Carpathia IV: Episode 62 - Leaves and Dirt
Space, NCCS Shadowdancer
Just outside the shuttle bay, Joust lined up his charges to give them instructions while they waited for Ryuu and Tayet to fetch the blobby from the hull.
Joust: Teren, you will provide the security, of course. Be alert, but not twitchy. We don't want to overreact to every little thing.
Teren: Yes, Commander.
Joust: Teek, I want you to record the encounter. Focus mostly on the creature.
Teek: Yes, Commander.
Teek rushed to a nearby equipment room to fetch a recording tablet while Joust moved on to Amenaru.
Joust: Amenaru, you'll take notes on what you see to supplement the recording. I want a first impressions record, the sorts of things we tend to forget after pondering something too long.
Amenaru: Understood, Commander.
Amenaru darted off to join Teek in the equipment room for a tablet to scribble on.
Joust: Kit, of course, you'll be on point. If anyone can find a way to communicate with this creature, you can.
Kit nodded meekly.
Kit: I'll do my best, Commander.
Kit held up his tablet and tapped the screen, prompting a wibbly, jiggly blob creature illustration to appear.
Kit: I'm going to use this to record its movements and sounds. If I can get confirmation of specific words or thoughts from it, then I can record it with the camera and reproduce it here. This will be my database of their language.
Joust leaned in close to examine the illustration, finding it crisp and clear, though a bit more cartoony than lifelike.
Joust: You're very prepared. If this doesn't work, nothing will.
Amenaru and Teek returned with their respective devices while Teren gave instructions to his security team. At the same time, Tayet, Ryuu, and the blob creature entered the shuttle bay and the door began to close. Seconds later, the console indicator lit, showing that the bay was now fully pressurized. It was time to go.
The blobby made it instantly clear that this would not be any ordinary greeting, not that they expected it to be, for it bounced away almost immediately, apparently infatuated with a nearby tool chest. The blobby crashed into it with unmitigated glee, sending laser spanners and phase cutters scattering everywhere. Teren rushed in to monitor more closely and clean up the mess, but the blobby bounded away with designs on a storage cabinet prompting Teren to engage in hot pursuit.
Joust: Any difficulties?
Tayet rocked his head from side to side, stretching his neck muscles.
Tayet: Not at all. It seemed very interested in us.
While Teren and his security team chased the blobby back and forth across the shuttle bay, Joust, Teek, and Amenaru watched.
Ryuu: And everything else, apparently.
Joust: At least it doesn't seem dangerous.
Another crash off to the side sent tools and equipment scattering across the floor.
Joust: At least, not in the traditional sense.
Teek, ready with his recorder, and Amenaru with his note tablet, watched as Teren finally captured the blob creature and carried it over to them.
Joust: Amenaru, Teek, keep your distance. We want a record of this with as little interference as possible.
Amenaru and Teek moved away from Kit.
Teren: Thankfully, they appear not to be sticky on the outside unless they want to be.
Joust: Kit, this is your cue.
Kit stepped forward as Teren plopped the blobby down in front of him. This time, the creature did not bounce away, instead gazing up at Kit curiously. Kit surveyed the blobby closely, considering how to best attempt communication. Obviously a highly gesticulate species, Kit held up his hand.
Kit: Greetings.
The blobby rocked back and forth several times before extending an appendage from its body, mimicking Kit's gesture. It did not say anything and indeed as of yet, nobody knew if these creatures had the capacity for speech.
It was a start, at least. Moving on, Kit put his hand on his chest.
Kit: Kit.
The blobby mimicked Kit again and put its hand-like appendage on its own body. Kit then held out his hand toward the blobby, hoping to receive its name.
Unfortunately, the blobby continued to mimic Kit's movements and stuck out its appendage in the same way. Kit tried again, holding his hand to his chest and repeating his name, which the blobby mimicked, then the same when Kit held his hand toward the blobby again.
This wasn't working, and worse, Kit couldn't tell if the blobby was simply mimicking him like a bird or simply sharing in the communication difficulties. Greetings, he thought, might be too abstract for the situation. He needed something more real... more concrete...
Kit: Commander, permission to take the blobby to the atrium. I have an idea.
Joust paused for a moment before answering.
Joust: I have no objection. Teren, what do you think?
Focused as everyone was on the blobby, nobody paid Teren much mind before now. All the running around, chasing after their new friend, gave Teren what could only be described as an impressive, full-face bedhead. No longer neatly groomed as usual, the fur on Teren's face stuck out in all directions like some nekomi version of a typical mad scientist. The others, at least, managed to stifle their giggles as they awaited his response.
Teren: It can be managed. Please proceed. I will go ahead of you and clear the area of people. I'll leave some of my security team to escort you.
It took some time to guide the blobby to the atrium, for it found everything a distraction. Everything. Even the walls, all consisting of long, rectangular access panels separated by chrome strips, on which the blobby enjoyed rubbing its body. Everyone hoped this was simple curiosity and not... something else.
All were relieved to finally arrive at the atrium as the security team fanned out, awaiting the blobby's next move. Fortunately, it did not cause the same amount of havoc as in the shuttle bay, but looked around, seemingly in awe. Kit ran ahead and beckoned the blobby to join him near one of the trees. The blobby tipped from side to side and, for a moment, seemed as though it didn't know how to interpret Kit's wave. Eventually, it bounced toward him. Progress, if only a little.
After tucking his tablet under his arm, Kit scanned the tree, looking for the biggest leaf he could find within reach. Locating a satisfactory one, a lovely green specimen, perfectly formed with several jaunty points, he plucked it from the tree and held it toward the blobby.
Kit: Leaf.
Kit repeated the word several times with no gestures and a neutral expression, forcing the blobby to focus on the word and nothing else. The blobby watched intently until Kit stopped and then pointed at the leaf and then at the blobby.
Kit waited patiently while the blobby tipped from side to side.
Kit: Leaf.
Blobby: Le... leaf.
Kit and everyone around him reacted with a start, expecting the blobby to give the name of the leaf in its own language rather than repeat the word. Nevertheless, they were inching forward to communication and Kit pressed ahead, holding out the leaf once more.
Kit: Leaf.
Once again, Kit pointed at the leaf and then to the blobby. This time, instead of repeating the word, the blobby made a wave through its body. Kit smiled, delighted that the creature must have shared its own word for leaf. Kit did his best to make the same wave motion with his own body, to which the blobby responded with a pair of jaunty bounces.
Kit smiled broadly as he held out the leaf again.
Kit: Leaf.
Instead of waiting this time, Kit pulled his tablet from under his arm to record the blobby's movements. Fortunately, it made the same motion again. Kit checked the tablet, tapping at the screen several times.
Kit: One more time should do it.
Kit tucked the tablet back under his arm and held out the leaf again.
Kit: Leaf.
Blobby: Leaf!
Kit barely had enough time to get his tablet back before the blobby waved again.
Kit: We have a confirmed word!
Kit tapped at his tablet again, integrating the recording of the blobby's movements into the illustration. He then showed the tablet to the blobby and tapped the control, causing the illustration to mimic its word for "leaf." Upon seeing the illustration, the blobby bounced twice again.
Kit hopped twice, mimicking the blobby's previous bounces.
Kit: I suspect that the two bounces means something like "yes" or "good." Time will tell if that's right.
Kit kneeled on the ground. Setting the leaf aside, he dug his fingers into the ground and pulled out a clump of dirt.
Kit: Dirt.
Kit held up his tablet while the blobby leaned in close to Kit's hand and sniffed the dirt. After straightening itself up again, the blobby made its entire body lumpy and coarse, like loose soil sitting outside on a summer day. Kit checked his tablet and repeated the word again.
Kit: Dirt.
Blobby: D... d... dir... t.
The blobby seemed to struggle with the T at the end of the word, which was fine. After all, short of spontaneously willing himself to break out into hives, Kit would not be able to replicate the blobby's version of the word at all. Kit hopped twice, hoping that this would mean "Good!" as he anticipated. It seemed to work, for the blobby responded in kind.
Kit beamed with pride and the blobby seemed to be enjoying itself as they worked together to build their linguistic foundation.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
