When the black box spoke

[Eli Zhu 0]

Lt. Cmdr. Eli Zhu

 

Log

 

 

 

The engineering trio bunched together in front of the screen as if children watching a favourite TV show.

 

 

 

"It seems the data has finished compiling."

 

 

 

"You are correct."

 

 

 

"About time."

 

 

 

Eli initiated the process in which all data compiled where placed in their correct hierarchical file places. Lines and dots appeared then with a few more taps, letters took their place. The empty tree diagram before was now crowded with text, some out of place. Conversion process is never perfect.

 

 

 

Eli opened the library of Tamarian expressions authored by Kevin Anderson and began filling in the blanks.

 

 

 

 

 

Main directory 865-123552: 56 files

 

Record Start: 0

 

Record Terminated: 736252346364323h

 

Cause of Termination: Sudden end of file

 

Total size: 313743 GQ

 

Duration: unknown

 

Manufacture: Dajeroas-a^2.42115.99563.bx^2.752325.c^2.42-COR at Shanti

 

 

 

Audio Record

 

Text Record

 

Visual Record

 

Audio Visual Record

 

Mechanical Record

 

 

 

Eli peered at the long digits of numbers then at the records. The undamaged portion of the audiovisual record played. Eli tried translating

 

 

 

Time 736252346364300h - Mirab, with sails unfurled, Girab with hands in the air (Good journey)

 

Time 736252346364305h - Zima and Bakor, at Anso, Karan and Jiri during the full moon? (What is this unknown vessel?)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364306h - Karan and Jiri during the full moon? (Asking questions)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364306h - Kiteo, his eyes closed (Disregard the unknown vessel)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364306h - Mirab, with sails unfurled (Let's be on our way)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364308h - Nahki with his family, Temba, his arms wide, Marat in the fields of Nogra? (Talking to eachother, how is your family? Tell me about them)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364308h - Darmok on the ocean, Nahki with his family (My family are isolated, probably on their Homeworld?)

 

 

 

Static … The images fade for 12 hours of record time. The image resumes at time index 736252346364320.

 

 

 

Time 736252346364320h - Rai and Jiri at Lungha, Zima and Bakor, at Anso, Ria in Kinta? Felia and Rix in Falash? (Attempt at communication with the unknown vessel)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364320h - Chenza at court. The court of silence. (No response)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364320h - Rai and Jiri at Lungha, Zima and Bakor, at Anso, Ria in Kinta? Felia and Rix in Falash? (Hail most likely)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364320h - Chenza at court. The court of silence. (No response)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364321h - Kiteo, his eyes closed, Mirab, with sails unfurled (They refuse to understand, we have to flee)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364322h - Zinda, his face black, his eyes red! Uzani, with fists closed! (They are attacking)

 

 

 

Sparks flew across the cabin of the small craft.

 

 

 

Time 736252346364322h - Mirab, with sails unfurled! (Flee)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364322h - Shaka, when the walls fell! Mirab, with sails unfurled, Sea of Rocks! (Some system failure, there is an asteroid field nearby, flee there)

 

 

 

Time 736252346364322h - Kailash, when it rises. Mirab, with sails unfurled! (It is a necessary risk, set course)

 

 

 

It appeared that whomever attack stopped as the shuttle enters an asteroid field.

 

 

 

Time 736252346364323h - Sea of Rocks! Shaka, when the walls fell! Zinda, his face black, his eyes red. (Physical impact causes shuttle to crash)

 

 

 

Sudden End of File.

 

Unfortunately, most of the impact visuals were scrambled around, most likely the internal camera was damaged during impact. To sum it up. It appeared that …

 

1. They were going somewhere

 

2. Aliens attacked, unknown race

 

3. Tamarians fled to an asteroid field

 

4. They were hit

 

5. They crashed on the planet next to it.

 

 

 

Eli and the other sighed to worked so hard to get well enough. What interested Eli was the numerical code in the beginning of the file. It looked like coordinates...