Lt JG Taj'el - Dissection would be logical.
Taj'el
(( Actors’ Archive, Behind the Scenes, USPS Showrunner ))
Some of the basic concepts had become apparent, and it seemed they could infer the function of several of the controls. The circular symbol containing a central dot appeared to signify no, stop, or cease activity. The cone-shaped tentacle symbol appeared to represent forward, advance, or proceed. Keeping in mind how seemingly indolent these creatures had been, Taj’el reasoned that the simplest controls to activate would likely correspond to the most fundamental actions. Thus, they concluded it most likely represented forward movement toward an intended objective.
Wishing to assist the other officers in their search for anything of value, they examined the items they were holding, evaluating whether any of them possessed practical use or significance.
Taj’el: Wait, what is this?
Talyra: My knowledge of Klingon is admittedly basic, but I believe this is a copy of a game called Guts and Glory III: The Blooding of Lerpon.
They had wondered whether this indicated the creatures had encountered Klingons previously, or if the markings had originated from the other Federation vessel that had been captured. It had been an interesting line of thought, though it offered no immediate assistance.
Naledi: Tick Pop Snap Crick… Is it sadness. You mean to say that the glyphs represent states?
Talyra: Oh those. That does sound like what Lieutenant Taj’el is saying, yes.
Turning the item toward the others, they allowed them to examine the unusual markings, consisting of curious scribbles and partially coherent symbols.
Naledi: Hiss Pop Snap… If the theory is correct. What do you believe the translation is?
Taj’el: To a degree. Some of it is based upon inference and will require trial and error, but I believe I understand the basic concepts.
Talyra: Hmm.
Naledi: Snap Pop… It sees.
Talyra: We need to find a way to interpret this with minimal understanding of their culture, which means we need a reference point.
They looked toward the Romulan and gave a slight nod. That had been precisely correct. Because the language relied so heavily upon symbols, understanding the underlying patterns of thought was essential to interpreting their meaning.
They found themselves considering that their father's assessment of Romulans had likely been inaccurate. This individual, at least, had appeared both reasonable and logical.
Taj’el: Correct. I am operating under the assumption that they would have grouped the most frequently used controls together.
Commander Naledi had reached out, and Taj’el had turned their attention to what it had to say.
Naledi: Crick Snap Pop Hiss… The tactile response is interesting, each square inch has a differing heat dispersal pattern.
That had prompted an eyebrow raise; it had been an interesting observation. Octopuses were biologically invertebrate mollusks, though these beings were not a direct one-to-one comparison. There had to be some underlying biological similarities.
Talyra: Oh? That’s an interesting aspect to incorporate for a species that seems otherwise very visually driven.
Taj’el: Imagine what we could learn if we were able to conduct a dissection…
The thought had slipped out before they had been able to restrain it. They had recognized the potential knowledge that could be gained from examining these creatures through dissection. Even so, they had already begun observing additional details, including a detectable heat pattern associated with the symbols.
Talyra: That machine I was looking at isn’t in this same language. I think something within it forces it to display in the user’s own native language because all of the information is in Romulan to me. This isn’t. That means that machine is intended for usage by actors. This machine isn’t.
That had also appeared logical to them. It seemed the creators had intended for “actors” to interact with and read certain elements, and therefore likely excluded translation for items that were not meant to be touched or utilized.
Taj’el: That seems logical.
Naledi: Response
Talyra: Maybe if we look closer at the pods, we’ll find something we can cross-reference? Other actors wouldn’t need to interact with the pods. Only Astrachtoni do.
Taj’el had nodded quickly in agreement and had even shown a faint smile, as their own reasoning appeared to align effectively. They had then raised the single note they had taken from the pod.
Taj’el: I highly agree. I had been attempting the same approach with this note retrieved from the pod, in order to cross-reference it. Here, please review it as well.
Naledi: Response
Allowing the Romulan to examine the note and compare it with others, they had also moved along the pods. As they observed the captured Federation personnel, they had felt a physical reaction, which intensified upon recognizing a particular captain.
Talyra: Okay, these symbols below the window are unique enough that they’re likely labels or names. The ones on the side are consistent though. This one looks like a number, maybe?
Taking a moment, they had examined the pod more closely and reached up to brush away some of the dust. Their eyes had begun to water, as they looked upon the missing captain of the Janaran. She had been alive and apparently unharmed. Relief had flooded Taj’el, leaving them feeling momentarily detached from the present situation, as though far removed from it. The sensation had not entirely aligned with their own conscious emotions, yet their body had reacted regardless, almost as if a weight they had not known they carried had suddenly been lifted.
Taj’el: Vixis… ::spoken softly and somberly::
Naledi: Response
As Ensign Talyra moved, Taj’el had forced themself back into the present, rubbing at their eyes. They were going to get her out, her and everyone else. Focus had been necessary to accomplish that objective. They recalled the Ensign mentioning numbers, but the exact context had remained unclear.
Talyra: Every culture advanced enough develops accounting and inventory control. I suggest we look for the logistics trail to find a path forward.
They had walked over and looked in the direction she had been observing, using the physical movement as a means to distance themself from the emotional trigger.
Taj’el: I see. Simple counting or tallying. Yes, I… ::glancing down at their notes:: believe those may indeed represent numbers.
Naledi: Response
So, more squiggles indicated larger numbers, allowing them to trace back toward smaller squiggles. However, the purpose of this remained unclear. It would allow them to distinguish newer entries from older ones, effectively enabling them to navigate toward earlier sections of the archive.
Taj’el: It does appear to be becoming more complex as the pods progress. So, following this line of logic…
Taj’el had begun to move toward what they all had assumed to be the older section, scanning the clutter for anything that stood out. They had noticed a faux knife discarded earlier by someone, but continued onward.
The archive had extended further and further back. The creatures within the pods had appeared increasingly alien, prompting the question of how long this system had been in operation, how long these beings had been capturing and experimenting with other species.
Naledi/Talyra: Response
Taj’el had sighed quietly, as the search appeared to extend indefinitely with no guarantee of results simply because the area was “older.” Just as they had begun to consider abandoning this direction and returning to investigate the Federation officers’ pods, they had noticed something.
Taj’el: Fascinating!
Sounding more excited than they should have been, they had almost run over to the pod, clearing debris from around it. It had appeared very old, marked with some of the most simplified scribbles yet observed. Inside the sealed pod was an Astrachthoni.
Kneeling down, they had examined the note more closely, and their reaction had become markedly more enthusiastic at the discovery, as the idea of dissection had once again entered their thoughts.
Naledi/Talyra: Response
Taj’el: It appears they even utilized their own species at one point. ::They studied the pod:: I cannot confirm whether it is still alive. There does appear to be something attached to its side, however. Should we risk investigating?
They had then looked toward the Commander, as Naledi had been the closest present equivalent to a security officer among the three. If matters had gone poorly, a confrontation might have been necessary, though at close range they could still provide limited assistance.
Naledi/Talyra: Response
[[TAGS/TBC]]
