"I fail to see how crew members taking the offensensitivity warning I attached to myself as a joke or challenge is in any way my fault." -- Anon Guest
Human Kari tapped at the small pin. It was shaped like a fan, and mostly silver. The borders were thick and black and there was an ornamental scroll that had the words, Accidentally Offensive embossed into it. Presumably, those within range to read it would also be subject to Human Kari's... more colourful personality quirks.
Captain Kurthox could understand the reasoning. Thanks to numerous libel and defamation laws, it was possible for lawsuits about a simple opinion going on for decades if left unchecked. As a result, insulting was done with intent and through a professional medium. This civilised things immensely and reduced the need for litigation overall. Some on the receiving end were even good sports about it. Silver and black were the traditional warning colours of a professional Insulter.
This, however... this was new. This was a warning for observers about an unalterable state of the wearer. Something that others should have the right to prepare for, or at least expect. This... was a level of social awareness that Kurthox had previously believed that Humans were incapable of. "These are levels of innovation I hadn't thought you were capable of, Human Kari."
Human Kari grinned. "Me and the girls were talking about it during R&R sir," ze said. "You know how it is. Someone makes a dumb joke about us being like... unpaid Insulters, then someone else makes a suggestion, and then... next thing you know? Someone's making the pins." A shrug. "It's useful, though. Ship stress levels are like... headed downwards."
Kurthox could bet they were. Any kind of warning was better than nothing. She could see this innovation being adopted throughout all of Edge space before it infected entire swathes of the Galactic Alliance. "I'll see to it that you and your team are properly credited with the joint invention. With luck, you may even be properly paid for it." Which was, she had to admit, an unlikely occurrence in the Edge.
Nevertheless, Human Kari was impressed. "That'd be flakkin' awesome! Sauce!"
It had taken training and some months of patient attempts to understand that this was a Human means of expressing approval. No wonder, then, that that pin was proving useful.
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Oxtravel]
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