Inside the [X]

[Error]

I was thinking. Most of the time, we see only the grand scale, the façade, what have you, of a nation.

What's the average citizen see? What is a day in the empire/coalition/expanses/republic/whatever like?
The universe of FC could do with some fleshing out, why not start here?

The Novan Commonwealth

Spoiler:

What one might encounter when living on Novus varies.

A shipbuilder, a worker on one of the orbital, will normally finish up a week-long tour aboard the yards. They'll take transport to the surface, and from there, head out to their home. Their families are liekly to be happy to see them, and their 7-day leave allows for simple work shifts and schedules.

A governmental clerk will typically finish their day just before sundown, and from there, find a way home, or possibly to one of the other worlds in the nation. Transport between worlds is very smooth, and delays are minimal; one benefit of a crown corporation runningmthe ships.

One thing that tends to raise eyebrows among outsiders is the very friendly nature of the Novans. They will exchange hugs, kisses, and the like between many people they know, and more than one diplomat has been scared off by the traditional means of ending negotiations*. Marriage is considered both an amusing topic, as well as a serious-but-happy one, and to date, the nation is the only one to allow group marriages - while eccentric, they do exist.

Funny enough, the Novans share a fair bit of their diet with the Strigiforme; raw or lightly cooked meats, various vegetables, and a select few root plants are all staples of the food here. Outsiders will often opt for heavily curried or seasoned foods, and humans are advised to request thoroughly-cooked meals.

* Novans somehow developed the tradition of closing important talks by, as the phrase goes, getting it on with the foreign diplomat. The last Terran ambassador turned an impressive shade of white when told of this.

The relations between individuals in the Commonwealth varies widely, often dependent on their locale. Those living in the shining cities on Novus will often personify the nation's friendly attitude; those residing on the volcanic mining world will often be no less friendly, but often far more down-to-terra.

Collary to above: most citizens live in large, sprawling cities, often of no more than 250,000. Given the low population of many worlds, there are almost no skyscrapers or tall buildings necessary. Still more people are born on and grow up in the large, rotating orbital habitats over the capital, where there appears to be a total lack of crime or unpleasantry. The most common form of residence is a small house; intended for four to five people. Small, comfortable, and affordable, these have started to shift towards "quaint", as a great many citizens move to the comparatively-dense cities on Hahnsak.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

Yeah, I've been wondering why, at least from my point of view, I seem to be the only one who cares about the citizens and not only the empire.
The Zuguthian Empire:

Spoiler:

The average Zuguthian citizen lives in a city. These cities are built inside transparent domes and dome-ish constructs to protect them from the dangerous wildlife, and at ground level the dome's connected to metal/concrete walls. Major cities may also have shield generators, and small towns and villages only have small shields and maybe a few turrets. City entrances are guarded to protect them from animals that want in and have a snack bite of a citizen.
Cities are very rarely built where they would pose a threat to the surroundings on an ecological or estethical level. That means cities are mostly on flatter, boring areas and sometimes on mountainsides, as well as under the sea and, in some cases, on floating islands. Inside the dome, there's an outer ring of farms and factories, with the city in the center. There are skyscrapers almost up to the roof of the dome, and skylines, tube transports and elevated and suspended roads connect the many buildings. Further down there are a few pedestrian levels, all down to the usually dirty ground levels. Outside cities are the harbors, airports and spaceports, usually protected by shields.

Humans aren't the only race in the Zuguthian Empire, however there's a clear majority, with over 70% being human. The government is also accused of being speciesist and suppressive of non-human species, and the governmental forces are almost entirely human. However, this might change in the next imperial election. (personally I don't think it will change the situation much, damn xeno activists are never satisfied. What? no, I said nothing.)

Colonies are, as you may have noticed, a major part of Zuguthian culture. There are currently no less than 23 colonies, big and small, spanning across two galaxies. These are land areas on other planets as well as cities on asteroids and dwarf planets. However, immigration to colonies has been seriously reduced since the latest major disease outbreak, even though the government has assured everyone that there is little chance that such a thing will happen again.

Technology, especially that hailing from TechTron Industries and its daughter companies, is another major part of Zuguthian everyday life. There are whole stores selling nothing but the very latest in technology to high prices. Another show of this technologically advanced society are the androids working in stores, on factories, in sewers, and basically everywhere people have never really found pleasure in working. Thanks to this most stores are open all day, every day.

*More to come. Maybe. Probably*

[cats]

Not much attention has been paid to it because a viable galactic nation would have extremely varied conditions from territory to territory, province to province, even planet to planet and niche to niche. For instance, each of the five Noble Houses and several Minor Houses of the Batiss Combine have a different set of laws, morals, etc.

[Error]

Most nations aren't quite as varied as the houses of the Combine, though, or they will have one "stereotypical" or central culture on their homeworld.

If you want to write an essay detailing each seperate world, go nuts.

[Vinyl]

Core Hexalan worlds are very urbanized, with vast industrial districts taking up most of the surface. While the majority of the population enjoy armed service (starting at age seven), those not so fortunate to be accepted at the local recruitment center will find generally themselves working maintenance and production jobs alongside AIs supervising the automatic robots if anything. With the large amounts of profits from these industrial areas, the government can safely pay them for their lifespan. For those who were subject to recruitment, they will be shipped off at the next shuttle to one of three planets: Virshod, Vashtook, or Vuros. From arrival to deployment, they will be turned into the best soldiers this side of the universe. Coreworlders have a very little variety in appearance, possessing the following unique physical traits: Fair skin, gray eyes, black or very dark brown hair that usually ages very well.

The surrounding southern, south western, south eastern, and western areas, usually called merely South Hexalan, is a much older area and has many more barren and desert planets. On these, civilization is sparse on the surface, with much of its populace residing below ground. It is there they pursue mainly agricultural lives, due to heavy overcompensation. It is due to this that most food in the Expanses is imported from the south. Their hair tends to be fairer and their skin tanner, but share many similarities with their core origins.

The northern, norther western, north eastern, and eastern areas are North Hexalan. In the farther north, stars are sparse leading to many arctic and gaseous worlds. It is on those frozen rocks the impersonalized remnants of another human empire's colonists reside. Having lived beneath lamps attempting to mimic sunlight, they have flesh much darker than those of core and southerners. Their other features are highly variable, and pointless to attempt for classification. It is in these areas that gas mining is the norm, and where the gases and plasma so dear to modern Hexalan technology is taken. The eastern regions, on the other hand, are very much rural and unsettled. There, military tests and exercises are performed. Its inclusion as part of North Hexalan is mainly that of public opinion.

[CMA]

In the Byzantine Phalanx, citizens are empire.

[ACH0225]

The average Strigiforme civilian is but a cog in their empire. Their devotion to their empire and its' strength supersedes all else. Many industries in the Strigiforme empire are nationalized to some degree.

The average worker owl will operate in the same job on the same world for their entire lives. They are trained to do their one job from birth to death, raised to perform as a cog in a machine. The information a Strigiforme civilian receives is heavily filtered by the government, and they are always supportive of the Strigiforme government.

[Professor Fenway]

The average NeoRoman citizen lives in a highly technological, sprawling urban mega-cities, often reaching a kilometer in height in total (The highest structure is currently the Paragon Institute, 2 km high). To avoid excessive shadowing, strict regulations are in place to limit the density and height of each skyscraper; as such, most are generally rather far apart, the higher it being, the farther it is from other ships. Most other buildings are very large and sprawling, topping at max 15 stories tall and serving multiple functions in one. The average citizen will not see any advertisements of any kind while walking through the city; regulation prevents their display outside of shopping centers. The air and streets are clean, again due to regulations preventing air pollution by businesses, advanced technology, and extensive robotic work-forces. Terrestrial plants are a common feature all over.

Most NeoRomans lives in a modest apartment in one building or another, comfortable and providing for their needs. The most expensive apartments tend to be the highest floors of skyscrapers, and not too many can live up there, while lower classes live in larger apartment complexes closer to the ground. Transport is provided through automated Maglev train systems and walkways. Hover-vehicles are relatively scarce but are a legitimate form of transit; they are generally run by people who need quick transport to anywhere fast, such as disaster response and police forces. The average citizen will not have one, and will usually take one of many trains to their destination.

The average citizen will generally work a set number of standard weeks or months in their job before being rotated off shift, which is essentially paid vacation. The layout of these highly depend on the type of work; industrial jobs will have longer hours, sometimes up to 12 hours, but much more frequent off-rotation, while jobs such as retail and will have short shifts but much less frequent off-rotation. At any given time, 40-20% of the population in any given city is on off-rotation at a time. An average citizen will be on off rotation roughly 33% of the year, varying depending on the job. Citizens are not allowed to work during off rotation; this is easily enforced, as every citizen is issued a government ID that is tracked at a national database and required for jobs. When one is on off-rotation, the ID reflects it. The government does not care what one does during off-rotation time; as long as they return to work on time and in a condition they can work, and they do nothing illegal, the government will not interfere. Some inevitably turn to prostitution or drugs; this is acceptable, as long as it has no effect on their working life and they don't destroy themselves. The instant it becomes destructive, the government will step in.

The average citizen is very friendly and polite, but rather impersonal. Many encounters are made throughout the day, and so few matter that emotions are not tied in to most day-to-day interactions. As such, a citizen likely won't welcome one with open arms, but will certainly point one in the right direction. Efficiency is highly valued in the culture, and as a result, most citizens will mind their own business and not interfere with others unless specifically asked. If you need anything, you can't wait for it to come to you; you have to seek it.

NeoRomans usually take great pride in knowledge and literature, as well as aesthetics. An average home will be decorative and aesthetically pleasing, but not excessively ordained with details; simplicity is preferred. Almost every home contains a very well-stocked library; while electronic volumes are easier to store, older paper-based books are greatly preferred and treasured over them. It is customary to give gifts to visitors of a home, as well as give occasional gifts to others who are very important in one's life. Books are the most common gift; to refuse one is considered extremely rude. As an extension, the most offensive thing one can do is destroy a book; there are exceptions to this, generally when said book is terrible, but for the most part, doing so will likely get you into a fight. Inside the home, NeoRomans are much warmer and more emotionally inclined than outside in the more professional world; even around strangers, inside a home, NeoRomans are very relaxed about almost anything. The closer two are, the more relaxed they act within each other's home; nudity, as an example, is not relatively uncommon among close friends. But outside a home, citizens are expected to be completely composed and professional; what happens inside ones home generally stays within said person's home.

As to relationships, NeoRomans are not terribly stringent or restrictive. Casual relationships are not rare, and so-called 'friends with benefits' are relatively common among the populace. In professional environments, though, discussion of relationships is strongly discouraged, and is generally reserved for less formal areas, such as one's home. Relations through one's profession are not discouraged, though if it ends up affecting work performance there will be issues. As to marriage, couples are more relaxed and less restrictive than most other cultures; while it still means a life-long partnership, the relationship is considered open as long as both parties agree to it. Polygamy and Polyandry is legal, so long as all parties agree to it. In these matters, secrecy among the couples is what leads to disaster and divorce.

Politics are very pervasive in the average NeoRoman's life; since the local council decides how the city is run, the national government strongly encourages all citizens to participate in elections and legislation passing. This is done through tax-incentives and off-rotation time. A citizen who participates in every election and legislation passing from legal voting age (16 years of age) to legal retirement (75 years of age) is granted what is known as a 'full ride,' meaning that the government will pay for said citizen's life until their death, within reason. Very few have achieved this; those that have are celebrities among the community.

While the cities are kept pristine on top, most, if not all, of the dirty work is performed underground. These areas are sprawling tunnels and complexes designed to filter and process everything from the city above, from trash to refuse, keeping it out of sight of the populace. Every building is equipped with multiple trash chutes, which feed directly into the underground. Waste is processed and recycled to nearly 100%, and the items that cannot be recycled are incinerated in magma pools deep under every city. Landfills are nonexistent. Most of this work is handled by robots, who do not complain of the conditions, but some operators are required to oversee the robots and keep them properly functional.

There are multiple quirks of NeoRoman society that are downright unusual or even strange. For example, it is customary for parents to have their children experience sex at approximately 16 years of age, as a learning experience. This is mostly driven by a knowledge- and prevention- based society, where understanding the process in detail reduces the potential for abuse based on misunderstanding. Another quirk, a more detrimental one, is that suicide is largely viewed as an extremely selfish action. While not entirely wrong, this view often causes people to shun those who attempt it, often resulting in the alienation of said individual. Generally speaking, this is detrimental to the well-being of the individual who made an attempt on their own life. In another case, NeoRomans are generally rather stubborn and determined; they will usually attempt a problem from multiple angles, multiple times, even when faced with constant failure. It is also common to continue trying to solve a problem when a solution has already been found, usually to find alternate solutions. This, inevitably, has the effect of delaying new inventions and discoveries as researchers try to find additional ways to reproduce the same result. And finally, citizens are not trusted to be able to make major life decisions rationally and effectively. As a result, numerous AI's have been funded and created by the Hierarchy to help solve these issues; from relocating homes, to finding a partner, to choosing a career, AI's exist to guide citizens in their life in order to be productive and happy.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

Fen's idea of Neo-Rome is suspiciously similar to my idea of Zuguth..

[Professor Fenway]

I went a little overboard with the description and I still didn't go through everything.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

I went a little overboard with the description and I still didn't go through everything.

Still, I'd like to see the license for that thought reading machine you're using.
Or maybe I'm the one using one...

[Professor Fenway]

Looked through both, they are indeed a similar idea, but there are key differences;

1.) You stay within domes. NeoRome doesn't use domes at all, save for planets where it is necessary due to unbreathable atmosphere. In those cases, the domes are transparent atmosphere shields, which allow ships and persons but not atmosphere through. For these domes, in the event of complete and total power failure, even to backup power, there is a material dome that can be put in place.

2.) You have robots that handle dirty work in the lower levels; NeoRoman cities are kept pristine and clean in the entire city, save for the underground processing areas.

3.) You use elevated highways and such, only NeoRoman transport is Maglev and walkways.

4.) Your skyscrapers are clustered; NeoRome's are separated and sparse to prevent excessive light shadowing. Natural sunlight must be able to reach every building for at least 6 standard hours every standard day in NeoRome

5.) It sounds like Zuguthians are MUCH more corporate-run than NeoRome. In NeoRoman cities, the government funds and builds everything and holds corporations to a high standard for parts; they cannot advertise very much, only in say, shopping centers, and they may help construct things, but not run anything public.

6.) Speaking of robots, androids are really only seen in the underground areas and where people aren't. They clean and such, but they stay out of the way of people. They only handle jobs too dangerous for people or that nobody wishes to do; things like retail are handled by people and such.

They have a similar vision, but are very different. So ya.

[Archduke Daynel, PhD]

I was speaking of my mental picture which I haven't put to words yet. And there is a lot of government funding on Zuguth as well. Well, at least public things and services. But yeah, we aren't really that similar. On some levels we are though. Mostly unwritten levels.

[cats]

Spoiler:

The average NeoRoman citizen lives in a highly technological, sprawling urban mega-cities, often reaching a kilometer in height in total (The highest structure is currently the Paragon Institute, 2 km high). To avoid excessive shadowing, strict regulations are in place to limit the density and height of each skyscraper; as such, most are generally rather far apart, the higher it being, the farther it is from other ships. Most other buildings are very large and sprawling, topping at max 15 stories tall and serving multiple functions in one. The average citizen will not see any advertisements of any kind while walking through the city; regulation prevents their display outside of shopping centers. The air and streets are clean, again due to regulations preventing air pollution by businesses, advanced technology, and extensive robotic work-forces. Terrestrial plants are a common feature all over.

Most NeoRomans lives in a modest apartment in one building or another, comfortable and providing for their needs. The most expensive apartments tend to be the highest floors of skyscrapers, and not too many can live up there, while lower classes live in larger apartment complexes closer to the ground. Transport is provided through automated Maglev train systems and walkways. Hover-vehicles are relatively scarce but are a legitimate form of transit; they are generally run by people who need quick transport to anywhere fast, such as disaster response and police forces. The average citizen will not have one, and will usually take one of many trains to their destination.

The average citizen will generally work a set number of standard weeks or months in their job before being rotated off shift, which is essentially paid vacation. The layout of these highly depend on the type of work; industrial jobs will have longer hours, sometimes up to 12 hours, but much more frequent off-rotation, while jobs such as retail and will have short shifts but much less frequent off-rotation. At any given time, 40-20% of the population in any given city is on off-rotation at a time. An average citizen will be on off rotation roughly 33% of the year, varying depending on the job. Citizens are not allowed to work during off rotation; this is easily enforced, as every citizen is issued a government ID that is tracked at a national database and required for jobs. When one is on off-rotation, the ID reflects it. The government does not care what one does during off-rotation time; as long as they return to work on time and in a condition they can work, and they do nothing illegal, the government will not interfere. Some inevitably turn to prostitution or drugs; this is acceptable, as long as it has no effect on their working life and they don't destroy themselves. The instant it becomes destructive, the government will step in.

The average citizen is very friendly and polite, but rather impersonal. Many encounters are made throughout the day, and so few matter that emotions are not tied in to most day-to-day interactions. As such, a citizen likely won't welcome one with open arms, but will certainly point one in the right direction. Efficiency is highly valued in the culture, and as a result, most citizens will mind their own business and not interfere with others unless specifically asked. If you need anything, you can't wait for it to come to you; you have to seek it.

NeoRomans usually take great pride in knowledge and literature, as well as aesthetics. An average home will be decorative and aesthetically pleasing, but not excessively ordained with details; simplicity is preferred. Almost every home contains a very well-stocked library; while electronic volumes are easier to store, older paper-based books are greatly preferred and treasured over them. It is customary to give gifts to visitors of a home, as well as give occasional gifts to others who are very important in one's life. Books are the most common gift; to refuse one is considered extremely rude. As an extension, the most offensive thing one can do is destroy a book; there are exceptions to this, generally when said book is terrible, but for the most part, doing so will likely get you into a fight. Inside the home, NeoRomans are much warmer and more emotionally inclined than outside in the more professional world; even around strangers, inside a home, NeoRomans are very relaxed about almost anything. The closer two are, the more relaxed they act within each other's home; nudity, as an example, is not relatively uncommon among close friends. But outside a home, citizens are expected to be completely composed and professional; what happens inside ones home generally stays within said person's home.

As to relationships, NeoRomans are not terribly stringent or restrictive. Casual relationships are not rare, and so-called 'friends with benefits' are relatively common among the populace. In professional environments, though, discussion of relationships is strongly discouraged, and is generally reserved for less formal areas, such as one's home. Relations through one's profession are not discouraged, though if it ends up affecting work performance there will be issues. As to marriage, couples are more relaxed and less restrictive than most other cultures; while it still means a life-long partnership, the relationship is considered open as long as both parties agree to it. Polygamy and Polyandry is legal, so long as all parties agree to it. In these matters, secrecy among the couples is what leads to disaster and divorce.

Politics are very pervasive in the average NeoRoman's life; since the local council decides how the city is run, the national government strongly encourages all citizens to participate in elections and legislation passing. This is done through tax-incentives and off-rotation time. A citizen who participates in every election and legislation passing from legal voting age (16 years of age) to legal retirement (75 years of age) is granted what is known as a 'full ride,' meaning that the government will pay for said citizen's life until their death, within reason. Very few have achieved this; those that have are celebrities among the community.

While the cities are kept pristine on top, most, if not all, of the dirty work is performed underground. These areas are sprawling tunnels and complexes designed to filter and process everything from the city above, from trash to refuse, keeping it out of sight of the populace. Every building is equipped with multiple trash chutes, which feed directly into the underground. Waste is processed and recycled to nearly 100%, and the items that cannot be recycled are incinerated in magma pools deep under every city. Landfills are nonexistent. Most of this work is handled by robots, who do not complain of the conditions, but some operators are required to oversee the robots and keep them properly functional.

There are multiple quirks of NeoRoman society that are downright unusual or even strange. For example, it is customary for parents to have their children experience sex at approximately 16 years of age, as a learning experience. This is mostly driven by a knowledge- and prevention- based society, where understanding the process in detail reduces the potential for abuse based on misunderstanding. Another quirk, a more detrimental one, is that suicide is largely viewed as an extremely selfish action. While not entirely wrong, this view often causes people to shun those who attempt it, often resulting in the alienation of said individual. Generally speaking, this is detrimental to the well-being of the individual who made an attempt on their own life. In another case, NeoRomans are generally rather stubborn and determined; they will usually attempt a problem from multiple angles, multiple times, even when faced with constant failure. It is also common to continue trying to solve a problem when a solution has already been found, usually to find alternate solutions. This, inevitably, has the effect of delaying new inventions and discoveries as researchers try to find additional ways to reproduce the same result. And finally, citizens are not trusted to be able to make major life decisions rationally and effectively. As a result, numerous AI's have been funded and created by the Hierarchy to help solve these issues; from relocating homes, to finding a partner, to choosing a career, AI's exist to guide citizens in their life in order to be productive and happy.

fenway you seem like a man with a lot of time on his hands

[Chairman_Tiel]

BEEP

A noise erupted from the darkness. As if noticing its efforts had gone unheeded, the source communicated its message once more, this time more incessantly.

BEEP BEEP.

For a moment silence reigned again, but then a groan raised from the shadows, accompanied by a sound not dissimilar to one shifting ever so slightly atop a bed. It was a mistake.

From the direction of the unseen molester came a handful of smooth clicks before a disembodied female voice declared,

"Active resident detected. Enabling Daylight mode."

The occupant in question had only a few seconds to desperately seek protection before the mid-sized room exploded into color; a length of what had previously been a pearly white wall indistinct from the rest slowly receding into its brethren to allow the brightness beyond to spill through the window underneath. In deference to the light, darkness quickly fled from the opulent blue carpet and various pieces of upholstery. Among them was an elliptical mattress placed in a corner with seeming disregard for any frame or springboard, instead electing to seat its thick mass directly on the floor's plush fibers that mingled with the matching and equally luxurious quilt laid atop the former. Mired in it were not one, but two beings, their bodies adorned with no shortage of feathers and plumage.

One of them, her head thrown under a cushion at the decided head of the bed, let loose another soft groan at the outside's indiscriminate invasion and withdrew from the adhoc shield, revealing features that, while not excessively beautiful, would be described as attractive at the least. A short but elegantly smoothed beak gave way to dusk-colored facial feathers set around round, intelligent and discerning eyes. Eyes that usually were bright and excited, but now whose silvery discs conveyed nothing short of tiredness infused with mild irritation. Those now swung with the Tien's head to look at her partner apparent, who remained unmoving beneath the quilt, face hidden behind its strategically manipulated folds.

"For the love of Pentos, I thought you said you'd turn that thing off!" she exclaimed with an edge of irritation.

The other Tien offered no reaction for a few moments before the quilt shifted above his own beak as he spoke.

"Tenne, you really shouldn't use the lord's name in vain."

Tenne rolled her eyes. "There aren't any humans here, and even if there were they'd never-"

Before she could finish the sentence the other Tien, his own feathers a homogenous blend of yellow and grey, cleanly slipped out of the quilt and assumed a squatting position atop the bed, as if guarding an egg. His vibrant brown eyes and somewhat effeminate countenance looked at her deadpan.

"Do you mean to imply Pentos does not offer salvation to even the lowliest of scum in the galaxy?" He said mechanically, crest raised in question.

Tenne's own body went rigid as she stared back equally emotionless. "Only if they believe and assume their place, Vaar."

They held the position for just a few seconds longer before simultaneously bursting into laughter, a whistling yet harmonious noise that could have easily been mistaken for melody to anyone unexperienced with Tiens. Even in normal speech a certain extent of whistling existed in their articulation, a trait more obvious at some times than others. Vaar's vocalization as he recovered from the fit of chuckling definitely fit into the former category.

"Please, Tenne, have you ever known a human to 'assume their place'?" He asked, the inside corners of his beak turning slightly upward in a smile. Tenne, for her part, covered her own beak with the auri of one of her wings in a failed attempt to stifle her laughter. Vaar looked up thoughtfully.

"Then again, I'd be more concerned about this 'believe' part...please do tell me where you find these such interesting specimens, hmm?" He asked as he advanced on her, a look of joking malice on his face, wings extended forward. The other Tien backed away in false fright across the apartment's spacious volume, still trying and failing to recover some modicum of seriousness in her expression as she backpedaled before finally coming to a halt against one of the single room's smooth walls.

"Ah, I have you now!" He charged forward with the clear intent of caging her in with his wings against the wall, only to be falter midstep in surprise as Tenne exploded forward with a look of purpose, grappling his midsection and bringing them both tumbling to the ground. It was all Vaar could do to wrap his powerful wings against her lithe frame as they fell, but it was too late. Tenne managed to maintain the high ground, and with her chest pressed against his looked down mischievously at her counterpart.

"Surrender now, and I might just take you alive." She said slyly, a single auri petting his crest.

Vaar slung her a look of exaggerated defiance. "The Protectorate is forever, nave! Your time is at hand!"

Tenne paused in mock surprise and contemplation, then scratched his head with her beak affectionately before effortlessly sliding out of the 'hold'.

"Keep that up kind of dedication and they just might make you a shocktrooper, eh?" She said as she stood up, dusting herself off. It was a needless gesture given the self-cleaning material of the carpet, but was more out of force of habit than anything. Vaar did the same, albeit with obviously less attention to detail.

"Yes, standing up to one as lethal as you on a daily basis, my devotion is surely unquestionable." He said as he hugged her from behind.

Suddenly the room's computer initialized again.

"Foreplay detected. Mating mode enabled."

As the lighting lowered, Tenne looked over at where the console lay in a look of exasperation. Vaar looked bashfully at the ceiling.

"Right. Fix computer. I'll get on that while you're at work."

He moved his wings back to his sides and strode over to the bed.

"Althooooouugh.."

"Not happening." Tenne said as she stripped out of her nightclothes.

Vaar threw her a fake pout as he subsequently moved to the apartment's integrated kitchen, removing a cooking dish from the collection of cabinets present and placing it on a plasma heater. "But I've got the day off and I'll be so loonely. Why even have a holiday when you can't even spend it with people you like half the time?"

Tenne finished removing the casual garment and turned, something approaching amusement on her face. "Oh, you only like me, is that it?"

He looked up from the brewing dish, and proceeded to give her fully exposed curves an admiring look. "Let's be honest hon, I only really love you when you're like that."

She smirked, knowing him well enough to know that wasn't the case. The two had met late in the education cycle, and ended up making a deal to share one of the two government subsidized apartments guaranteed between the two while renting the other out to someone who didn't qualify - splitting the profit, naturally. Of course, once they moved into their tenement, one thing led to another, and here they were three years later. To be at least a fifth through their lives and not married was something that was frowned upon in Tien society, but neither Tenne or Vaar were particularly keen on spending the amount of money a marriage permit would require. And so they'd gone on living on as they always had.

"Oh please. Keep it up and you're in for a surprise."

Vaar leaned across the serving tower and looked at her more studiously, a glint in his eyes telling the joke without even saying it. Tenne put her wings on her hips and fumed.

"Don't make me come over there."

He smiled and returned his attention to the pot of food simmering on the burner, glancing at a neatly aligned row of spices before selecting a handful and deftly shrugging a paltry sum of each into the dish. "You know I'm joking."

The other Tien opened one of the closets embedded in the apartment's walls and snatched out a crisp gray uniform, similar to those used in the military but absent any of the markings. As a structural engineer Tenne could wear next to anything she wanted, unlike other roles like an instructor or business manager, but like many of her species she preferred the utility of the drab outfit. Not only was the textile quality was superb, or the rugged fabric laced with strings of Cuker thermal conservation thread, but more often then not they genuinely were military surplus sold at a massive discount. When it came to just something to protect one's feathers from the dusk winds nothing could compare, a fact that frustrated many a foreign clothing supplier to withdrawing from Taln space entirely. She slipped on the uniform and was adjusting her feathers to fall in just the right fashion over the collar when suddenly a yell rang out.

"BREAKFAST'S READY!" Vaar cried, a replica of a 19th century human cowbell hanging from his right wing's aurii. A novelty item, really, but an understandable one given his unrequited fascination with xenobiology. Tenne sometimes wondered what would have happened had he actually pursued his passion, instead of ending up unexpectedly deployed for two years due to his status as a reserve member of the Planetary Corps. He certainly wouldn't have met her in the last year of both of their Education Cycles on Cayla, seeing as the only reason he was there to begin with was something of a half-hearted apology from the military hierarchy. She'd like to think it worked out better for the both of them, but still...

"Sssh, what are you, some kind of human?" Tenne teased as she sauntered over to the kitchen, all the while finishing buttoning up the uniform.

He looked at her, indignant. "What are you, blind? No, I'm obviously a Terran, the most human of the humans!"

Once again she found cause to roll her eyes. "They look all the same to me."

Vaar looked at her, aghast, and for a moment she genuinely thought she'd stepped over the line for the only time in their history together until he broke into an expression Tenne had come to identify as 'lecturing professor' and said, while wagging his finger,

"DAS RACIST." He looked up at the ceiling, as if summoning knowledge from some unknown source beyond the tiled ceiling and the clouds. "21st century 'internet' culture, if I recall correctly. Fascinating, really."

"Oh?" She asked while reaching for a bowl of the food - a dish called Habber of boiled grains topped with synthesized fiber.

"Yeah. You'd never believe what a bunch of 'idiots'," Vaar rolled the word in his beak a bit - he'd made it clear on multiple occasions he preferred the more grammatically correct 'moron' over the others present in historic human language, "these guys acted on it. I mean, it's like me and you, except maybe ten times more dumbkoppf mixed in."

Tenne looked at him expectantly. Realizing he'd made a mistake, the other paused and analyzed what he just said before covering his face with his wing in shame.

"That's German. Goddamn Krauts messing up my history lesson even in death."

"Who's racist now?" She asked, taking a spoonful of the Habber and sliding it into her beak. The taste could best be described as sweet, yet somehow savory. Humans that tried it said it tasted like oatmeal with something called 'hot sauce' mixed in, which Vaar had been on about weeks when he read of it. Habber was his trademark dish - in fact, Tenne sometimes joked it was the only reason she stayed with him - and being able to experience the sensation of something that had evidently died out sometime around the 23rd century by just making it without the grains excited him into always buying a surplus of his favorite spices every month when they went to the all-purpose store. Unlike other races, Tiens had arrived in the current galaxy already with the understanding required to recognize conservation as a priority, so the plants required were always in abundant supply and thus fairly cheap. It made him so happy, too, so she usually went along it.

At present, though, Vaar wagged an accusing auri at her. "For you, my friend, it is time to go to work."

Broken from her thoughts, Tenne took him literally and glanced over the clock behind him, which reported he was actually correct.

"How did you know..?" She asked.

He spun around on the ball of his claw a full 360 degrees before looking at her, eyes wide. "PENTOS HAS GIVEN ME THE POWER OF FORESIGHT!"

"ALL HAIL PENTOS!" Tenne cried in reply, withholding laughter as she moved to the door.

"PENTOS BE PRAISED!" At this he sprung over the kitchen's serving board and pecked her on her beak before leaping away and falling to his knees, repeating his mantra with satirical religious fervor. The five headed pagan Tien god would have himself chuckled at the mere ridiculousness of it all.

She looked on, shaking her head in bemusement. He was something else. But he was hers, and she his. And despite anything, they'd always have each other. That was the true strength of the Taln, really, whether it be on a small scale like this or toward an even greater cause such as that of their civilization's continued existence. That knowledge in tow, Tenne left without another word. After all, it would be rude to interrupt.

Okay not a day, more like half an hour, but we're getting there