Cmdr. Katsim Peri - "More Puzzling"
Amanda Nordstrom
((Project Site Central Habitat, Marohu III))
Peri found the new artifact fascinating. At first, she hadn’t noticed it, but when it began to flash and beep in reaction to another artifact, that certainly drew her attention. As she peered at it, strange symbols appeared, but she could not fathom what they were. Taking the device back, it was brighter then, and the numbers showed more clearly. There were twelve digits rather than ten, which meant it was a base 12 system rather than base 10. That was interesting. Standing still, the numbers stopped moving, but when she turned, they shifted and she canted her head, considering the shift. She stepped forward in one direction, stopped, gazed at the numbers, then turned. Stepping forward again, she came to a stop, then paused as she found herself face to face with a narrow entrance that led deeper into the caverns. She had seen it upon entering, but hadn’t paid any attention to it, for everyone had been intent on the archaeologists and the devices, but if her theory was correct, it was now a focal point.
Katsim: The numbers…I think it’s coordinates. If we follow the shift of the numbers, it will tell us a direction. But to where, I don’t know. Just…somewhere down there.
JoNz: My first impression of this building was that it was a sort of school or maybe a communal meeting area.
Arlill: And you may be correct, it does seem like that type of structure.
Enak: Those two options or a temple.
That was entirely possible, but they didn’t have enough information to determine that concurrently. Obviously, there was more to that place than they initially suspected. Well, it was time to find out.
Stepping forward, Peri slipped into the narrow entrance and it led deeper and deeper into the caverns. There was much to see, and the dig had only gone so far. Where were they going? She didn’t know, but she kept following the numbers. From what she could tell, they all remained the same colour, white, until she went in a certain direction - and that was when the light shifted to pink. When it did so, she changed her direction until it turned pink.
Deeper they dove, and the passages became more narrow. Then, suddenly, as they turned another corner, they stepped through another passageway and through it, they found themselves in a cavernous chamber, so high and wide that even their footsteps echoed off the ceiling. Her eyes lifted to it, taking note of the geometric patterns, she paused to admire. They were quite lovely, very logically arranged, and the colours were in a specific pattern as well. In fact, there were twelve colours.
Everything converged into the center, where stood a raised platform. Like the ceiling, it, too, was covered in geometric shapes, the flat part an enlarged version of one of the patterns above, and the sides repeating smaller versions of it all the way around. In her hand, the device beeped and the colour flashed pink. She felt like it was trying to tell them to go somewhere - but where?
Katsim: Perhaps we should…
Vuq: Perhaps you should, indeed. Perfect timing.
The voice snarled, and when Peri turned, a man stood there, his face painted red with white lines and blue dots at various places. Three others flanked him, and every single one had weapons. The one who spoke, however, had his weapon pressed against the back of Arlill’s head.
Enak/JoNz/Riley: Response
Arlill: And to whom do we have the pleasure?
Arlill started to turn, started to face the man, but he was not having any of it. The weapon pressed even harder against Arlill’s head.
Vuq: I wouldn’t move if I were you.
Arlill: Ok, ok, I’m not moving, you have nothing to fear from us.
Enak: We’re just archaeologists here. Just like the last time you were here. How’d you get past the shield anyway?
Peri glanced over at Riley and JoNz, but remained where she was. It was not wise to make any sudden moves, for the man was as likely to shoot Arlill or any of them should they do so. She was not a fighter, either. While she had the basic training, once again, she found herself in a situation that she was not suited to. The mercenary had taken them by surprise, and now threatened them all - but especially their First Officer.
Riley/JoNz: Response
Arlill: What do you want from us?
Enak: Probably the artifacts.
Vuq: You’re a smart one, aren’t you? The Dosi grinned, though Arlill didn’t get the benefit of the white teeth against the blood red painted skin. Automatically, Peri’s hand tightened on the artifact, but the others said the very same response that echoed through her mind.
Riley/JoNz: Response
Arlill: I’m afraid that they’re not our’s to give.
Vuq kept his weapon pressed against Arlill’s skull. Several of his men had joined them, coming behind, a rag tag group, species wise, but he trusted in the skill of every one of them. They were all in it together, and each would do what he said, and he would make sure they were all taken care of. That was their way. A single nod was all that was needed before they took up positions in the chamber, a weapon trained on each of their captives. The archaeologist, however, remained steadfast.
Enak: They’re not mine to give over either. And besides, they’re mostly worthless to you.
Katsim: We don’t know much about them either.
Peri started to say they were worthless to her and the archaeologist as well, but she couldn’t. Even if they didn’t know what the artifact did or why it was beeping, why the coordinates flashed the way they did, what it was doing, where it led, it was worth quite a lot from a scientific and historical standpoint.
Vuq: Oh, but my dear, you have already provided far more information than you realise, and you have set us on a course to some answers.
Riley/JoNz: Response
Obviously, Enak didn’t consider the mercenaries particularly smart. His eyes rolled up into his head, making him look rather stupid in Vuq’s eyes.
Enak: My team and I were never able to figure it out, and you expect me to believe that you’ll be able to figure out how to activate them?
Vuq’s lips curled up in an unpleasant grin.
Vuq: They have more value to us than you think.
Riley/JoNz/Arlill: Response
Obviously, Enak couldn’t see what that value was, and Peri glanced at him when she saw his face. He was about to say something…and…
Enak: So what, you steal the artifacts, and then sell them to some stupid collector who just looks at them once in a blue moon? Have you no pride in what you collect?
It was exactly what she thought he would say. Not so much the specific words, but he was the sort of man who would insult anyone he felt was worth insulting, even at phaser point.
Katsim: Don’t.
But it was too late. He’d spit the words out at the mercenaries.
Riley/JoNz/Arlill: Response
With a quick jerk of his head, Vuq signaled to one of the others who, in a flash, crossed over to Enak, pulled back his arm and let go with a hard punch to his stomach. Peri could hear his breath thrust out of him. With a quick step, one of the unnamed thugs punched Enak in the gut, driving the air from his lungs. Peri gasped and took a step forward, but another of the mercenaries lifted his weapon and shoved it in her face, preventing her from assisting the man. Fortunately, the archaeologist proved more hardy than she anticipated.
Enak: Probably deserved that.
Katsim: Leave him alone.
Peri’s soft voice somehow echoed in the chamber, the whispered tones amplified by the cavernous space. Vuq snorted, but he did not remove the weapon from its position, pointed straight at Arlill’s blue head. His eyes settled upon the scientist and he smirked.
Vuq: Let’s see, leave him alone and go with empty hands? No. You are going to finish what you started.
Arlill/Enak/JoNz/Riley: Response
The mercenary whose weapon pointed at her reached out and shoved her further into the chamber, closer to the raised platform.
Vuq: Finish what you started. You cracked the code. Where does it lead?
Peri didn’t answer. Instead, her eyes flicked over to Enak, then Riley and JoNz, and finally Arlill. None of them had been prepared for an ambush. She, in particular, had been so focused on the Sphere, she hadn’t even thought about the fact that both Riley and the others had pointed out they’d heard something. Now, they were at their mercy. Seeing her uncertainty, Vuq decided to give her a little more motivation.
Vuq: You don’t have to show me. I can just shoot your friend here instead, and after that, the rest of them. You gave a start, I’m sure it wouldn’t take me too long to figure out the rest. Or, you could make this go a lot faster, and do what I tell you.
He didn’t smile, then. Instead, his face became cold and serious, his eyes bored into hers. The Bardassian stared back, outwardly quiet and calm, but inwardly, feared what the man might do should she listen and obey. The archaeologists viewed the artefacts as priceless. She begged to differ. The lives of others were far more precious.
Turning away, she refocused on the symbols that represented the numbers. They had changed, and the colours of the device switched back and forth. Although she could not tell for certain, she had a feeling that wherever it led, she was close.
Arlill/Enak/JoNz/Riley: Response
Stepping forward, Peri aimed for the platform. It was not raised very high, for though it was a steep step, she could lift her foot upon it easily. Doing so, Peri settled herself into the middle of it. Immediately, the geometric shapes began to glow, each one lighting up in their different colours. Surprised, she nonetheless turned around, taking in the pattern in its entirety.
Vuq: Well?
Vuq pushed with the woman simply stared at the ground beneath her feet, and the tiles shimmering at her.
Katsim: It’s a puzzle.
She stated softly, finally looking up, but not at Vuq or the other mercenaries, but at her fellow officers.
Katsim: A puzzle that has to be solved to go any further.
Arlill/Enak/JoNz/Riley: Response
-- Commander Katsim Peri Chief Science Officer USS Octavia E. Butler M239008AD0