[audio]

[kestreldawn]

It seems that having small, sentient companions is rather common here on Earth. Can someone explain why so many people seem to want and/or have them? Especially when they are incredibly small and seem to serve no purpose in terms of protection or strength?

Comments

[songwrite]

Like... pets? [He had to google "sentient" because he wasn't sure and honestly he still isn't sure, but,]

Um, it's for companionship mostly. And some dogs are big and can guard against, I guess, break-ins. Cats are supposed to help catch mice that get in the house too.

But mostly because people like to pet them.

[kestreldawn]

Mm, pets. [That causes Jyn to make a bit of a face.] Protection and pest control I can understand, but why would anyone want to pet them? Dogs are scaly and have a hard exterior.

Voice.

[namesaquestion]

Tch, because they're cute? Or so my co-workers say.

[kestreldawn]

But that's really a good enough to reason to keep the creature captive?

[Voice]

[caduceusvalkyrie]

Hm, I think it depends on entirely on the person getting the...pet.

Sometimes they can serve as protection, sometimes it's for assistance if the person needs it due to medical reasons, then there's companionship. Oh, and because a lot of them can be cute, even when they're aren't, they are.

[kestreldawn]

.. I don't quite understand. How can something be cute if it isn't?

And I am having some difficulty understanding why something being "cute" would make a person want to hold the thing captive to enjoy said "cuteness."

voice.

[ghoulking]

There are several reasons: companionship, socialization, for fun, or simply because they are pretty or cute.

[kestreldawn]

It seems this "cute" reasoning has come up from a number of repliers. Why is that a good enough reason?

I can understand companionship and socialization, or even resourcefulness, but - fun?

audio

[am_i_a_monster]

Do you mean a pet? It feels good to take care of someone else, like it gives you a purpose. A pet won't judge you. I have a cat. He'll cuddle with me and his purr is very comforting. He's fun too, loves to play. He's my family here and he can't get portered out.

[kestreldawn]

That makes more sense to me - the companionship aspect of it. It reminds me a bit of the Nanny Droid that I had for a short time as a child. Although it was taking care of me, rather than the other way 'round.

[Text + Video]

[versusseeker]

[Small, sentient companions, you say? Red appears with one of his own seated on his shoulder. It's the little mouse that speaks up first, sounding a bit indignant.]

Pika-a-chu!

[And then it huffs. Red glances down at the communicator, starts typing a small translation.]

he does lots
+ v strong

[audio]

[kestreldawn]

[Jyn blinks at the video, paying particular attention to the small, yellow, rodent-like creature so comfortably perched on the boy's shoulder. Huh.]

Lots as in .. ?

audio;

[onlydoubts]

So that's a no on us getting a dog, then?

[ Guess who's seen how cute earth dogs are. This guy. ]

[kestreldawn]

[She lets out a quiet laugh.]

Not at all; I'd be interested in pursuing it. I'm curious why Earthlings seem to be so enthusiastic about keeping them, though.

I have also only seen one variety of Earth dog, and it was .. interesting.

[A few moments later, Bodhi receives a picture.]

Audio

[dumbfound]

Some of them are really fuzzy and they will play with you.

[kestreldawn]

Fuzzy? [That's .. odd, given the fact that the "dog" she is familiar with has hard armor plating.] Fuzzy with .. what?

video.

[trouvaille]

( This isn't exactly an answer. In that Gwen doesn't supply an answer, just-

Putin Onaritz, affectionately known as Putinka, weighs two hundred fucking pounds and comes from two eastern european dog breeds - one of which was bred to fight bears and one of which was crossbred from wolves. He is twice his diminutive owner's size, shaggy-coated, muscular af and has a face that really is suspiciously wolfish in its features, and when she points the camera at him, he wags his tail.

More accurately, he thumps his tail against the floor. There is a perceptible thud involved. )

Say hello to the nice lady, baby.

( He barks. )

[audio]

[kestreldawn]

[The video gives Jyn pause, though she watches with some delighted interested. She debates whether to switch to video but opts to stick with audio, for now.]

That's a large creature you've got there. That - that is one of Earth's dogs? I've heard there are many different kinds here.

voice

[aboveand]

Companionship, mostly. Some, like Ace, are for protection, but it's mostly because they're cute and you want to boop their noses.

[audio -> video]

[kestreldawn]

[The transmission comes through and makes Jyn smile; it's been a long, long time since she and Terry have last talked. She quickly switches to video and offers a bit of a wave into the camera with a pleasant smile.]

Terry! It's been quite some time, hasn't it? [She had worried, though she won't readily admit it, that he'd been sent back.] I hope you're doing well.

I'm .. I'm afraid I don't know what you mean - 'boop their noses?' Does that mean 'hit?' Why would you want to hit a dog's nose? Unless it misbehaved, I suppose.

audio

[ex_firecross517]

Just call them 'pets'. Don't gotta be so fancy about it.

[kestreldawn]

I'm .. afraid I don't know what you mean.

Video;

[art_of_war]

Surely the idea of keeping a pet is not unknown to you? The varying sizes, shapes, colors and other sundry differences are just a matter of personal taste.

[audio]

[kestreldawn]

The lifestyle I led prior to my arrival here was not conducive to having anything of the sort, nor did I really know anyone who had one of these 'pets.' We were all far too nomadic for them.

[reexamined]

Whatever you get, I'm not taking care of it, ever.

[kestreldawn]

[There's a heavy sigh that comes through.] I wouldn't ask you to any more than anyone else, though I do wonder whether shedding fur would be an issue for you with your joints and ports.