An Unexpected Test

Posted on 13 Nov 2012 @ 8:31am by Crewman Athlen & Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Coleman

4,822 words; about a 24 minute read

Mission: Episode 02 - Resupply
Location: USS Galileo: Holodeck
Timeline: MD8 1000 Hours

ON:

With the holoprojectors at least finished enough to engage in simple routines, Athlen and Liyar had graduated from the mundane computer tasks (identify facial expression: anger, rage, apprehension, despair, sadness, happiness, anxiety, disgust, fear - so many varied and strange expressions, apparently common amongst Seeded races. History, biology and psychology had all been equally fascinating) to interactive computer sims.

To Liyar's credit, he rapidly absorbed new information like a sponge, and held very few preconceived notions even as far as Vulcans generally did except for the basics. To Athlen's chagrin, however, his new student was absolutely insatiable when it came to breaking down the few barriers he did have. Constantly questioning, constantly bringing up contradictions, constantly challenging Athlen's own perception on the matter. It would have been frustrating, if Athlen were less inclined to enjoy the work.

The Vulcan had shown up promptly as always, clearly he had no intention of taking 'Shore Leave' and had spent his entire time aboard working on projects of his own construction, while Athlen presumably was tardy for some inane reason or another. Liyar had become accustomed to this. Either Athlen was intentionally early, or late by a few stray minutes, with no such internal chronometric ability.

Liyar studied a PADD in his hand as he waited.

Evelyn had arrived back from the Terran System and was trying to get back to her normal routine. She saw Liyar standing by the holodeck and a smirk formed on her face. "Lieutenant, enjoying shore leave?" She asked as she walked towards him.

Liyar looked up. "I have been analyzing the information which you have sent me, and conducting several projects in my spare time." Well, it wasn't thrilling, but it was better than the brusque no she would've gotten a few days ago. "You have been absent."

"Yes, I had other matters to attend to elsewhere." She smiled, looking at him, "Is that so? What have you learned so far?" Evelyn asked curiously.

"It is difficult to summarize," Liyar admitted. Faced with the task on his own, he realized acutely how difficult Athlen's job must have been. It was not easily definable. "For the most part, I have come to understand that the majority of social expectations are a result of an intricate expression of interdependent empathy, which is not a result of psionic capacity. For this reason, there is merit. However, I am having difficulty engaging the process. It is difficult to compromise without compromising my control. I also believe that there is a degree of leeway between species which should be afforded by the precept of IDIC. However, I have found it has been inordinately easy to offend others, who expect me primarily to meet them on their own 'social ground'." The idiom came to him unexpectedly.

"I have found there is less opportunity for failure where I am concerned, but when it comes to others, I am expected to relent to the point where my ability to rationalize is overrun. However, as I understand more, I am able to comprehend the reason why this may be so. Vulcans are apparently very outlier." It didn't make the problem any easier, though. "I have made it a goal of mine to reach an acceptable solution that I am capable of functioning with. It is not my intention to offend others. Courtesy may be different between us, but it is a Vulcan precept in its own way."

"And wow, it is too early in the morning for philosophical analysis, but you start early!" a cheerful voice came from the door. A blond Rigelian ducked through the sliding computer doors, and waved to the intelligence officer. "Good morning, Lieutenant! Morning, Liyar."

"Greetings."

"Eh, close enough." Athlen grinned. "So, are you here officially or did you just stumble through?" Athlen asked Coleman, pulling out a few things from a messenger style bag around his shoulders.

Evelyn turned her head towards Athlen, at first she was stunned to find a Vulcan display such emotions but she noticed some facial differences, "Ah a Rigelian..." she commented turning to Liyar, "I think I may want to observe one of these lessons, I would like to see the progress Liyar is making." She said turning to Athlen, "If that is alright with the two of you."

Athlen nodded. "And El-Aurian, right? Or Megan, but I think El-Aurian... Megans tend to glow."

Evelyn arched her brow, "El-Aurian is correct. So may I observe?"

"Sure, well, for the most part it involves, uh... a lot of that." He nodded his head toward Liyar. "Talking. Thinking. My brain has not had such a good work out in years. The Rigelian was still smiling as he pulled out a few data rods and crossed the room to insert them. "So, for starters, I have mostly focused on Terrans. The reason for this is very simple, Terrans are one of the least homogenous species out there. As a result however they're also one of the most difficult, as any interaction can potentially go bad. So, the parameters of each interaction change, on a continuous basis, depending on what is done. Also, many Terrans are psi-null. Learning to interact with a psi-null race will probably prepare him to interact with any race, since I think most of his problem comes from that disconnect. This isn't a test routine, though, so I will help you out. The first situation I have here is basically one you seem to get into a lot. I notice you get really confused in the middle of interactions, because you don't seem to recognize when you and another person actually agree on something, if the two of you are saying it differently."

Liyar nodded. "But it is impractical to ascertain their intent using psionics. I do not desire a prison sentence simply because I entered into a disagreement."

Athlen laughed, but then nodded, still tapping away at the wall as he spoke, voice energetic. "Right. The Shi'kahr convention prevents you from picking up all but their surface thoughts. With people like me, this is lessened, as you have my consent to make it easier. But for most people, even though you recognize the other person is repeating your statements, you don't seem to understand that you have common ground." He tapped his skull. "This is the psionic disconnect. All the social cues you get about this on Vulcan come from psionic contact. And since you are committed to your point, and unemotional about it, the situation will escalate until the other person tends to explode or get really angry at you," Athlen said with a gesture. "Because you frame your response as a 'point', most Terrans will respond, you say the same thing over and over again. It's a little like a Challenge," he said, smirking. "If they think you're questioning their veracity, they will respond as if provoked, even if you are saying similar things. So, this is aimed at teaching you to recognize when a situation is entering that realm, back off and diffuse the situation, without using telepathy. This is the first sim we've done, so," he said, looking at Coleman, "Don't expect perfection. I mostly intended this to expose linguistic concerns before we went into the actual simulator test," he said.

Evelyn nodded, as she observed the two of the them. Not wanting to interfere in anyway, just merely listened.

"And, let's begin."

A normal looking human male appeared in the center of the room, and Liyar turned to face the projection calmly. He appeared to do well with the initial greeting, and even had a poor attempt at small talk. It devolved from there, and the two had a rapid exchange, as Athlen intentionally programmed it with issues he knew Liyar could discuss until eternity, before it quickly became heated (well, on the hologram's part) and completely nonsensical. Liyar just appeared to be repeating himself, somewhat confused.

"Wow. That went badly. Can you look back on that and tell me when you think it started to go bad?" Athlen asked bluntly, but nicely.

"I am uncertain. I believe I am able to comprehend, vaguely, that I do not exactly understand what is being said, despite understanding the definition of their words. My mind does not do a translation of their words, but more their general application, and concept. So if they say something and then contradict it, I am attuned to this, and it renders inert the remaining portion of their point. Do you perceive this concern with other Vulcans?"

"Yes, but most Vulcans in Starfleet use Modern Golic, which contains elements of verbal confirmation and is widely accepted by the UT. Since birth they are trained to understand the partial nuance that comes from specific verbalized language. Most Vulcans are bilingual in Standard anyway. Miri'ahm gotavlu doesn't do this. Most of the meaning is implied or discerned by telepathy. Actually, your language reminds me somewhat of the Cairn, except with verbal elements, though I'm not sure why there are verbal elements at all."

"Yet, I am able to understand you to the point that we typically ideologically disagree, rather than semantically."

"Yes, as I keep my mind open so you can read it. So you usually take all of what is being said rather than to generate the meaning from the definition of the word which would then be replaced by the word in your own language. Do you think in Federation Standard when you wish to convey an idea in it?"

"No. I attune my auditory and linguistic systems to communicate my mental construct into Standard and receive incoming communication in my primary language. However, that communication is often," Liyar paused, "faulty."

"...That is a problem. Welcome to Vulcans 101!" Athlen grinned at Coleman. "So, I do think this can be accomplished, actually." He tapped his fingers together. "So, if I say Dif-tor heh smusma, and ask you to repeat that in Standard, do you think the words 'Live - Long - And - Prosper'?" Athlen said the last in Standard.

"No. I believe you are simply telling me to live long and prosper."

Athlen walked over to his bag and pulled out a PADD and stylus. "Here." Liyar took it, a little confused. "So, when I say Dif-tor heh smusma, can you write down what that is in Standard?" Liyar paused a minute before doing so. He handed it back. "So, how does it feel to think that way? To translate it that way in real time?"

"Exceptionally disconcerting."

"So, can you remember what the hologram said to you?"

"Affirmative."

"Can you write it down in Standard?"

Athlen watched while he did, seemingly painstakingly, and looked to Coleman. "Like I said, tough going! But I think we're getting somewhere." He took the PADD when it was given back. "And now that you've written it in Standard, can you understand what they meant? Were you able to understand the emotional cues? In the middle of it, I recall you did tell them that you didn't intend to offend them."

"He was indicating that he believed a similar edict to my own. The definition of the words he used would support this. However, he did not fully elaborate, which I presumed indicated misunderstanding. The program took this negatively, and portrayed significant hostility at a perceived attack. I recognized this, but I could not comprehend why. I therefore assumed that we disagreed."

Athlen smiled. "And, progress!"

"How?" Coleman spoke up, looking at the two of them. "The hologram reacted negatively because it was obviously programmed to take offense over whatever Liyar responded." She replied, shaking her head. "I've been around humans a long time, and I can tell you, they wouldn't have reacted that way. Humans understand Vulcan behavior and instead of getting into a heated debate they would have ended with a simple "Agree to disagree." comment."

"Indeed," Athlen agreed, looking over the program results with obvious excitement. "That was the first part. The progress, in my opinion, comes from actually understanding what I just said. It is extremely hard to communicate that to a primary telepathic language user," he said wryly. "The first stage was only programmed to agree with Liyar's initial statement in a nuanced way," he explained, "Without explicitly acknowledging it. It was programmed to respond in the event that Liyar matched its verbal statement, and reassured it of this, but he didn't, because he continued to believe the program was disagreeing with him. Now that I have his baseline, I can get the compensation score. Liyar is a Vulcan, but he communicates with a language constructed from telepathic precepts, which most humans do not understand," he said. "The interactive sim will explore his ability to utilize the solution in real time, and pair it with actual respond and command cues, which I will be assisting from my station."

With that, the Rigelian got up and moved back over to the computer program module and began uploading the program once again, this time taking a seat at the controls. "Alright. This is the ESII-IV from the Academy, and the FRT-II from Starfleet Medical, combined with the individual program I've created. The whole test is about forty minutes long. I couldn't adjust the length without getting rid of the Starfleet components which are necessary to calculate the scores." Athlen gave an apologetic look.

Evelyn remained quiet again, not wondering where this simulation is going.

"Alright. This is the test you want to pay attention to, Lieutenant." He looked up and nodded at Coleman.

The same hologram appeared, but this time seemed more natural, like a real person. The situation was specific, a reception following some formal event or another. The holographic area around them switched to the general location, engulfing them all but Athlen into the scene. This time, things flowed naturally. Though Liyar appeared stilted, and a little slower to respond. It began discussing a few of the same things as before, but the situation seemed far less dramatic than earlier. This went on for some time and seemed to go through different scenarios and circumstances. Comprehending more nuanced social cues, including ones where the hologram started out already emotionally compromised and involved a response on Liyar's behalf to deal with it. It dissipated into another circumstance, and then another with more than one person with differing moods. It wasn't perfect, for being less than a week of study, but he did manage to succeed in not walking away, or sounding angry, and even being civil in some degree. The language issue seemed to show up in the hologram's confusion over something he'd said or responded to, but when he was aware he was able to correct it using a shorter phrase or simply changing the subject. A few became tense when it appeared that Liyar was insulting them, in an extra-logical way, but he managed to resolve a couple by realizing it on his own without being told. He even attempted to awkwardly console one of them who had begun crying unexpectedly. After about forty minutes of several more interactions it shut down.

Athlen began calculating something. "That was about an average 52% pass rate. So essentially he managed to successfully navigate a little over half of the program without any problems. That's expressing an adequate response and demeanor, and receiving the correct response to begin with. He scored lowest on sympathy and humor, and highest on aggression and hysteria. Lowest 31% on getting a joke, with the highest score..." Athlen traced down the screen, "Being a 68% pass rate in successfully halting an angry interaction. Ironically, he used a joke." Athlen grinned. "For comparison, most Vulcans in Starfleet rate on average 55-70%, and most score lowest in sympathy and empathy. Okay," he said, continuing, moving his hands over the controls, "The first time Liyar took this on Terra two months ago, he got 13%," he said with an arched eyebrow, reading the scores he'd drawn up from a while back. "When I first started using the test, he had a 37% pass rate. On this test, a score like 100% would be extremely unhealthy for any Vulcan, because 100% scoring is completely casual emotional engagement. The healthy range is about 69-75%."

Liyar clasped his hands behind his back. "It was not an ideal score," he said stiffly.

"Not average, no, but a 14% increase in less than a week is very good," Athlen said encouragingly, shrugging a little in sympathy. "You are not that far behind."

"It is not an acceptable margin. I believe I was expected to surpass expectations, not fall slightly below them." He seemed perfectly reasonable and logical. Truthfully, he was frustrated, but his demeanor was completely calm aside from the words he had chosen. He glanced at Coleman calmly.

"Athlen what are you trying to accomplish here?" She asks the young officer, "because I'm failing to see any benefit these tests are having."

Athlen shrugged, still going over the mathematical algorithms at his station. "I'm a sociologist. My attempts are only to assist in the compilation of data. I'm not a counselor or a diplomat. However, these are the standard Starfleet interspecies interaction evaluation tests," he said, and slid a PADD out from his station confirming this. "They're straight from Starfleet Medical and Starfleet Academy. The tests themselves test the ability to comprehend social cues, to communicate effectively, to receive communication effectively, to recognize emotional phrasing and facial expressions, to determine outward emotional demeanor, and so on," he explained with an arch of his eyebrows and a smile.

"From what Liyar told me, you have given him data to study which you will then test on the holodeck. After he masters the data, you will then administrate your own test, correct?" he asked. "In order for me to accurately determine how well he has understood the data that he has been given, I need to be able to test him myself in real time with his points of difficulty. From what these results indicate, he should be capable of passing your test at least on Terrans in the low average margin. However, you did stumble in here pre-emptively, so you're witnessing the ongoing process. It's been five days. That's a 14% increase in something exceptionally difficult for any primary telepath in under three days. It's like testing a Cairn. Who, by the way, score less than 10% on all tests. I'd say that's a win. He's effectively managed to prove that he can succeed in social interaction normally on over half the tests I've given him all in difficulty areas. I don't know what your test will entail exactly, which is why I'm going through every standard verbal and emotional evaluation I have before he's called."

Athlen's features took on a mischievous look. "You did miss the Klingon, Betazoid, Saurian, Bajoran, Rigelian, Trill, Tellarite, Andorian and Cardassian sims, though." Athlen grinned and left out another PADD. "Klingon, Betazoid, Trill, Saurian and Tellarite went exceptionally well, with Betazoid, Saurian, Rigelian, and Tellarite coming up high average. The only one he seems to have real trouble with is the Terran one, which is why all the tests I'm using now are with Terran subroutines. And which is why you're seeing the results you're seeing. My formal recommendation is that he would pass a test of standard Federation interactions, but that he would come out low-average on a Terran evaluation alone, depending on what your tests comprise. You seem to be focused the test, rather than Liyar, so I'm wondering if you have additional input which would indicate the tests themselves are unfair?" Athlen asked, curious. "If that is the case, then he may be more ready than the tests would indicate."

Evelyn sighed and rubbed her forehead feeling like a simple request was being blown out of proportion. "I think you are missing the point of what I was expecting of Liyar. He is a Vulcan. I wasn't expecting him to grasp every emotional behavior of these different species. I was expecting him to learn about their cultures, their beliefs, and etiquette. As for Terrans, considering how many of them there are on board he'll have to learn how they typically behave, in a sense, anticipate their illogical rational, that was all." She said sighing, "Liyar is a Vulcan, I highly doubt anyone in this crew will jump him because he didn't understand a joke."

"Unfortunately, the computer is... well... a computer. A variable like 'typical behavior' is exceptionally difficult to program. I tried to help the programming out as best as I can, but," He winced a little, apologetically. "I can't replicate what you're looking for in a program itself, I don't think. I did try to come as close as possible. It was mostly up to him to do the research, I've tried to sort of...sort it out, actually measure it, but I'm no doctor. I'm very sorry. It seems I'm the one failing here," he said with no anger at all, merely a rueful smile. "This is the verbal and written test." He stood and handed her a PADD. "Social norms, rituals, societal precepts, manners of aggression and affection, common knowledge, et al. It came up very high in score. As for, illogical rationale, that would essentially have to come down to time and experience. I don't... I don't know if I can test that." Athlen looked up from his feet, and shrugged again, arching his eyebrows in his own way.

Liyar stepped forward, interrupting them both for the first time since she'd entered and speaking clearly and cutting through the fuzzy psychic atmosphere to focus their attention. "Perhaps it would be prudent to utilize your own methods of determining success, Lieutenant Coleman."

Evelyn turned to Liyar, "Just hold your horses alright." She smirked and looked back at Athlen. She took a stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the young Rigelian, hugging him.

Athlen blinked, but wrapped his arms around her almost reflexively, surprised at the sudden switch in demeanor. He seemed to relax at her touch, and looked up, curious.

Chuckling softly she pulled away, "You are doing fine. Perfectly I might add." She said rubbing the young officer's shoulders before letting him go. She turned Liyar, "Do you know what I did just there?" she asked. "I lied. You're a Diplomat, if there is one thing you need to keep focus on is if a person is deceiving you or not."

Liyar arched an eyebrow. The strange fuzziness in the atmosphere seemed to lift with that, and he could clearly read her expression and demeanor again. With that, her intent became obvious to him, and he tilted his head. "Indeed. I was able to ascertain that there was something, unnatural, about this interaction, but not what was occurring. Does that generally indicate deceit?"

"...That was sneaky." Athlen grinned widely. He looked to the two and realized his response was expected, so shook his head a little, still looking over the scores he had taken. "And, not really... it could just indicate reticence, or discomfort. So you can't necessarily rely only on that. Most people who are deceitful have something to lose by your discovering the truth," he said with narrowed eyebrows as he attempted to explain himself. "They would probably be thinking and expressing the same intent that they're generating, because they think on it so hard. For instance if my name is Athlen but I need you to believe I am Bob, I will be thinking my name is Bob, not I am Athlen who is pretending to be Bob," the Rigelian reasoned with a shrug. "But, there are ways of telling from facial expression and demeanor itself." He rubbed his hands together, finding another opportunity to expand. "So, if Coleman sounded off to you, what was it about her actual demeanor that seemed off? Since she was shielding, you had to rely on your instincts." He apparently recovered from the whole thing well, jumping into another lesson easily and excitedly.

That seemed to throw Liyar. "I do not know."

"And doth proclaim the great Vulcan precept of instinct," Athlen said cheekily.

Liyar gave Athlen his patented non-expressive and completely non-withering withering glare. "You were closed," he said, to Coleman. "You appeared to be annoyed. Yet, your emotions were closed. If it were simple annoyance, you would have been broadcasting it. That was evidence enough, to proceed with caution."

Evelyn arched her brow and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Alright, here is a question; when was I deceiving you?" She asked, with a faint smile. "Was it when I hugged our young friend here? Or, was it before?" She asked finally.

"Before," Liyar said definitively. Rigelians were particularly touch oriented. If it hadn't been genuine, he doubted Athlen's response would have been reciprocal. Now that he could see the situation in hindsight, other little things stuck out as well such as the fuzziness.

"The hug was genuine as were the words I said afterwards." She smiled turning to Athlen. "I was giving you a hard time, and wanted to hug you cause you were looking disappointed." Evelyn smiled, "You are doing a great job, and Liyar you are advancing nicely it seems. Still have some work to do." She said reaching out and patting the Vulcan on the shoulder. "But I am satisfied with your progress. Now, Athlen, I do have a suggestion, if you are willing to hear them?"

Liyar's shoulder tensed a little where she touched it, but otherwise he remained impassive. Athlen bounced a little on his heels, clearly interested. "Absolutely," he said with a deep nod. As it was his first assignment, he was eager to learn and apply knowledge as much as possible.

"Have him observe first, different interactions, not actually be a part of them. Once he sees how a situation happens naturally he'll better understand it."

"And, shore leave might be a good way to tie that in too," Athlen agreed, looking down at a PADD he'd extracted from the clip at his side.

Liyar looked about as thrilled at that prospect as a wet cat. Nevertheless, he straightened and clasped his hands behind him with a conciliatory nod.

Evelyn smiled at Liyar looking him over, "Make sure you add some Vulcan equivalent of fun for him." She said looking at Athlen, "Same for you. Both of you need to enjoy some vacation."

"The Vulcan equivalent of fun," Athlen mused mischievously, "You know, Liyar, that's a pretty impressive death-glare you got there. Why am I always the recipient of the evil Vulcan death-glares?" he asked mock-indignantly toward Coleman.

"Vulcans do not death glare, Crewman."

"They so do. Look!"

"Vulcans also do not have fun."

"Oh yes, and I presume that little stint with Kiwosk was the Ancient Sacred Challenge of Mini-Golf?"

Liyar crossed his arms over his chest formidably. "That was entirely educational."

"I think we'll be just fine," Athlen said toward Coleman again, a completely unabashed smirk on his face.

Evelyn smiled widely at the exchange, looking at Liyar. "Liyar, you're adorable." She said shaking her head before turning to Athlen, "this is why I love Vulcans. They maybe emotionless but they give off these...gestures that are so blatant." She chuckled, "If I ever decide to get married again, I'm half tempted on choosing a Vulcan."

Liyar blinked, while Athlen snickered, and he took the PADD that the sociologist offered him.

"So you mean adorable is not a universal Vulcan tenet?" Athlen asked teasingly at his silence. He began shutting down the holodeck systems, since the power to run the deck wasn't at full strength and it took away from ship's operations in the duration, and putting away his supplies, lifting his bag over his head and onto his shoulder.

"Negative," Liyar said a touch dryly.

Evelyn shook her head, playfully slapping Athlen's shoulder. "No teasing members of my department." She jokingly scolded.

"But that is the Rigelian equivalent of fun!" Athlen could be heard saying as they walked out of the holodeck to allow other occupants to use it, with Liyar in tow.

Evelyn chuckled as they walked out of the holodeck. "Well, Liyar, despite all the joking and teasing, you should be satisfied with the progress you are making."

Liyar only nodded, while Athlen continued chattering away about some study or another, pulling out the PADDs and excitedly showing Coleman. Their voices trailed off as they left.

OFF:

Lieutenant Evelyn Coleman
2XO/Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Galileo

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

Crewman Athlen
Sociologist, SCC
USS Galileo

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