SD 9-21-02 - "Kzin out of the Bag" #7 - Maarcuz Ritt gave an explanation for himself and K'Lynxyl ...
Poor M'Rander. No wonder she went insane. At least Maarcuz got her revenge.
The two talked in private for a few minutes, then Maarcuz Riit had a surprise. K'Lynxyl must've told him her assignment here was as a civilian inspector, an assignment that is temporary and probably would have soon ended. M. Riit had a proposition, he would "draft" K'Lynxyl into the Kzinti military, then have her transfered to the Freedom as part of an exchange program. K'Lynxyl approved, so I did as well. She has been well-liked by, ... most, of the crew and in my opinion is a strong asset.
On a related note, M. Ritt stated that as her brother he was adding a second name to hers - "Doctor" wouldn't just be her title, but her name. I'm not familiar with Kzin views on names, but K'Lynxyl fainting suggests not many women in Kzin society get a second. Then again ... women in Kzin society aren't seen as inteligent.
Dammers showed up at one point. He seemed to switch from fascination to horror at times. I was worried his outbursts were going to cause an incident, but M. Ritt let them slide, pleased to meet a close friend of his mother's, and congratulated him on outwitting Chaal Riit.
Maarcuz Riit left, saying that the incident would not be mentioned to Kzinti command if the "Klingon" warships were reported as such. Not that Starfleet would openly complain, given how we found them ...
And so we were off, headed back to the Starbase, Ferrengi ship in tow. Tempres is leading the repair crew. As I found him lazily munching away at a sandwich on my chair when I returned to the bridge ... well, hopefully he'll take that assignment more seriously. Along the way, Dammers expressed some ... reservations about K'Lynxyl as an official crew member, and especially about "fusions" like Maarcuz Riit passing down their Caitian potential for creativity to any Kzin offspring. Despite his comments, Dammers has been a big help on the bridge even with his knowledge twenty years out of date. Another asset, and I'm sure his nervousness about the Caitians are just jitters from being in the cooler combined with getting into action so soon. I'm sure he'll soon calm down.
For K'Lynxyl, these events have been a lot to take hold of. She ran off after her meeting with her meeting with Riit. We met up on the bridge. After an interuption from the Emergency Medical Hologram when it was stumbling over how to handle a diaper change, K'Lynxyl had a few things to say. She had been acting a bit ... less aggressive since her rescue. When she had a moment, she expressed her apologies for her earlier actions, saying the Kzin part of her made her impulsive, and expressed her hopes she could think more clearly. When I expressed my confidence she could, the effects of the Junk water faded and she went back to regular before our eyes, in body and attitude, giving me "that look" and acting like nothing ever happened, and went off to her new duties.
I couldn't help but feel a little sad. What she had become made her seem an especially sympathetic person. Maybe it was just how she was acting once it faded.
But the Junk curse never affected peoples' minds before. It had to have been there all along, released by the stress of recent events.
Perhaps that part of her will work it's way out again over time.