[End Act 2] Lt. Cmdr Robin Hopper: Divine Contravention
Robin Hopper
((Holding Cell – Paak Homeworld, Paak System, Barossa Nebula))
Having now provided the Paak delegate with a bit of trivial information about her fellow Starfleet Officers, Robin tried to maneuver the conversation in a new direction – seeing if she could leverage the Paak’s sense of fair exchange (assuming they had such a sense).
Hopper: So… I think it’s only fair that our exchange of information goes both ways. You said I can’t speak with them, but you can tell me something. Where are they now? What are they doing?
The older-looking Paak smiled. A good sign.
Pai’Lak: Of course. The last I saw of your Paak, they were being transported into the complex in preparations for negotiations and checking in on you and Commander Ukinix. I would think that some of your Paak are on the way here as we speak.
Pa’akia: On their way here? Now? ::Considering:: Interesting. I would like to speak with them as well… ::A glance at Pai’Lak:: I still believe we have much to learn from studying their culture.
Hopper: I’m sure you do. ::Looking back and forth between them:: And I’m sure the Ambassador and the Federation Diplomatic Corps will be more than happy to provide you with all the cultural information you can stomach. Cultural exchange is a normal part of first contacts… Of course, not holding two of their people prisoner would probably help ease negotiations as well.
She shrugged, casually, as if it practically didn’t matter to her.
Hopper: But then, I’m no diplomat.
Pai’Lak: As for Ambassador Vataix, she should be preparing for negotiations and meetings for this ‘first contact’ that you call it. As well as your release.
Pa’akia: I’m sure the negotiations will go well. The leaders of our Paak are wise and understanding… they’re just, traditional as well. ::Pointing to Robin’s communicator badge, on the near table:: Perhaps you could explain this to me a little, in your own way, so that I might understand better how it works. That could help our leadership understand your people better.
The Science Officer in Robin was getting the better of her. She ought to have been focused on securing her release, or on preparing for the next stage of her tribunal (though, frankly, she hoped there would be no further need for tribunals with Rivi now on-site). Instead, however, she had already begun thinking about ways to explain the technology behind the combadge and its constituent parts…
She stood from her seat on the cot and made her way over towards the badge.
Hopper: Okay, in a nutshell…
She glanced towards the two others, each with blank expressions on their faces.
Hopper: That means, “to put it simply”. One thing the Universal Translator sometimes struggles with is culturally-specific references. Things like curse words or religious ideologies, for example, which just don’t translate clearly… This little badge has three primary functions. Firstly, it’s personal identification – it identifies Starfleet Officers, there’s a serial number engraved on the back, and it can help to triangulate the exact location of a person.
She refrained from explaining that it could even be used to aid in the instantaneous transport of said person from wherever they were standing (such as in a cell) to elsewhere.
Pa’akia: What about the other two functions?
Hopper: Well, as you’ve figured out by now it also serves as a communication device. It contains a two-way microtransmitter that allows us to communicate across great distances using subspace channels. And then there’s the Universal Translator. In the ‘olden days’, when the UTs were first developed, they were a device that you could attach to your handheld communicator. They processed language audio and repeated it in whatever language the user wanted.
Robin could vividly remember stepping foot into the Cultural Wing of the Jonathan Archer Museum of Early Federation History – making her way towards the interactive exhibit on Hoshi Sato’s work developing the linguacode translation matrix, a crucial step in making real-time communication in a variety of alien languages possible. The technology had certainly progressed a long way since then.
Pa’akia: But, that’s now what’s happening now. ::Pointing at Robin’s face:: It’s as if you’re speaking our language. With your own mouth.
Hopper: ::Nodding:: Yeah, it’s pretty trippy. Basically, the way it works nowadays is by processing humanoid brainwaves and identifying certain key universal concepts in order to process the speaker’s intent while they’re speaking. It’s a lot faster and, unless you’re watching very carefully and critically, it makes use of our shared innate heuristics to basically ‘trick’ your brain into thinking I’m speaking to you naturally.
She shrugged then clasped her hands in front of her. She felt a bit like a museum tour guide herself, or an Academy instructor giving a rundown to first year cadets.
Hopper: I could go into it further, but I don’t think we have time just now to explain all the underlying technology that makes this possible. Just know it isn’t magic.
Pa’akia nodded, and turned away, pacing around the room as she took in everything Robin had said. Pai’Lak, however, seemed more interested in her explanation than she’d imagined. She wasn’t sure if she’d imagined it or not, but it almost seemed as though his interest had piqued when she’d used the word “magic”.
Pai’Lak: Oh, and one more thing that I wanted to ask you, if you wouldn’t mind.
Hopper: Sure. I’m on a roll already and, if what you told me is true, my friends should be here any minute.
Pai’Lak: You haven’t been approached by any Paak who seem adamant on calling you…an angel…have you?
The other scientist turned around swiftly. Robin noted the shift in her demeanour. She seemed suddenly suspicious of Pai’Lak – which, in turn, made Robin suspicious of Pai’Lak. Though, honestly, the mention of “angels” was already giving her flashbacks to their previous mission. That was the word Empress Keehani had used for them as well… This was obviously a different situation, but it was becoming a rather disturbing trend.
Hopper: ::Shaking her head:: No. Nobody on this planet has ever called me that. ::Scowling:: This isn’t some sort of religious thing…is it?
Pa’akia: Don’t tell me you believe any of that Paak, Pai’Lak. I know you are of the older generation but I would think you’d have more sense.
Pai’Lak: Response?
Robin immediately interjected.
Hopper: Hold on just a second. It’s important I be really really clear about this. I am not – we are not – divine beings of any kind. We’ve developed advanced technology, and we come from space, not the heavens. In fact, deliberately posing as deities or culturally significant figures is contrary to our Prime Directive of non-interference in other cultures.
oO Though it happens by accident way more often than anyone would like to admit… Oo
Pai’Lak: Response?
Hopper: I’m sure that Ambassador Vataix and the others would also never try to pose as religious figures just to get their way, either. There are significant implications to such behaviour that wou–
Before she could finish her thought, however, the door to the room suddenly opened. Robin instinctively grabbed for her combadge as she jumped back, startled by the unexpected sound and motion. Clasping the badge in her hand, she backed up towards the wall beside her cot. The Scientist and the Delegate seemed similarly surprised.
A moment later, two soldiers or armed guards entered the room.
Paak (Soldier): Delegate Pai’Lak, Scientist Pa’akia, you must exit this room immediately.
Pa’akia: What’s the meaning of this?
Pai’Lak: Response
Paak (Soldier): We have apprehended more of the extrapaakials snooping around the base, unauthorized and without an escort… They’re to be held here until we figure out what to do with them.
A handful of soldiers followed, pushing Kiani, Veers, and NATHAN! into the room. Robin wasn’t sure whether to cheer with joy at the sight of him or scream in frustration that he’d somehow managed to get himself arrested as well.
Richards/Veers/Kiani: Response?
Pa’akia: Perhaps they simply got lost?
Pai’Lak: Response
Paak (Soldier): Not possible. They attempted to convince two of our soldiers that they were “angels” in order to manipulate them. Can you believe that?
Robin crossed her arms and scowled at Nathan judgmentally.
Hopper: ::Irritated:: No… I can’t…
Richards/Veers/Kiani: Response
Paak (Soldier): Now, Scientist, Delegate, I have to ask that you exit this cell. We’ll be locking the base down momentarily to make sure no other “angels” attempted to sneak off and cause problems.
The guards then went to Richards, Veers, and Kiani, removing their combadges one by one and passing them along to the lead soldier. Robin had nearly forgotten she still held her own badge in her hand, but gripped it tighter as they gave her a cursory examination. Finding no badge on her shirt, they turned about and directed Pa’akia and Pai’Lak out of the room.
Richards/Veers/Kiani: Response
As the door slid shut behind them, Robin walked pointedly across the room from the other three, then turned around in a swift and commanding movement.
Hopper: ::Sharply:: Attention, all personnel.
She waited a moment for the three other officers to stand appropriately. While she was not one to rely on military decorum often – she hoped that this would heighten the seriousness and severity with which she now addressed them all.
Hopper: I’m going to give you three the benefit of the doubt and assume that you were in some sort of outrageous predicament that led to this ‘cultural misunderstanding’... Unless there was some other reason you felt it was appropriate to manipulate these people in a manner unbecoming of Starfleet Officers?
Richards/Veers/Kiani: Response
Hopper: ::Shocked:: WIL DID WHAT?!
TAGS / End of Act 2
