Mission Archive

"Intelligent Argument"
[previous "Questions to be Answered"]

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Setting: USS ANUBIS, Bridge
Stardate: 30148.1630

He stood behind the black haired Chief of Security, his attention bouncing back and forth from the displayed information on the screen and the woman accessing it.  There was something strange and different about this one, well, something *more* strange and different.  When looking at the senior staff of the ANUBIS, it had been hard not to see something strange or different.  In that regards, the new Ensign perfectly fitted in.

"Any other details you can recall on the Akitashiinu?"

Since the end of their meeting with Commander Maya, the Chief of Security had been grilling him for information on the race that had been encountered in the underground of the moon. Ya'Han had been thorough to say the least, and as strange as it seemed, Jayson found this oddly endearing.

"Canine-Humanoid, agile and fast, not overly intelligent."

The OPS officer stopped as the Sec/Tac suddenly turned to face him.

"What exactly did you use to arrive at this conclusion?"

The question took him by surprised forcing him to think quickly as to what he had thought about to make him say what he had.

"Guess I would have to say that I am basing this on the fact that the cells used actual rocks for bars instead of a force field."

Ya'Han's eyes narrowed. It was easy to see that she had not accepted his answer as having been a valid one.

"Low or even a complete absence of technology does not equal a lack of intellect.  There are several races that would be considered to be primitive in heir technology yet have an understanding of sciences and the universe that far exceeds yours."

"Fine, they use rocks as stools and pillars to support their work stations."

Jayson felt pressured to come up with a valid reason to support his earlier statement.

"Based on your earlier description of the room you were in prior to the explosion, the ability to manipulate natural rock formation to suit their needs would point to the Akitashiinu possessing a technology that is beyond our own.  That said, and referring back to your earlier statement, wouldn't that indicate that they are in fact very intelligent?"

The OPS officer felt his frustration mounting.  He had met this race and for some reason he had thought them to be lacking in the field of intelligence, so why had he suddenly been forced to justify this perception?  Especially to another Ensign who had just arrived to the ANUBIS.

"They were unable to speak properly. Their language was broken, which made it extremely difficult to understand what they were trying to tell us."

Jayson had been sure that this time he had given a sufficient argument to justify his position.  The expression on the black haired Chief of Security though indicated something entirely different.

"Were you able to say anything in their language, even a single word?"

"No!"

Ensign Stark felt himself being cornered, and there seemed to be no escape for him.

"So the Akitashiinu were able to communicate in your language, granted in a limited fashion, with the away team, but you were unable to communicate back in theirs.  To me it seems that they are not only intelligent but me very well be more so than you or me."

He just stood there, blinking as he looked down at the sitting Chief of Security.  His argument had not just been turned down but completely destroyed.  It was very likely that she had been completely correct, but surely there had been a better way to make her point.

"Alright, you win.  I guess my opinion was based on my own personal observations and frustrations in having been made a prisoner by them."

"You and the rest of the senior staff went through hell, and in more ways than one judging by the descriptions you gave me.  So your frustration is very understandable and even expected.  I am not trying to play down your feelings, I am only trying to give Commander Maya an accurate tactical evaluation of the two races that we are dealing with."

Jayson nodded his agreement.  Ya'Han may have been new to the ANUBIS but her place had already been well secured by her simple attitude and drive to do the best job that she could.  Thinking that it had been time to change the subject of their investigation, the OPS officer forced their attention onto the other half of their goal.

"What about the Yxidii?  What did you learn in your dealings with them?"

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