Of Grilling the Brass at The Council

[Shadow 0]

Of Grilling the Brass at The Council

A Shadow Log of Confusion to the Nth Degree

 

Many things puzzled Shadow, but such was the existence of an energy being in a world of biologicals – constant puzzlement. However, he had learned long ago to consider said confusion more of a learning experience than a source of annoyance or frustration. Therefore, when he became confused he liked to investigate, to get to the proverbial bottom of things if possible.

 

“Are you to remain on the ship?” Shadow had asked of science officer Salir, referring to the Harper’s trip to appear before what she called The Council. Somehow Shadow had gotten the idea that appearances before such illustrious bodies were a privilege, something to be desired. It mystified him that, as a science officer working on the Soltan situation, Salir was not making ready as were the others in the Harper’s party.

 

“As far as I know, yes.” The Salir seemed satisfied, yet slightly distressed that he was not going. Of course Salir could have been distressed over the problem at hand – how to set up the sensor array to alert the Federation to Soltan invasion – instead.

 

Shadow decided to probe a bit further. “What must one do to be invited to such events?”

 

“Be the most unlucky person on the ship?” the Salir said with a smirk, a confusing expression to Shadow because it lay somewhere between humor and derision. He felt a disturbance in the force, a puzzle growing deep within his energy.

 

“You do not wish to go?”

 

“Go talk to a load of brass and electeds about stuff? Heck no.”

 

Talk to brass. Apparently there were biologicals made of a metal composite. This Shadow had to see.

 

“It is, then, a punishment for those who are leaving?” Shadow continued, already having half made up his proverbial mind to accompany the group to Vulcan.

 

The Salir laughed. “Not exactly. No one but a masochist wants to spend time with the brass being grilled, but it's sort of one of those things that it also means you're in the know and a senior member of the team.”

 

Engage database:

mas och•ist n.

1. One who derives pleasure, or the tendency to derive pleasure, from being humiliated or mistreated, either by another or by oneself.

3. One who has a willingness or tendency to subject oneself to unpleasant or trying experiences.

 

tr.v. grilled, grill•ing

1. To broil on a gridiron.

2. To torture or afflict as if by broiling.

3. To mark or emboss with a gridiron; to brand.

 

Shadow had no idea that if you were in the know and a senior member of the team one would also be a masochist who would want to spend time grilling metal composite biologicals. This was strange, indeed.

 

“Perhaps it would be advantageous for me to observe this strange encounter and learn more of the biological political structure - that is, the brass being grilled because they are most worthy of the grilling.” With that he disappeared into the ether to consider the multiplicity of ideas running rampant through his information processors.

 

1. The Hefner had educated him concerning many aspects of Terran life, one of which was the barbecue, otherwise known as the BBQ and grilling. Apparently it was tradition in many Terran cultures to marinade various cuts of muscle from other, apparently non-sentient, biological beings then grill them over open flames with the idea of consuming said grilled meat so the live biologicals’ bodies could convert said grilled meat into energy. It seemed, to Shadow, a waste of energy to use energy (fire & the act of cooking) to cook matter (muscle) then use energy (mastication) to consume matter (muscle) to convert grilled energy into kinetic energy by using energy again (digestion). But then he considered the source of the tradition and let it pass.

 

2. It was, apparently, an honor to be grilled (since it was done before The Council), but the Harper & Co were not to be grilled. Instead they were to grill the metallic composite beings with the idea of consumption. To Shadow’s knowledge the Harper & Co were incapable of digesting metallic composites. This truly was an event worthy of investigation.

 

3. He also realized that the language of biologicals left a lot to be desired in the way of explicit communication, and therefore perhaps there could be an alternate interpretation of the term grilling that he had not yet encountered. Or so he hoped. He decided that as a Seeker he should observe said grilling and that perhaps in the observation he would learn something new about his interpretation of the word.

 

With those thoughts firmly tucked away, Shadow locked onto the energy of the JoNs – one of the easier energies to decipher – slipped into the ether and happily tagged along with Harper & Co to the grilling of the brass at The Council.