Devotion to duty does stand out
The Captain ducked gracefully under a broken conduit, neatly sidestepping the still whimpering raider crumpled against one wall. Her whiskers quivered uncertainly as she looked up at the tall Terran standing by the airlock, who were looking contemplatively into the boarding tube while idly swinging a heavy rod.
“Josh... Engineer…I mean, Friend Josh. A word, if I may?"
The tall Terran - Josh - turned around, his friendly face grinning down at her
"Sure thing Captain. I was done clearing this deck anyway."
"Friend... Friend Josh. On behalf of the crew and the ship, we are really grateful for your prompt and... enthusiastic…” the captain snapped her gaze up at Josh’s face again, “help fighting the pirates’ boarding party."
“Oh, you know me Captain, I’m always happy to do my part.”
The Captains twin tongues darted out, nervously licking her nose, as the raider by the wall gasped one last time and lay still.
“Even when awoken by klaxons, yes. Your devotion to duty does… stand out.”
"Nothing like some vigorous exercise to help me wake up, Captain."
Staring past the airlock for a heartbeat, the captain wobbled her head in agreement.
"Vigorous... yes. You really... rose to the situation."
Josh nodded eagerly, stretching his limbs - bloodied hands pressed against the overhead.
"Blood and gore and guts and veins in my teeth... It really gets the blood pumping, right Captain? Really gets the adrenaline flowing."
Looking back at Josh, the Captain quickly looked up at his face again.
"Adrenaline flowing, yes... and plenty of other hormones and pheromones too."
"What can I say, Captain? My mammalian physique works overtime in a fight or fight situation."
"Fight or... shouldn't that be fight or flight, Friend Josh?"
"On a spaceship, Captain?” Josh chuckled as he idly swung his rod, “I had to take a firm stand."
"A firm stand… That is a... solid... point Josh, but let's not side-track. As I was saying, we're really grateful for your upstanding help, but..."
"But?
Tilting her head, the Captain looked pensively at Josh.
"How should I put this, friend Josh... there are twenty-three females in the crew of different species and genders. Could you please - on behalf of the crew, the ship, and interstellar decency - put some pants on?"