Interspecies Sensitivity

Posted on 27 Oct 2012 @ 7:20am by Crewman Athlen
Edited on on 31 Oct 2012 @ 1:27am

1,705 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo: LTjg Liyar's Office
Timeline: MD05 2300 Hours

MOUSE OVER Vulcan text for translations!

ON:

Athlen looked down at the PADD in his hand, and then over to Liyar, who looked positively icy this morning. "The script will not read itself," Athlen prodded the Vulcan mildly.

"What is the purpose of this?" Liyar asked, and he decidedly was not scowling down at the words scrolling in front of him.

"It is what Coleman suggested. Although, I modified it a little. A starting point. Interactive education is very important," Athlen stressed chipperly.

Liyar looked back down. "It is nice to meet you." The words were comically flat, which only increased his partner's amusement.

"I suppose they do not teach sincerity at Vulcan Diplomat School," Athlen lamented with a smile.

The Vulcan looked up. "On the contrary," he disagreed. "We are only ever sincere."

"Ah, yes. I refer to the sincerity of emotion," Athlen corrected himself. "That you believe what you are saying. With phrases like these, you are sharing an emotional overture. That is, you personally believe that it is nice - an emotional state of pleasantry - to meet this other person." After his initial amusement over the whole thing, Athlen managed to redeem himself a little by launching into a plausibly serious explanation.

"I do not experience this emotional state."

Athlen nodded, unperturbed. "Well, that is the reason why I created the script in the first place. It will give you room to find your area of error. This particular thing was something that I anticipated, so hopefully I will be able to offer you an understandable analysis, if not a precisely logical one." Athlen bounded across the room, and flung himself haphazardly into the chair across from Liyar's desk. "So, you do not experience the emotional state of pleasantness at meeting another - is this because you genuinely do not, or because you suppress it?" This was more or less a curiosity, rather than integral.

Liyar paused, remaining standing. "There are instances where what you suggest is possible. However, it is suppressed. Once the suppression occurs, the state no longer exists."

"Just about close enough for our purposes then. So, you do not experience this, which is why it is objectionable for you to say that to someone? Because it is a lie?"

"Affirmative. It would be illogical to be other than what I am."

"Okay, so what about something like live long and prosper? What if you do not wish that person to live long or prosper?" Athlen formed his fingers into a rudimentary ta'al to demonstrate, though it was unnecessary. Liyar found from his observations of the Rigelian that the man was a primarily physical being, so he was less confused by this than he ordinarily would be.

"Then it would not be said. It is an extremely rare occurrence for a Vulcan to lie when it is not logically necessary."

"That makes sense. So would you say that something like live long and prosper is a form of politeness?"

"Politeness is not rational. It is built on a foundation of consistent emotional reassurance, compromising one's own beliefs to sustain it."

Athlen nodded, as if he didn't disagree at all. "In some ways, that is correct. So, let's discuss politeness for a moment." Athlen was finding it a singularly awesome experience talking to Liyar, who was one of the few people he'd ever met who could follow along his tangents and link them back together in the free-associative way he tended to. "So, this one is for Terrans, so we will discuss Terrans primarily." Athlen set the PADD down and leaned forward.

"Politeness in Terran society is more than just groups of people lying to eachother on a global scale. You do understand this, right? On an intellectual level? What I mean is, you know that Terrans are not stupid, that they would not engage in such behavior unless it had a purpose?"

That threw Liyar, though outwardly he remained impassive. He looked away, staring at the seams in the opposite chair while he tried to word his thoughts eloquently. "I do not believe that Terrans are unintelligent," he said slowly. "However, I cannot discern a purpose to much of their behavior."

He thought back to Dr. Sarai Dahan, the first Terran he'd ever met. Her face moved vividly, taking on wild expressions, contorted and twisted almost grotesquely. It fueled an unanticipated reaction in him, one of fear. She represented the very thing he had spent his entire existence working to eradicate. She emitted strange noises, short coughs and hacking, stuttering, hiccup-like vocalizations for absolutely no reason -- Who promptly yelled at him in the middle of the hallway, whirled on her heels and stormed in the other direction. It had given him the faint impression of a small scale dust storm.

"Well, politeness is the easiest way to start."

Athlen threw his legs on the ground and rested his arms on them. "Terrans are in a constant state of emotional expression. Every emotion they feel, instead of suppressing it - or channeling it," he said, gesturing to himself, "They just feel it, and they react to that. Their emotions, and those of many other species - compared to ours - are shallow. They feel broadly, but not," he gestured his arms, engaging in a psionic representation that made more sense to him than the language he was using. Liyar nodded, apparently understanding. "That is both an asset and a drawback, just like our emotional state is," Athlen began explaining, thumbing at his PADD idly. "So at any potential moment, when you come across a Terran or other emotional species, they will be in the middle of feeling something, and they will be dealing with that as they go throughout their day. Unlike you or I, they do not have structured activities to deal with it, nor time set aside to handle it. They constantly handle it, and it is fully integrated into their lives."

Liyar nodded once again. "Yes, I recall the neuropsychological texts on the subject. I admit, I did not discern this manner of insight."

Athlen smiled, clearly pleased at something. "I do believe you just complimented me. Maybe Vulcan Diplomat School isn't so bad after all."

"Compliments are illogical," Liyar told him, arching an eyebrow in confusion.

It did nothing to dull Athlen's good cheer.

"Anyway," Athlen said, shit-eating grin and all, "That is basically the premise for politeness. You must assume that all Terrans are constantly in a state of emotional flux, that like you when you meditate nightly, or me, when I, do things," he euphemised with a wave of his hand, "They are dealing with their experiences on an hourly, minutely basis.

Liyar met his eyes once again, listening as he spoke.

"So in essence, politeness comes down to acknowledging this in an implicit way. When you exhibit friendly emotions, they induce those emotions in your companions. It is much like the bonds that you share with Vulcan, your family, your clan. Rather than legitimately, neurologically feel it telepathically, they will induce these states in one another reciprocally. It lets them know that they are allies, they are trusted, much the same with Vulcans."

"Fascinating." This was going much better than Athlen initially suspected. Dealing with reticent Vulcans usually never went this well, but Liyar appeared to be somewhat open minded. "However," Liyar said, and hopefully that little illusion wouldn't be shattered in the next sentence, "Why would you attempt to induce such feelings if they were notably false?"

"Well, that is where politeness differs from intimacy," Athlen said. "And this is where the perception of boundary comes in. You are polite to someone that you may not necessarily know, or even like, because it is a way to establish a boundary with them. To let them know you are on even footing."

"I do not understand. Our feet would both be on the ground."

"Oh," Athlen said, startled, but laughing slightly. "I mean, that you are both equals in relating."

"Indeed."

"Right, so, it is basically, have you ever studied the," Athlen flailed a little in some strange demonstration as he attempted to recall the word. "The V'tosh fa'palikaya kheu'si-lar?"

"To some degree. It is required learning among my clan."

"So, are you familiar with the ahn'vahr set at all?"

Liyar blinked. "Affirmative. It was an a method of determining trust between two foreign parties. One would lower their shield and weaponry before the other."

"That is essentially what politeness boils down to, in many situations. It is a way to extend something of yourself, to show good will. Without politeness, it cannot be discerned whether or not your intentions are pure, because an absence of emotion is considered hostile to an emotional being," Athlen finished excitedly. "And this is why this was the first thing I wanted to explain, because without it... nothing else would make sense."

Athlen stood, gesturing for Liyar to follow suit. The Vulcan turned on his feet, regarding him quietly.

"So, does that make sense?"

Liyar nodded. "To some degree. However, I would postulate that these types of interactions are solely based on the presupposed logic that one is an emotional being. That one functions emotionally. To engage in such displays would be admitting to emotion, and allowing it. As a Vulcan, this idea is repellant to me."

"Right. Which is why, even though the script is pretty standard, most of these meetings will be about judging a more suitable compromise. Meaning, a way you can come off less stiff and hostile, more approachable, without compromising your control. IDIC works both ways, after all." Athlen smiled, gesturing to the PADD. "So what is the next one?"

"The weather is very nice today," Liyar read in his dull monotone, prompting another small laugh from the Rigelian.

"Yeah, we have some work to do here..."

OFF:

Lieutenant (JG) Liyar
Diplomatic Officer, SDD/VDF
USS Galileo

Crewman Athlen
Sociologist, SCC
USS Galileo

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