[These transcripts are for office use only. Unauthorised distribution will result in immediate termination and a fine in accordance with the Conglomerate Espionage Act 26.051. Transcripts are official property of the Esaander Corporation.]
ED Laandi: It is 2130 [hours] the 7th [day] the second quarter of [year] 306, Rejuvenation Dynasty. I, Executive Director Salhor Laandi will be conducting today's meeting with my department heads.
DH Xant: Dr. Uru’Nav Xant, Head of Research.
DH Duuarn: Dr. Marsen Duuarn, Head of Bio Engineering.
CMO Krydon: Dr. Tend Krydon, Chief Medical Officer.
OM Isk: (
ED Laandi: Absent from this meeting is DH Dr. Jess, her assistant, Myra is here on her behalf.
Assist Myra: Assist Tana Myra, Behavioural Studies.
ED Laandi: The Subject of today's agenda is the analysis of the recent private contract. 6 stasis pods were recovered from a Rajavan vessel. Aboard were unknown organisms. Doctor Xant, has asked that I call our quarterly meeting early in order to discuss his findings. Dr Xant you have the floor.
DH Xant: Thank you ED Laandi. The stasis pods that were recovered from the Rajavan ship have gone through initial examination and I am now able to discern my findings. We have a total of 15 specimens, all are unknown species to the Galactic Council database. As of yet, a common anomaly is that none of the creatures responded to active Freq signals.
The aquatic and [terrestrial] specimens have been transferred into their appropriate ecosystems, The fauna’s systems contained the same micro-bacteria collections and trace synthetic materials within their digestive tracts. This evidence points to the specimens coming from a lost world outside the reclamation efforts.
DH Xant: The three quadruped mammals that are on second priority are currently going through complete diagnostic scans. DH Dr Duuarn has put in a request to analyse the specimens with his own equipment-
DH Duuarn: And if I may interject for a moment Dr Xant. I put in my request for the three quadrupeds before you had updated your roster and have since determined that it is in Esaander’s best interest that my department instead focus on decoding the genetic properties of your primary subject-
ED Laandi: Dr Duuarn, please remain silent until the end of the report, I will not motion any requests until the facts are presented thusly.
DH Duuarn: As you will it Director.
ED Laandi: Thank you, Dr Xant you may continue.
DH Xant: Thank you ED Laandi. We tried to gather diagnostics of the Primary Subject but the creature’s skeleton was obscuring most of the readings and the instruments could not penetrate the skeleton without risking radiation contamination of the subject’s cell structure.
We proceeded to perform invasive tests. The samples will be sent to CMO Krydon and the results divulged with my next report. The Subject had no synthetic material in its digestive tract, several sanctioned bacteria were isolated and catalogued, but this subject was of particular concern.
[Dr Xant transferred data files of the Subject to the holoscreen]
DH Xant: Subject was removed from the Rajava stasis pod on the 84th [day] of the first quarter. My assistants and I scanned for vital organ stability and environmental conditioning. Respiratory, circulation and filtering systems all functional, Subject’s environmental needs were lower than galactic standard and the enclosure was adapted to suit. Subject had been heavily sedated during her abduction, her surface fur completely removed and the number ‘F17’ imprinted upon the side of her cranium. No other alterations were found. Subject was unresponsive during the first week of observation, possibly due to stress, shock and adjusting to the new enclosure
DH Xant: I proposed a personal inspection of the Subject. She had no claws or spines and her jaw was not large enough to pose any sort of safety concern. Subject was timid, trembling as I approached, her body mass had decreased and her pupils dilated, concluded that her diet was insufficient and the environmental levels contained too much oxygen. After the corrections were made, Subject became increasingly energetic and constantly vocal. On the 2nd of the Second Quarter, Subject began fashioning tools, weaving flora for crude clothing, and discovered the observation camera. On the 3rd Subject cleared an area and began to demonstrate simple mathematics, what was of particular interest was she had also drawn a key, a total of dots drawn next to the corresponding symbol. Allowing us to decode her mathematical alphabet-
OM Isk: Dr Xant, are you proposing that a subject, let alone anything, found upon a Rajavan ship, has retained any semblance of sentience?
DH Xant: Over the last [56 hours] Subject has demonstrated levels of knowledge that can only be attributed to higher education, and has an intelligence capacity to use it despite not having a freq -presence. Not only that but the Subject is versed in a diversity of professions. She has openly expressed a desire for communication, giving us both a demonstrative mathematics and an alphabet of her own language. With permission I would like to relocate the Subject to an appropriate habitation unit as per Sentience Accommodation Protocols.
ED Laandi: Do you intend to have the Subject moved to the third level lab rooms?
DH Xant: With respect Director, I believe the Subject to be of creator level status and no threat to the population at large. She exhibits all the characteristics of a civilised being.
OM Isk: (
ED Laandi: Exactly, until we have a documented conversation with the creature its intelligence levels can only be speculated.
DH Xant: Director? May I demonstrate the level to which the Subject has communicated through the visual medium?
ED Laandi: I see no harm, please proceed.
[Xant proceeds to throw up image after image of the Subject’s dataslate]
OM Isk: (
Assist Myra:(
ED Laandi: (
DH Xant: and more Director, I do not make the statement that the creature has received a higher education. It is the only logical explanation.
ED Laandi: The evidence is very compelling. I will grant your request for an interview Dr Xant, and ensure Isk has a room set aside for our new guest.
DH Xant: Thank you Director.
OM Isk: (
ED Laandi: (
DH Duuarn: About my earlier request. If the primary subject is indeed of creator level intelligence then all the more reason to have my department decode the genetic sequence immediately-
DH Xant: I’m afraid I must decline your request. The Subject’s intelligence implies that she is entitled to the same rights as any GC citizen and the permissions to her DNA contents are hers alone to distribute. Violating that right would be cause for incident with the Corporation control board.
DH Duuarn: This goes WAAAY beyond the Corporation control board! If everything you’ve said stands up to scrutiny then we have no choice but to begin DNA sequencing!-
OM Isk: (
DH Duuarn: We have the opportunity of a Dynasty sitting before us and you want to complicate matters denying further progress?! The specimen couldn’t possibly understand the weight of the possibilities to give proper compliance!-
DH Xant: I believe that any organism capable of communicating the value of pi across language and technological barriers is worthy of our respect, regardless of its position or ignorance of Galactic Council doctrine. Once First Contact has been established and the litigations explained to the Subject, only then can we commence DNA sequencing.
ED Laandi: Xant is correct on this one, you are overuled Duuarn. No matter how exciting the prospect of a new creator Genome is, we shall adhere to the laws of the Galactic Council. We will not take what we wish from another species without proper discourse, we are NOT the Rajava.
DH Duuarn: … (
ED Laandi: Bioengineering will continue with the DNA sequencing of the three quadrupeds, I will hear no more discussion on the matter.
DH Duuarn: (
ED Laandi: Were there any other questions?
CMO Krydon: Nothing of note to add Director. I will have my schedule completely booked until the rest of the initial examinations are complete.
Assist Myra:(
ED Laandi: Permission to speak Myra.
Assist Myra: Dr, I mean, DH Dr Xant, if it is at all possible, I would- I mean, my department would greatly appreciate any of the visual and audio recordings of the primary subject you have in order to properly certain the correct procedures when handling the subject?
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
DH Xant: I shall have the items arranged to be sent to the behavioral office-
Assist Myra:(
DH Xant: Then I shall have Assist Fen gather the materials for you.
Assist Myra: I…(
ED Laandi: If there are no further inquiries?
[Long pause]
ED Laandi: Meeting adjourned.
---
Jasmine sat in the empty room, her heart beating a million miles an hour and her stomach twisted with enough force a steel cable would have been jealous.
She hoped she had done the right thing.
She had just begun drawing everything she could think of that might be useful, starting with letters and numbers, biology, then just random stuff, hoping to display anything that might be of help. Her Alien (Caretaker? Zookeeper? Doctor? Yeah, let’s stick with Doctor.) Seemed nice enough, he had given her clothes and gave her a tablet to communicate with.
He was probably talking with the other Aliens about her now.
The Aliens.
There were greys and lizard people, it was a revelation that all those conspiracy theorists were right. Grey aliens abducting people and lizard people running the government, maybe Area 51 did have aliens?... Did that mean chemtrails were real too?
She needed to get out of this room before she began questioning her reality even further. Too many questions, and until they could actually start talking and understanding each other she wouldn’t be able to get any answers.
There wasn’t much in the space so she instead focused on the clothes she had been given to wear. It was like a breathable wetsuit, or catsuit. Utilitarian grey except for a few alien numbers/letters on one of the shoulders. She began trying to memorise the numbers before the whale skinned anteater-like alien returned. It stood at the door and gestured for Jasmine to follow, she eagerly kept the pace.
The alien doctor lead her outside for the first time and Jasmine was finally able to get a better scope of exactly how much out of her depth she was.
The halls were huge, big enough to get like two semi trailers in side by side, and all of them as bland and uninteresting as the tiny room she had been locked in. Pristine white tiles as far as the eye could see, not a single sign or written word anywhere. The elevators were familiar though, steel doors like back on Earth. The doors opened as the doctor waves his hand over a small sensor square on the left. The Doctor entered and looked at her expectantly, not even a voice prompt, true, there was no way to understand him but the unbroken silence was very unnerving.
Jasmine never thought she’d miss elevator music, or the hum of electricity the entire place seemed to be deathly quiet. Suddenly the bubbling of the enclosure’s water feature didn't seem so bad.
The elevator announced to them what floor they were on in a language she recognised as the same one the grey alien had spoken even in electronic form. Long vowels, hisses and the clacking of teeth, she tried to copy the sounds to get used to them, but her Doctor was already out and down the new halls.
The doctor finally stopped at the end of a long hallway, before the last door. He waved his hand over a sensor on the wall and the door’s computer blurted out another incomprehensible sentence.
When she saw what was inside, Jasmine realised just how much her fortunes had improved.
It was a bedroom.
A bedroom.
A personal space with facilities and furniture! She couldn't help but let out a squeal of relief, running past the alien to familiarise herself with her new surroundings.
The bed was cut into the wall, a long hexagonal shape. The mattress was made of gel, and it was warm to the touch when she squished it. The table and stool wouldn't have been out of place in an IKEA catalog. Everything was clinical white but she didn't care.
This was a proper room!
She spun back around and bowed again more formally.
“Thank you! Thank you!!” she smiled.
The alien returned the bow of the head, a gesture that translated across galactic boundaries.
The doctor demonstrated the light sensor, and the food dispenser in the opposite corner. To her dismay it only seemed to spit out water and kibble. But at least she didn't have to pick it up from the ground.
The last was the washroom, or, more accurately, automated powerwash.
She didn’t need to use it right away, she’d already had one unpleasant mechanical shower.
Finally the alien doctor gestured to the table and stool. Jasmine didn't need a further prompt and sat down while he pulled out another tablet and a small black bead.
She picked up the black bead, looking at it curiously.
The doctor pointed to the bead and then flicked up a long and narrow ear stalk from the back of his head, pointing to place it at the base.
In her ear?
It was a translator!!
She held back another squeal of delight as she sat down, placed the bead in her ear and waited to make first contact.
-*-
Xant was enjoying himself.
It had been a long time since anything had garnered any sort of interest out of him.The translator was a user model, designed to translate the mild frequencies of the less developed emotional species. Xant hoped, despite all evidence to the contrary, that the small black device would be able to pick up something their scanners could not.
The tech itself fed off the electrical pulses of the nervous system, from the scans his new guest should be able to pick up some sort of signal. Perhaps there was some sort of natural damper? The skull was certainly thick enough to stop most subtle signals from penetrating it, it didn't respond to any open air signals. The fluid supporting the skull could be a culprit too,
As the Subject placed the translator in her ear canal, Xant was delighted to find it had picked up a signal.
A strong signal at that.
It both relieved and sparked his sense of curiosity.
Of course it had a frequency, all sentience had a frequency, it was just the very rare occasion that did not have the proper broadcasting organs. Or they were redundant inside the body, or perhaps the subject had had it removed? The Savori were known to do such things to those of their population who were too sensitive before their first contact. The doctor could have postulated theories to himself for the rest of the quarter, but, with the subject right in front of him, it was ultimately better to ask her herself.
With a few minor adjustments to the translator he connected to the dataslate and began, what would most certainly go down in history as the first contact of the Rejuvenation Dynasty.
[Random blurb about research purposes and Esaander exclaimers about ownership and such.]
DH Dr Xant: This is Dr Uru’nav Xant of Esaander corp, conducting an interview with a specimen found aboard a Rajavan vessel. Subject is educated, and possesses neither broadcasting nor receiving organs. User translator (supplied by Aecom corp) has found a connection. I am proceeding to conduct first contact protocol interviews.
DH Dr Xant: Subject? Can you hear me?
[Subject reacted strongly to the translator receiving my message, User translator noted an almost dangerous spike in electrical pulses]
Subject:(
[Note: The translator is designed for simpler intelligent species with limited vocabulary and understanding, the subject demonstrated knowledge of more complex sciences and concepts as well as a deep alphabet]
DH Dr Xant: For the sake of translation, please keep all answers simple.
Subject:(
DH Dr Xant: Subject, what is the name of your species?
Subject: (
[While the subject has followed my instruction and is indeed answering in one sentence answers the translator detects several translations of the word. Will invest in a more capable translator as soon as possible.]
DH Dr Xant: What is your profession?
Subject: (
DH Dr Xant: How old are you?
Subject: (
DH Dr Xant: What is your home system?
Subject: (
DH Dr Xant: What is your home planet called?
Subject: (
Suddenly the Subject let out a painful shriek, her hand slapping to her ear and ripping the translator from its canal. The translator’s feed died, and the signal with it. The Subject was clearly still in pain, rubbing her ear as blood rushed through it. Xant offered his hand to inspect the device, she handed it over carefully.
Xant blinked his second eyelids, the device had been burnt out. The stress of translating had completely overworked the internal systems and burnt the processing nerves. That shouldn't have been possible.
Xant looked at his Subject, she was whimpering under her breath still holding her ear, the device must have surged and sent a backfire pulse through her system.
He stood from his seat and walked over, flicking up his ear and pointing to it, asking if he could inspect her injury.
She complied without protest, taking her hand away and closing her eyes as she did so, a reaction to the pain, he realised.
It was flooded with blood, the canal itself had scarred from the interaction, he could see the nerves it had been attached to. The skin in the canal was thin, and sensitive, he had barely brought his hand to her ear when she whimpered and flinched at his touch.
He wondered.
If there was no broadcast and receiver organs, would he be able to make contact from nerve connections alone?
It was his prerogative as a scientist to retrieve results for his company, it would take another [hour] or so to retrieve a translator and even then it could explode and damage the Subject even further.
It could destroy the trust built up between them.
Xant reached for the dataslate and tried his best to communicate through illustration. His skills were limited in that part compared to his Subject’s but he could get a basic outline of himself and the subject.
He passed it to her and she studied the image. Xant truly had to admire the precise control the alien had over her own facial muscles, the expressions she performed were very descriptive. The subtle narrowing of the eyes and down turning of the mouth as she considered the image. Her eyes darting between the slate, his hands and herself, the subject then spoke in the own language, pointing up at his hands to her own ear.
The doctor was delighted the message had been received.
Xant removed his glove from his four fingered hand and showed her the delicate extending nerves.
The Zenthi, Xant’s species, communicate primarily through the broadcasting of thought frequencies. Indeed this was what the entire translator system for the known universe had been based on. If the subject simply lacked the organs to broadcast and receive then all they would need to do is install the organs required to link her to the system. If the basic Translator unit could pick up the Frequency signal then there would be no problem if he and the Subject connected nerves and spoke as the ancient Elders did before first contact.
The Subject, expressed her concern with a low rumble of her voice, but she was not unwilling to proceed.
She closed her eyes in a contorted fashion before turning her head so that her ear did face the doctor. Xant composed himself, it had been many a year since he had attempted a direct link, such a thing was reserved for extremely private conversation between his own kind or the sharing of memories in the extraordinarily skilled, this was not one of those times however. He simply needed to confirm that the Subject was capable of accepting the translator organs and that her nervous system could handle the requirements.
His nerves could feel the heat radiating of the Subject as he drew his hand closer, she drew in a deep breath and winced as he carefully threaded his nerve ending through to connect with her own-
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The chorus of screams flooded Xants own mind.
Terrified pleas, desolated whimpers, indigent snarls and soothing mantras all echoed at once. Every voice distinct and powerful on their own.
His arm jerked back violently in reaction, the shock of it all left him numb and the disconnection of the nerves left him in a deathly silence. Xant barely felt his body hit the cold tiled floor, he was aware the Subject was trying to talk to him, but he had lost control of his motor functions.
Her hands were warm against the back of his head.
The muffled nerves in her finger tips whispered concern and panic.
It was…
Nice.
She was strong enough to shift his body to the side, she shook him gently, her voice growing louder. The Subject raised her hand to his snout, Xant could smell her, feel his own breath bounce back against her heat.
It was all so strange.
He needed to reassure her, he needed to let her know she didnt do anything wrong.
He willed himself to move, his arms and head screamed in pain, but that would all be temporary.
Xant sat up.
The Subject panicked a little, her hands on his shoulders.
The doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out his emergency medipen, the smallest of depressors doses still in its chamber, had the Subject become aggressive for any reason. He did not expect to have to use it on himself.
To calm his burning nerves, to silence energy flowing through them.
A deep breath and a small sting and he would return to business as usual. Xants ears relaxed, he rolled his neck and the Subject let out a long and laboured sigh.
Xant concluded the Subject not only capable of of GC Translator Technology, but he would have to apply for the most powerful models available on the Citizen market.
He wondered if Laandi would be able to get them a Rush-Grow-Order.