an obvious lack of committment is...well...unsavorrry."
Tom took a sip of his spice tea. "I can see where that would be a problem. You know, P'rr's, humans don't normally enter relationships expecting them to fail," he offerd weakly. This topic was starting to hit a nerve with him. He began thinking of his fianceé back in Australia. Recently, he had been having second thoughts.
"So I have been told," she replied. "Yet, because it is even an option, we considerrr humans like a poisoned flowerrr...look, but do not touch."
"I don't know that I've ever been described that way, P'rr's," Tom responded thoughtfully. He scratched his goatee. This conversation was starting to sting a little, but he didn't want to lead on. After all, it wasn't P'rr's' fault he was getting cold feet.
P'rr's put her hands up in defense. "Please don't misunderrrstand me, Leiutenant. Prrrofessionally, I hold you in high rrregard. You arrre one of the most talented engineerrrs I have everrr met. Perrrsonally, I like you, too. Rrromantically...no."
"Well, as long as I know your...um...friendliness...is harmless, I'm fine with that. After all, I have a fianceé of my own back home, and I don't want to ruin that."
"Yourrr potential mate will rrreceive no competition frrrom me, Leiutenant." P'rr's said with a smile. She took another sip.
"Well, that settles that," Tom started. "Wait...have you been 'friendly' with other crewmen?" He started thinking of all the possible reports he'd either have to file, sign, or clear up.
"Perrrhaps one orrr two. I have not had an opporrrtunity to worrrk with many. I...was hoping you could help explain me, if any situations arrrise with other co-worrrkerrrs." She looked up at Tom with hopeful ice blue, feline eyes.
"No worries, P'rr's. I'll look after you. After all, what are friends for?" Tom gave her a warm smile. Deep down, though, a part of him regretted her romantic disinterest. Perhaps it was his own doubts regarding his engagement, but the thought of having another love interest excited him. His thoughts were a jumble of feelings for his fianceé, Corina, his warnings about fraternizing with subbordinates, P'rr's' disinterest. He began wondering what would happen if he could convince her that he was different. Then, it hit him like a lead ball. The reason why Catians don't get romantically involved with humans was because of the very thought he was having now.
P'rr's put her hands on his. "Thank you, Tom. Yourrr frrriendship means much to me."