Shuttlebay ( Open )

[science_blues]

The shuttlebay was of a predictably reversed layout from that to which Spock was accustomed. The shift was a simple one, however, and she acclimated to it almost immediately. It took only a brief few moments before Spock located an acceptable shuttle and began the forms required. They were completed expediently and Spock assigned the two Yeoman on duty to the task of checking the supplies. As they did so, Spock moved to the bay console and checked the sensor alignments of the craft.

She did not need to glance at the chronometer to know the time. She had approximately 1.32 hours before the remainder of the team were required to be present. Ideally the checks she was engaged in would only occupy 35% of that time period, leaving the remainder for open study of the scientific and linguistic data the Enterprise had assembled.

Comments

[headnursechapel.livejournal.com]

Christine watched and listened with interest as the aliens appeared and the leader returned Uhura's greeting. She had no idea what either of them were saying, but the language was beautiful to listen to.

Nyota paused for a moment after the alien's greeting before speaking again. Again, Christine couldn't understand the words, but the meaning was clear enough as Nyota gestured to Captain Kirk - the leader. He nodded genially to the creatures as Nyota indicated him.

The conversation went slowly, consisting of hand gestures and body language as much as vocalizations as Nyota and the alien leader exchanged concepts of ideas. At one point Nyota pointed to the Starfleet insignia on her uniform, and at another she dropped to her knees to trace a simple drawing in the dust at her feet.

At long last, Nyota turned back to the rest of the landing party, and smiled.

"Well, they certainly seem friendly enough," she announced. "They haven't heard of the Federation before, but if I'm interpreting the nuances of their language right, they seem cautiously interested by the idea of it - they'd like to learn more. And they'd also like to show us around their village. Apparently they don't get too many visitors here."

[npc-aliens.livejournal.com]

The leader stepped closer and dipped the lower front of his body in what also looked like a bow. He gave a brief set of musical sounds to Nyota, gesturing with a fingertip to each one of the party. He was asking for their names.

But in surprise, he looked directly at Captain Kirk and croaked out, "Kirk." Repeated well, even if musically.

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"Fascinating," Spock announced with an arch of a brow. They had the aural dexterity to duplicate unfamiliar cacophonous phonology? Spock noted it with an even tilt of her head.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim agreed, perhaps for different reasons. Was it accurate to read surprise into the being's reaction?

"Kirk," he agreed, gesturing to himself. The meeting had gone well so far, typical for peaceful societies which did not yet know what the Federation had to offer or whether it would be to their benefit but did not object to learning. "What may I call you?" He glanced to Nyota.

[npc-aliens.livejournal.com]

After Nyota's translation, the leader nodded. He leaned back and sat on his hind legs, almost canine or feline like, and touched his chest. He gave three distinct notes (♫♫♪). The leader turned and gestured to the creamy-white frog and gave another set of notes, four this time. (♪♪♪♪) The last frog, green-leaved, was given two thrilling notes (♫~♪~) as its name. The creamy-white one was female and his daughter, the green-leaved was male and his son. The males tended to lead with a lower, quicker note while the females lead with higher, slower notes.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Jim understood the implication of their sounds, but he understood something else that made his heart sink. He hoped they could calibrate the universal translators quickly. Though it was unlikely that they'd do so before he revealed he was an interpreter of songs, which really didn't help in this case.

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

With a duplicate of Lieutenant Uhura's notes, and a general conceptual knowledge of tonal linguistics, Spock stepped forward. Lieutenant Uhura shot her a short glance and Spock acknowledged her with a short inclination of her head.

"Greetings," Spock said and attempted the intonation structure of their language. Something must have maintained cohesion because the creature closest, the central entity whose name consisted of a minor lift, let out a bright sound and an action that must have passed for applause.

"We wish to examine your culture," Spock attempted and glanced askance at Lieutenant Uhura. She translated to the best of her ability and Spock continued. "May we have permission to do so? And, if necessitated, transport further officers to this general location?"

[npc-aliens.livejournal.com]

♫♫♪ listened to Uhura, asked for a bit of clarification, then bobbed his head with a chortling sound. The frog leaped once (clearing about twenty-five feet in a small bound), and knelt down. He drew in the dirt a large symbol that ended up being the outline of Starfleet's delta symbol, then a circle around it. It encompassed about a ten foot area. He gestured over it, and nodded once. This was a good spot for them to come. It also meant they were familiar with transporter capabilities.

The creamy-white one identified as ♪♪♪♪ sidled up to Jim and looked at him curiously, her voice rippling gently as she asked him why they had come to their planet.

The leaf-green one, ♫~♪~, was intrigued by Spock. His tones were lower, like the chieftain's, as he asked about her greenish skin. Could they all change their skin colors, like they could?

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

Uhura was going to be taxed, Jim knew, but she offered her services to Jim first and explained for him that Starfleet's mission was to seek out unknown life and, where appropriate, make contact. The details as to why this planet specifically in this moment didn't change that. Jim assured the being, through Uhura, that they sought an exchange of information and friendship and that they appreciated the opportunity to interact with their people. He'd done this hundreds of times, and yet it was new every time.

[science-blues.livejournal.com]

"No, it does not," Spock responded. She had ascertained enough of their lilting structure to provide simple, conceptual answers with reasonable accuracy. Her comprehension of their language was significantly less than the Lieutenant's, but the creature seemed aware of such.

Spock engaged in a brief, simplistic conversation and gradually programmed her findings into the tricorder. If they continued at reasonable a rate, she could addend the Universal Translator with the complete linguistic pattern of this species. In theory, it was possible to input partial data into the translation circuit, though it would not provide a permanent solution. Yet, admittedly, a temporary solution was superior to nothing.

It took very little time to fashion the programming, though the data was sparse.

"Sir," Spock prefaced and moved alongside James Kirk and lifted her tricorder display. "I have constructed a partial translation circuit. It is not complete, but it should relieve some of the stress on the Lieutenant, as well as permit further personnel to travel the surface.

"With your leave, it can be distributed across the landing party's communications devices."

[npc-aliens.livejournal.com]

♫♫♪ turned to his two children and they spoke in rapid, quiet communication for several moments. He lifted his head and his throat-sac expanded widely before letting out a musical pattern that was as loud as if it had been attached to powerful amplifiers. It rippled across the village, telling all within two miles that they had guests, to allow them where they wished to go, teach and learn.

[original-fine.livejournal.com]

"That's fantastic, Spock. Thank you. Go ahead." Everyone fit together, despite their unfamiliarity with one another, like puzzle pieces that weren't the same shape but created a similar pattern. The message the alien sent out seemed friendly enough, and Jim confirmed it with Uhura. The creatures were impressive and beautiful, and Jim looked forward to learning more. He allowed everyone to branch out, within sight for now, giving them ten minutes to record preliminary data before they headed back and let the Enterprise know that they were welcome.

[anna-kowalski.livejournal.com]

Anna and Lieutenant Hamilton fanned out, turning their tricorders on the massive gate that enclosed the village and also on the area around it. The aliens and their village were both beautiful and intriguing, and Anna welcomed the chance to learn more about them.