Naga Rylu Personal Log

[Naga Rylu]

[Begin Log]

Onscreen, Naga sits back in her seat, looking at the screen.  Her room is modestly decorated with heat-loving plants, and she's taken off her regulation uniform in favor of a loose-fitting, draped fabric outfit.

"... I've never kept a diary before.  Or anything like a diary.  However, the councilor I was assigned when I first arrived at Starfleet recommended that I start keeping one.  Said they thought it would... help me."  She smiled tightly, making an odd clucking sound in the back of her throat.  "I am skeptical.  I don't feel that things bother me overly much about my old life.  I never got to know my parents or siblings, and that I can live with.  My brothers were likely either sorted into warriors or laborers, maybe one or two kept for aesthetic enjoyment like myself.  My sisters probably had a similar life to mine."

She picked up a glass carefully in her long talons, opening her jaws and delicately wrapping her tongue around a straw to draw it into her maw.  After a few sips, she set it back down.  "There are two things I regret about my old life.  One; that I failed to kill the one who owned me.  I refuse to use the term 'Master' any longer, never again will I give him that sort of power in my mind.  My second regret is that I... left my brood behind.  That I didn't take them and leave before they were separated from me."  She stopped talking for a few more moments.  "If there is any consolation I have, it is that they are likely being well cared for.  All of them had exceptional hides, one of my boys had scarlet bars down his spine, and my favorite girl had Troizak (paradise) colors, turquoise and violet.  I'm quite surprised that he sold her off, actually...  Maybe he was in more financial trouble than he let on."

"All in all, those two points are what trouble me the most about my old life, primarily because those were the opportunities I had to try to exert some control, to take back some power.  I'm not sure how good a Mother I would have been, but I know that there are excellent childcare professionals on Earth I might entrust them to."

Another long pause.  "I am unsure how long these entries should be, or how to end them.  I watched something called a 'reality Holoshow' the other night, so I shall try to end it like I saw there.  Today, I had an adequate time in the labs.  Nothing exploded.  I attempted to make overtures of conversation to the one sitting next to me during break, but they did not seem terribly interested.  I had some meat for lunch, the replicator called it 'steak', from something called a cow.  I have had steak before while on Earth, and I believe that there might be a few calibrations off in the replicator, because it tasted slightly off.  As a primary carnivore, this is slightly alarming, as we have a lesser sensitivity of taste than omnivores or Herbivores."

[End Recording]

[Naga Rylu]

[Begin Log]

The first image on screen is an up-close view of Naga's wide-open jaws, specifically her long tongue and the rows of sharp teeth.  She turned her head one way, then the other before sitting back and closing her maw.

"I don't see any decay."  She mutters under her breath.  "No rotten meat either.  I am keeping up with my personal cleanliness standards."  She says this with confidende.  "Therefore, I will determine that the comment of 'your breath smells of Fetid Meat' from that Klingon was supposed to be a racial slur.  Interesting.  I suppose he was trying to pick a fight with me."  The expression on her face becomes thoughtful.  Or is it amused?  It's a bit hard to tell on a Gorn.  "I wonder if he thinks me a coward for not rising to the bait?  Not that he's wrong.  I prioritize practicality and survival over pride any day.  I believe that my response of excusing myself to make sure nothing was lodged in my teeth was correct.  Facing an ambassador of another race while one's meal is wedged in one's teeth is hardly a proper impression to make.  Though perhaps I should have asked a colleague to confirm?"  Naga mulls this over a bit more, then makes a strange, hiccupping sort of hissing gurgling noise, a Gorn chuckle.  "I believe I am due for a sleep cycle.  I just envisioned myself heaving a great breath into the face of a senior officer I've recently become friends with and asking him what he thought.  Being a Caitian, I would imagine that his sense of smell is as good as mine, if not better.  Delerium is hardly a good thing, perhaps I should go to sleep now."

[End recording]

[Naga Rylu]

Special edition; Alternate Timeline logs for S1 M4 of Tempest

Naga adjusts herself in front of the viewscreen, the room around her is in a bit of a shambles and there appears to be bruising of some sort swelling the scaly skin on the right side of her face, as well as some cuts on her long muzzle.  "There is a human saying that 'any landing you can walk _A-a^Away from is a good one."  Her tongue snakes out and licks some of the red blood away from her teeth.  "I find I am not inclined to agree.  This was a very unpleasant experience.  Several deaths have occurred, despite the tenacity of Medical Personell, and some of the local wildlife population is considerably more dangerous than expected.  Given the damage to the ship, it has been determined that we are likely going to be here for some time.  I have volunteered to be part of the scouting group here, and also have taken on some security duties.  We have crashed in a high temperature, high humidity area, and tropical forest...  I love it here."  She admitted quietly, with a certain mix of glee and guilt.  "I would of course prefer different circumstances over being marooned, but yes, I admit I like this world."

{end Log}

[Naga Rylu]

Special edition; Alternate Timeline Log S1M4

The scratches and other injuries from the previous video have scabbed over and appear to be healing well.  "We have been here on 'New Horizons' for the last week or so.  I have decided to get proper prosthesis replacements for my sickle-claws, and will go to medical to have this procedure done, as I have deemed not having them is a possible liability for myself and my team on this planet.  The Megafauna here, while a delight to catalogue and study, have developed some alarming traits for self-defense against something the crew has taken to calling 'The Howlers' or 'The Screamers'.  They are a mammalian species, but seem to have some lizard-like qualities, such as egg-laying and a scaled face.  I managed to kill one with the help of K'lizh, and look forward to dissection later.  Their methods of hunting vary, leading me to believe they have some level of intelligence and coordinate their assaults by 'talking' to one another, and draw attention by screeching or howling at frequencies designed to assault the inner ear.  They have six legs and a tail, with very flexible joints; one favorite attack pattern seems to be to drop on their prey from the canopy above and attack their prey with venomous spurs located on their middle set of limbs.  Their thick, long orange hair seems to be growing over their tough hides, and they have three 'toes' on each hand, tipped by long claws, the 'thumbs' of which are curved into something like a meathook.  Their teeth are backwards-pointing, but have saw-like edges on the backs, to make sawing off chunks of meat easier.  I have seen no evidence of them being omnivores, though they might understand the concept of 'bait' since they have been recently discovered taking care of a grove of fruit trees.  This requires further study."

[Naga Rylu]

Special edition; Alternate Timeline Log S1M4

The scratches and other injuries from the previous video have scabbed over and appear to be healing well.  "We have been here on 'New Horizons' for the last week or so.  I have decided to get proper prosthesis replacements for my sickle-claws, and will go to medical to have this procedure done, as I have deemed not having them is a possible liability for myself and my team on this planet.  The Megafauna here, while a delight to catalogue and study, have developed some alarming traits for self-defense against something the crew has taken to calling 'The Howlers' or 'The Screamers'.  They are a mammalian species, but seem to have some lizard-like qualities, such as egg-laying and a scaled face.  I managed to kill one with the help of K'lizh, and look forward to dissection later.  Their methods of hunting vary, leading me to believe they have some level of intelligence and coordinate their assaults by 'talking' to one another, and draw attention by screeching or howling at frequencies designed to assault the inner ear.  They have six legs and a tail, with very flexible joints; one favorite attack pattern seems to be to drop on their prey from the canopy above and attack their prey with venomous spurs located on their middle set of limbs.  Their thick, long orange hair seems to be growing over their tough hides, and they have three 'toes' on each hand, tipped by long claws, the 'thumbs' of which are curved into something like a meathook.  Their teeth are backwards-pointing, but have saw-like edges on the backs, to make sawing off chunks of meat easier.  I have seen no evidence of them being omnivores, though they might understand the concept of 'bait' since they have been recently discovered taking care of a grove of fruit trees.  This requires further study."

Special Log S1M1

The time is just a few scant hours since her last log, Naga seems to be in a state of high excitement, her pupils are dialated and have a stronger silvery sheen than usual, as well as a fully raised spike ridge and more pronounced coloration to her throat puff.  "Where do I start!?  The Howler creatures, they are monotremes and the closest creature I can compare them to is the Earth Platypus.  Their young are born from eggs, but they are warm blooded and even nurse their young!  Their cranial cavities and brain structure indicate a modicum of intelligence comparable to primitive primates and perhaps porpoises, well within the range of problem solving levels and the capacity to bait their prey.  The toxins in their spurs are quite lethal, with an enzyme that actually acts to dissolve nervous tissue!  It's quite extrordinary!"  She pauses to try and catch her breath.  "... Also I just completed the procedure for my prosthetics, and I think they got the mixture a little bit wrong.  I feel more elevated and excited than lethargic and tranquil.  It should burn off though, and so I got the doctor to agree to just let it get itself out of my system rather than try a counter drug and placing me in a coma by accident.  I love science so much!"  Her rather manic behaviour continues as she gets distracted by something offscreen and begins to croon a Gornish lullaby while organizing the tropical plants in her room that were still upset by the crash a week ago.

[End recording time]

[Naga Rylu]

[Special Edition Log, S1M4]

Another ten days has passed.  Naga looks a bit tired, and visible on the bed behind her is... the outline of someone under the covers?  "... I have to try and gather myself.  Remember what has happened since my last entry.

"Our first attempt to create a base camp was a horrendous failure.  The place that was surveyed was supposed to be ideal, but no one expected the Howlers to mount an attack of such a large scale.  The human members of our party lack the ability to see heat or process weak lighting efficiently, and the Vulcans, while a bit better, still do not have the efficiency of Caitian or Gorn vision in this respect.  We lost five people to the jungle, presumed dead, three more are in critical care tonight, and four have died.

"We had found high ground, a small natural clearing in the forest with fresh water and a grove of fruit trees.  The scouts found no evidence that the grove was controlled by a pack, so it was judged to be relatively safe and construction began.

"I am assuming they watched us for several nights before they struck.  Learning about our schedules, when the fewest number of Caitians were on guard...  And they attacked.  Their natural sonic weapons were quite effective in throwing the camp into chaos, and they managed to pick off several people to carry away into the darkness.  I have not been able to track down a sign of their deaths, and neither has K'lizh.  There is a small possibility we will find them alive, since living prey keeps better than dead, but...  It's been over 24 hours.  The Lieutenant Commander ordered K'lizh and I back to the ship to get some rest, the search is still ongoing.  I don't think I will be able to sleep properly until I am able to retrieve at least part of them, to set them to rest."

[Naga Rylu]

Naga sighs heavily, laying belly- down and stretched out on her floor- bed.  She looks rather like a sunning reptile on a rock.  Her scaled hide is bare as she enjoys the false sunlight from the light above.

"The encounter with the Alternate Tempest started out fine, but quickly became quite tiresome.  I personally don't see what the fuss is about.  If we want to have the children we had, then all they have to do is mate with each other in the way that was indicated by our descendants.  All the concern about killing them by going about our business was ridiculous.  My future self didn't seem concerned either."

She stretched and rolled over, lifting her feet to look at and admire her new pair of sickle- claws.  They are part artificial, part made of cloned bio matter from her other claws.

"Conversely from my crew mates, I have been given hope by this encounter.  My brood is not forever out of my reach.  I am determined to redeem myself of one of the only things I truly regret."

She made some quick slashing motions with her claws before hissing and mauling a cushion with them, growling in a satisfied manner as the sharp claws tore open the poor pillow.  "I obviously have had my claws replaced.  It is glorious.  I feel like I'm back in my pre pubescent stage, I have an amusing urge to attack things and test them out... it is a controllable urge, I have learned nothing if not control, but small acts of destruction like this are enjoyable."

She looked over at the lens.  "I am rambling.  Hm.  My future self indicated I would mate with a Caitian.  I am not sure of this.  I am quite sure we would not be compatible sexually speaking, but stranger things have happened, I suppose.  I have a feeling I might know who...  but I digress.  We have two new notables, another Caitian male I have aeen and scented in passing, and a human, Galloway, I believe his name is.  We were rather preoccupied, so there were no introductions, but I am impressed by his piloting skills."

She yawns, large jaws flashing sharp teeth.    "I am tired.  End transmission."

[Naga Rylu]

Naga Rylu, Personal Log

((Backlogged data from the Mirror universe incident))

Naga comes on screen, Shikh visible in the background, a little shaken up, but not totally terrified.

"It has been some time since my last log here."  She states as she glances back at the blue female behind her.  She currently has no clothing, as she was wearing none when she was beamed aboard, save for a collar and cuffs.  "A lot has happened.  We were ambushed by the ISS Tempest the other day, the Captain Rellek was abducted via transporter, and we chased after and boarded the Mirror ship.  I discovered Shikh was on board the ship when I was scanning for the Captain, and she was added to our rescue mission as an objective.  She was beamed aboard to a holding room while we went to save Rellek, and I went to talk to her afterwards."  A hesitation as she glanced back at the smaller gorn, who had flopped over onto her bed, apparently rather exhausted.  "... I am not entirely sure of what action to take now.  I have maternal desires to see that my youngling is well cared for, I'm just... not sure of how to do that."  She said in a hushed voice as she rubbed her face tiredly with a clawed hand.  "Does she resent me for not taking her away earlier?  Do I have a right to try to be her mother now?  Indeed, I always regret letting him part them from me, but I still let it happen.  Regaining them was always just a vague desire until the incident with meeting our descendants from a possible timeline.  Then I knew it was absolutely possible. I just... feel like that was cheating, somehow."

She scowled at the screen, deep in thought as her tongue flicked in irritation, the sound of her sickle-claws tapping against the floor could also be heard.  "Our conversation went well enough, as she got the bands removed.  We spoke of what our lives have been like these last years, and I have hope that she will fit into Federation society better than I have, at least in the circles of Starfleet.  She's picked up the human habit of smiling though, which I find is a bit distasteful.  She will find it hard to quell the habit around other Gorn or predatory races.  At least she doesn't look so threatening as I do when she does it.  Something about the way she holds her head and eyes when she does it, the angle of her teeth and lips?"  Naga tilted her head.  "Hmm.  Maybe I will have a scan done later.  We'll be meeting with the Councilor in the morning, as a sort of mediator between Shikh and I.  hopefully, this will help our admittedly painful social encounters."