Confinement ((T'Prise/t'Tamarak))

[Jaiysa t'Tamarak 0]

The cell was ten meters square, constructed of some type of metal alloy melded in such a manner that no seams were visible. The only source of light came from a soft glow around the ceiling. The voices of the Manticore away team seemed to be absorbed into the walls, without resonance or echo, and the whole atmosphere was uncomfortably close, with no sign of any other purpose other than that which it was currently being used for — imprisonment.

 

"There are times when silence has the loudest voice," T'Prise stated softly, taking in their new surroundings.

 

Jaiysa t'Tamarak's head came around to look at the Vulcan with an impatient snap. "What in arrienye is that supposed to mean?" she asked irritably.

 

Raising an eyebrow at the Romulan doctor, T'Prise paused, staring at her stoically for a moment before answering. "There is no need to profane. I was merely stating that by being silent we deprive our captors the opportunity to derive any useful information via spoken communication."

 

Jaiysa grunted. "So far I don't imagine they've gathered any information about us except that we are not enjoying our accommodations, and somehow I doubt that's all that much of a wild secret, rekkhai," she said sardonically, though she had to admit the yyaio had a point. She would not find it at all hard to believe that this room was intended as a theater for mind games, for the extraction of information; it had a sterile, tight feel to it that was designed in no way to provide comfort. She knew the impact of such places, she knew what could be wrought in them. But their captors, as far as the team knew, were diehvir, not even particularly anthropomorphic. Would they even recognize the psychological effect of such surroundings, or had they simply constructed a facility in their own image — cold and metallic?

 

She grimaced with frustration. There was no way to know, and that not-knowing added a new veneer of annoyance to a situation that already had its fair share. She had been a captor in her time, she had seen rooms like this, and she found the captive's position a far less pleasant one. "At any rate," she continued dryly, any respect for the advisability of discretion falling prey to that frustration, "I find it hard to believe this group will be capable of such silence unless bound and gagged." Their travel to this place, in another (considerably smaller and dimmer) box, had been in some part an exercise in personality clash, one which Jaiysa had found more amusing than anything else once she had realized that they would make no further progress until they were let out again.

 

Glancing around at the other members of the away team, T'Prise inclined her head in agreement. "I would have to concur with your assessment of the situation. It is unlikely that some members of this away team, especially Commanders Faldek and Kenickie, will see the logic in ceasing useless attempts to gain freedom and instead conserve their strength towards escape at a more opportune moment."

 

The Vulcan fell silent, quietly pondering the situation. While she did not wish to be held captive, there was no other option but to patiently wait until the situation changed. Causing a commotion had proved to be unproductive and useless, not to mention a wasted effort. She was curious about their captors, yet her short exposure to the artificial life forms did not provide enough information to create a hypothesis as to why they seized the away team. Logic dictated that eventually answers would be forthcoming, but until such a time, the rational course of action was silent wariness.

 

Moving to one side, she sat down with her back to the wall and silently looked around to observe the actions of her crewmates. This was a good opportunity to observe them and their reactions to new stimuli. It also afforded her the chance to contemplate the reasons behind the vague disquiet which their current circumstances brought to her otherwise tranquil composure.

 

Jaiysa watched the Vulcan settle herself against the metal surface, then turned away to eye their surroundings again. There was a short, oppressive silence, and the Rihan doctor finally gave in to the need to pace which had been growing in her since they had first been captured. "What do you want, sseikear?" she hissed with obvious irritation after the silence had stretched for some time, looking up at the glow in the ceiling as if it could answer her on behalf of the uncommunicative diehvir.

 

Glancing up stoically at the agitated Romulan, T'Prise watched t'Tamarak silently for a moment before offering an unsolicited piece of advice. "Pacing about and muttering is also counterproductive."

 

Jaiysa glanced down at her, halting her steps abruptly. "Perhaps, but it does serve to eliminate nervous energy." And, apparently, aggravate you, which is worth it in itself.

 

"I am merely informing you that your method exhibiting the irritation that you so evidently feel is ineffectual. It is obvious, doctor, that this place is disturbing to you in some way and even more obvious that you dislike being confined. If you do not wish to dwell on our current circumstances, I would suggest you find a more suitable activity at which to focus your energies."

 

Jaiysa glanced at her sidelong, feeling oddly defensive at T'Prise's description of her emotional response. "This place is designed to be disturbing, rekkhai. And I challenge you to find a person who does not dislike being confined. Even you must find it...unsettling." She delivered the word like a blow. Just because their situation called for discretion didn't mean that the Vulcan officer could pull a superior attitude. Jaiysa did not have the patience for that.

 

Her features remained stoic as the T'Prise continued to appraise the Romulan. "To say that I find this situation 'unsettling' would suggest that I am capable of feeling emotions. I will state emphatically that I would not choose to be held captive if given a choice, but there is nothing I can do at this moment to change the current circumstances."

 

"I know the capabilities of a Vulcan brain, rekkhai; you are perfectly 'capable' of feeling emotions...so do not attempt that particular line with me," Jaiysa said tiredly.

 

"You seem to lack the objectivity required to understand Vulcans and their capabilties. While the mechanisms allowing for them are in place, emotions are more than a physical response. As a Romulan, a descendent of those who rejected all that is logical, will perhaps never understand the balance and control that logic provides." She paused for a moment before continuing. "I believe doctor that continuing this discussion with you would prove to be futile. You are allowed your opinions as I am allowed mine, and I do not believe those will ever be the same opinions. Therefore, it would be prudent to end the discussion," she said dissmissively.

 

Jaiysa growled, hearing an implicit insult in the Vulcan's comments. "I am sure I am hardly the first to tell you this but you are intensely aggravating, rekkhai."

 

Giving the Romulan the equivalent of a Vulcan eyeroll, T'Prise turned away, unwilling to allow herself to be baited into another argument. The cold surface of the metal wall behind her was now seeping through her uniform. Unbidden, a memory of the shuttlecraft Tippecanoe moved to the forefront of her thoughts, of another set of cold metal walls, another circumstance she could not control. With all of her memories of the Wanderlust now intact, the parallels between events were apparent. Pushing it aside, she strove for the inner peace that she had lately been able to achieve through meditation; leaving the memories for further analysis at a later time, she recentered herself, reaching for logic as a foundation.

 

Jaiysa watched the yyaio turn away and sighed. "Fvadt...never mind. Never mind. I just hope we don't spend too long in here; we may drive each other mad." There was a short silence and then she added thoughtfully, with a sudden air of almost clinical interest, as if appraising some new surgical technique, "Perhaps that's their intention..."

 

Her face calm and serene, but her eyes silently betraying a slight hint of dysphoria, T'Prise stared at the Romulan for a moment. "Perhaps you are right, doctor. perhaps you are right."

 

Jaiysa glanced back at her, her eyes narrowing as she searched the Vulcan's expression to see if she was being made fun of. "Well. I'm glad we agree on something, then."

 

An uneasy silence fell between the two as they quietly waited for what ever was to come next.

 

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arrienye – Rihan hell

diehvir -- robots

sseikear – hyena, scavenger (Rihan insult)