Omake: Soval and the Stingray
As the Ambassador to Humanity for over two decades, Soval was considered by his people to be an expert on humanity. On their motivations and what their governments were going to do. It was...trying at times. The Humans were a conundrum- the arrogance of the Andorians, the stubborn pride of the Tellarites. One moment as aggressive as the Klingons, but then moments later they embrace logic like a Vulcan. Honestly, they reminded him of his own people. Mostly. And then there were moments like this...
Moments when he stared at the plans for the human's first Warp 3 class vessel on his desk display. He looked at his adjunct, T'Pol, and raised an eyebrow.
"Is the information correct?"
"Yes, it appears so. We received these plans as a...courtesy from the United Earth government," she stated after a moment's pause," We confirmed the information through our own intelligence systems. They are correct."
"But...this isn't a cargo ship," Soval said as he tapped the display," This has three forward-mounted low-yield particle projectors, a plethora of torpedo tubes... and very little cargo space. Considering what the Humans are capable of, this is a military ship."
"Yes, I voiced my observation to the United Earth representative- a Captain Leonard. He shrugged his shoulders and stated that Starfleet had requested a cargo ship and that , I quote, "Those idjits decided that a patrol ship'd be cooler. Not that I can blame them.". I took the liberty of running what he said through the translation matrix, and I believe he is saying that the Starfleet ship designers went against their requested design."
"And were those designers replaced?"
"No. They were given a week of vacation and the naming rights to the classification of ship."
"Why? They disobeyed orders."
"I believe the human aphorism is: close enough. At least, that is what I was informed."
If he weren't a Vulcan, Soval would have pinched his brow and sighed. Instead, he merely tilted his head slightly. "Interesting. Why did they choose: Stingray for the classification name? And the second ship: the Steve Irwin? I have not heard that name before."
"The vessel apparently resembles an Earth aquatic fish."
"A dangerous fish, I assume."
"Not particularly."
"They named a warship after a not-particularly dangerous fish?"
"Yes."
"And Steve Irwin? A noted warrior?"
"A historic conservationist who died to an unexpected confluence of events that ended with a Stingray killing him."
"Is this some sort of mockery?"
"I have been assured by Captain Leonard that it is considered a sincere honor on their part."
"Am I to understand that the United Earth Government asked their Starfleet to build a cargo ship. And, instead, they built a military patrol ship that they named after a fairly non-dangerous aquatic animal? And, they named the second vessel after an individual who died of this non-dangerous aquatic animal?"
"It does appear so."
It was days like this that Soval was reminded that, whether they reminded him of Vulcans, the Humans were truly alien. Or insane.
Perhaps both.
