Salt or Sugar

Posted on Wed Oct 29th, 2025 @ 2:44am by Lieutenant Betaras K'ner

658 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Starbase 364
Location: Shuttle Sabine...
Timeline: just a bit ago...

It was slightly unnerving that the apparition generated no sound. The white noise of the shuttle bled over anything it might be emanating, and K'ner's noise filters weren't isolating anything in particular either.

A chirp confirmed the others were clear, and Billingsly would let her know when everyone was through decon and all the checks were complete. K'ner didn't expect any surprises there, but here, yeah, this was definitely... different.

Taz was her main linguist, and while K'ner waited for her to get on the comms, she wondered just what she'd gotten herself into.

The entity seemed interested in the holo-vid she'd been displaying but it was looping now and she seemed to get the impression the novelty had worn off. After a brief inner debate, she let it fade and watched Zed's reaction.

At first, it didn't appear any different, then K'ner thought there were some changes in the wisps, the stringy white tendrils perhaps getting thinner and thicker?

Adjusting her views, she played with visual filters, hoping to luck into something usable. The entity seemed content to stay in place, did it realize what K'ner was trying and hoping the same thing?

K'ner wondered if this wasn't like the universal translator learning a new language. Wait! The translator! There were a number of visual languages, some motions, some colors, and some light-based. She let the translator feed on the entity's activity since arriving.

It wasn't long before Taz's voice came across to K'ner, calm and specific as usual. "Greetings chief. I am observing the processing you started with the universal translator. That was a beneficial effort on your part and saves me time in analysis of this visitor. We have been reviewing your reports since the communications path cleared up once you left the interference from the surface. This is not unprecedented, though there are certain differences in capacity and structure..."

K'ner let Taz drone on, still paying attention to it as input but putting more focus to the entity in front of her. She had activated an electrical field on the skin of her suit as a precautionary measure, perhaps that might slow it down if it attacked, but who could be sure at this point.

A holo-vid appeared as Taz was apparently going to try to build a few more blocks into the possible grammar and sequencing, taking into consideration that this was probably one of the colonists, so a basis for communication.

Risking a glance at the datafeed along the edge of her HUD, she could see the ship was moving smoothly and the Starbase would notably have a lot more resources, both digital and biological, to continue trying to suss out the nature of the entity, as well as perhaps tapping into more information about the colony and the planet's seemingly unique makeup.

Some time later, the 'Norris advised they were on approach, and were passing off the tractor to the base. K'ner handed off her data, as well as what Taz had accomplished thus far. Undoubtedly her teammate would follow the research and update them later on.

The entity had eventually wandered about the shuttle, K'ner taking pains to stay out of its way, just in case. At least it appeared that way. If it was one of the colonists as they'd suspected, it would be familiar with the equipment and layout. She didn't know what it might think of the shuttle if it was one of the former inhabitants.

Finally getting her all-clear, K'ner put some empty space between her and the entity before she was transported away, straight into a secure exam room to be checked out extra thoroughly before being released. Her last view was of the wispy form near yet another holo-vid that flashed in some rhythm to its own undulations.

Life in the outer reaches of space, has yet to be boring...


OFF:

Lt Betaras K'ner
Hazard Team Combat Medic TL-B / CMO
USS Chuck Norris


:o)

 

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