Lt. (jg) Toz - Autopsy of a spider
Patty Boyle
((The Forest, Eesse Dome Ship))
Corelli: Is that they us? Or they them? Keep them taking Peri, I think that display was meant to frighten, not harm.
Katsim: Um…we…we come in peace.
Toz looked at Lt. Katsim in wonder. It was a wonder that Peri could stay so calm even when faced with an enemy. She also wondered where that piece of leg had gone. She needed to take a close look at it. Her attention span on this mission seemed short. Was it the trees? She so desperately wanted to save them, she couldn’t concentrate.
The commander’s voice cut into her musings.
Rouiancet: … came here to do. We wish to understand you and help, if we can.
Toz: ::nodded then spoke with sarcasm:: Yea, we wish to understand you.
Toz was firmly on the side of the Trees and would do just about anything to help them. If it meant doing harm to the spiders, she thought she might be able to do it. Her doctor’s oath sprang quickly to mind. She tried to push it away but it was too ingrained in her psyche: Do No Harm.
Lia was holding out a tricorder, pointing it at the creatures,
Rouiancet: This is a device that allows us to understand more about your bodies. May I use it? It won't hurt you at all.
The reaction was immediate.
Maëviloïc: Un shall not take what is ours! Foolish *untranslatable*
Kessler: ::turning to the aliens:: Your device is hurting, killing the Eesse ::beat gesturing the trees:: the creatures that inhabit this ship. We mean you no harm, however we cannot stand by and allow you to kill the Eesse. ::beat:: Maybe we can help you find another ::beat:: SAP source, one that does not cause harm.
Toz was nodding enthusiastically. Perfect! Another sap source would save the trees and she would Do No Harm. But she wasn't smiling. Another source would be difficult to find - or manufacture.
Berglijð: Particles are life, [we need the] untranslatable radiation [ to live.] Cavitation is the only [way. ]
Toz: The computer should be able to analyse the sap and make a fair replica. It can’t be that dissimilar to the trees on earth.
Corelli: The translator circuits are working overtime on this one. All we can do is hope intention and inflection are as we might understand them. Language is tricky.
So something must have gone through with the translation because the creatures responded, but it wasn’t in a positive manner.
Berglijð: We are seen! What is the harm now? Either that, or retreat to [safety]
Kessler: ::gesturing to the devices:: These are yours. We do not want them. You need to take them and stop using them on the Eesse. ::beat:: Do you understand the damage you are causing to the creatures that inhabit this vessel?
The two beings clearly had differing body language judging by what could be observed. One was very tightly wound, and one was almost loose in stature.
Toz: I don’t think they do understand. Or they just don’t care.
Corelli: Careful Commander, perhaps focus on the one that is less tightly wound?
Un. You. that meant ‘you’, right? Something like that?
Katsim: We don’t want to take anything…
Berglijð: Why have you revealed us?
Corelli: That translated correctly. Perhaps they live out of phase on purpose?
Rouiancet: We mean you no harm. We would like to help. What is your response?
Maëviloïc: The Suclese Clan of the Dome Ship requires no help.
Toz: Sure you do. We can help you find an alternative to the tree sap you’re draining which is killing the beings that live here.
A set of pincers revealed themselves and flashed toward the other of the creature’s kind. They weren’t in agreement. They were fighting, in their own way.
Berglijð: As for aid, give nothing in response!
Kessler: ::turning to Peri:: A clan denotes a family structure. Something to protect. We can use that to our advantage.
Corelli: Does he keep saying aid?
The Suclese. That must be what they called themselves.
Katsim: The Eesse of the Dome ship does require help.
Kessler: ::still looking to Peri:: Maybe they need to understand what happens to their clan when they kill all the Eesse?
Corelli/Rouiancet: Response
Toz watched Lt. Kessler turn his back on the Suclese. That was a good move, in her humble opinion. With the creatures attention distracted, the doctor was able to shimmy around where she could see them more closely.
Spiders. Part of them were a metallic alloy, part were an organic substance. So what was the sap used for? Toz’s medical tricorder wasn’t telling her much of anything. The readings were on-again / off-again.
Kessler: Commander, since my tricorder was used to establish part of the damping field can you scan the SAP and break down what they might be using it for? ::looking to Corelli: Kammus, They either don’t care or don’t understand what they are doing. I suggest we give them a demonstration. Can you ::beat:: sour the SAP from this tree to make it appear the tree is dying?
Peri extended a hand to one of the sap-sucking devices in order to make sure it was clear what she was referring to.
Katsim: These drain the Eesse. If they are drained, they die. If they die, there will be no more.
Kessler: If they don’t care then we need a way to make them think the SAP is no longer good. Taint it or sour it to a point that it is no longer usable.
And if the creatures wanted the sap then suddenly couldn’t get it, that *would* be a problem for them.
Corelli: There is no way to do that with a tricorder. That would require physical interaction on some chemical level. We still don’t know why they are taking the sap. We don’t know what they are talking about. We don’t know what we don’t know.
Berglijð: The research must continue, the solution must be found! We require more brsss[sapppss]sss!
Maëviloïc: Response
Kessler/Rouiancet: Response
Toz: Destroy the devices to stop the sucking. It’s the only thing left to do. ::turning to face the small group:: It won’t harm the creatures. If they are connected and I’m not sure they are, we can’t wait any longer.
Katsim/Rouiancet: Response
Suddenly, one of them inched forward.
Berglijð: [gwko].
A single sound came out of the creatures sounding horns. Again, after a pause they sounded it again.
Berglijð: [gwk]lp.
Corelli: Hear that? Whatever he is trying to say, the UT is having a quite difficult time with it. Everyone be calm, let the computer work.
Katsim/Rouiancet/Kessler/Maëviloïc: Response
Again there was a pause. Berglijð unfurrled his sails, turned all 10 of his eyes towards Peri, and made the same, concentrated sound, directly at her. It was a soft sound, direct, and as clear an utterance as their sound emitters could manage to produce.
Berglijð: HELP.
Kammus’s eyebrows shot up, glancing at Jack. Toz froze. This would change everything.
Toz: How can we help? Make the replica sap? How?
Corelli: Loud and clear commander. I think we are beyond first contact at this point?
Kessler/Maëviloïc: Response
Toz finally spotted the severed leg laying half under a golden leaf. She sneakily bent down to retrieve it, placed it in a small pouch and held onto it tightly. Now she needed to get back to the ship in order to analyse it.
Maybe that will help the Suclese.
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Lt. (jg) Toz
Medical Officer
USS ‘Oumuamua
T239811T14