Research Transcripts of Dr. Xant: Translator Calibration

[These transcripts are for research purposes only, any opinions expressed therein are not wholly representative of species, governments, organisations or conglomerates mentioned. The release of these documents have been authorised by Executive Director Salhor Laandi.]

[Note: Due to the intensely thick cranial casing and extraordinary electrochemical activity in the subject's brain, the neuron translator had to be turned down significantly in order for the subject to successfully complete calibration. The following transcript is the recorded calibration session.]

Dr Xant: This is Dr. Uru’Nav Xant speaking, Subject has been implanted with a Zenthi grade neuron translator over the central cranial mass- it required extensive surgery to penetrate the casing but we succeeded. Today I will be conducting a calibration on the translator for it to sync with the subject’s neural oscillations and speech patterns. Turning translator external receiver on.

[Note: The following signal was only neurological feedback, Subject had not physically spoken a word; this could indicate the potential for Zenthi telepathy.]

Subject: (God, just sit up straight, you're representing the human race here.)(deity, adverb, posture, high, direction, self, avatar, determiner, self species, location) -enclosed room, white tiles, familiar location, familiar other-

Dr Xant: Subject? Can you hear me?

Subject: Yes Doctor I can hear you.(Holy shit I can hear him in my head! I can understand him!) (affirmation, acknowledge profession, self, understanding, other) -enclosed room, white tiles, familiar location, familiar other-

[Note: External receiver was overloading with information, I turned down the receptors to Arvas levels.]

Dr Xant: Good, now can you state your name for the record?

Subject: My name is Jasmine Howe and I am a member of the human race. (Okay just stay calm, speak nice and clear now.)()

[Note: Interference still high I turned it down to Zenthi levels.]

Dr Xant: Now then Howe-

Subject: (Correct him now!) Uh, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d prefer you use my first name: Jasmine.

[Note: Subject prefered the use of her first name in conversation, will have to defer to Behavioural Studies for further cultural investigation.]

Dr Xant: Alright Jasmine, I need you to repeat after me… ready?

Subject: Yes. (Yes.)

Dr Xant: Red.

Subject: Red. (Red.)

Dr Xant: Spacecraft.

Subject: Spacecraft. (Spacecraft.)

Dr Xant: Orbital projector.

Subject: Orbital projector. (Orbital projector.)

Dr Xant: The Arvas like to eat waurdess.

Subject: The Arvas like to eat waurdess. (The Arvas like to eat waurdess?)

Dr Xant: I believe that should do it, turning off the external receiver and patching subject into the larger system.

Subject: Understood. (Oh man this is sooo cool.)

[Long pause]

Subject: Is something wrong Doctor? (Did I do anything??)

Dr Xant: Yes Jasmine, there appears to be a disjointed interference, I'm receiving a non-mirror echo in the more complex sentence structure.

Subject: A non-mirror echo? (Wha?...)

Dr Xant: Yes, your brain is producing two different wavelengths, one translates what I assume is the direct response to my questions but the other only mildly mimics the sentiment.

Subject: Are you saying you’re getting two signals? (Can he read my mind??)

Dr Xant: If you are able to differentiate between your speech pattern and your brain processes then, yes, I can read your mind.

Subject: Holy shit... (HOLY SHIT!!)

Dr Xant: Unpleasant exclamations aside, I am unsure as how to remedy the problem without knowing exactly where the speech center of your brain is - I cannot focus the implant’s receptors-

Subject: Oh, the speech center is… Here, somewhere towards the middle of the frontal lobes. (I know it’s near the front part somewhere.)

[Note: Subject has used both appendages to indicate a crosshair within the frontal calcium mass.]

Dr Xant: And you are sure of this?

Subject: Pretty sure. (Not exact, but close enough.)

[Long pause]

Dr Xant: I'll make the adjustments.

[Note: It is unprecedented for a newly discovered sentience to have such detailed knowledge of bodily functions.]

Subject: Is it working now Doctor? (God I hope I got it right…)

Dr Xant: I'm afraid the interference is still present. Until we are able to figure out its exact positioning we will have to make do with the current settings.

Subject: Doctor Xant? May I try something? (I wonder if I can…?)

Dr Xant: I suppose there is no harm. What is it you wish to test?

Subject: I want to see if I can isolate the interference... (I want to know if I can communicate telepathically…)

[Long pause]

Dr Xant: And exactly how do you propose to do this test?

Subject: I propose to block all forms of sensory input and focus my subauditory thoughts. (I'll block my eyes and ears and just shout inside my head.) 

[Note: Subject has outlined the parameters of a scientific method, and proposes to communicate through Zenthi telepathy - both unprecedented with first contact species within the entirety of Council space.]

Dr Xant: I will turn the external receiver back on and then you will be free to test your hypothesis.

[The external receiver was returned to power, and the Subject disconnected from the translator system]

[Note: Subject placed her main appendages into her auditory canals and voluntarily shut her ocular receptors.]

Subject: (Testing, testing, one two three, Jasmine to Doctor Xant, can you hear me? Please say something Dr. Xant, otherwise my mind may wander and I really don't want to talk to a alien species without a filter, god knows what weird shit my brain will pull out of the abyss, god no I'm already going off topic-)

Dr Xant: Yes, I can hear you Jasmine, and your hypothesis was correct. You've isolated the interference and it’s coming through loud and clear. Since this is the stronger signal, I'll set the translator to this Frequency.

Subject: (What?! No! No, whatever you do don’t use this frequency, this is my unfiltered thought, I can’t turn this off! I mean maybe with practice I'll be able to talk with you like this, but, not as first contact! I mean I have to give a good first impression of the human race so you don’t think we’re all terrible monsters and wipe us from existence! Oh no I’m rambling again, Dr. Xant, I've isolated the frequency can't you block this so it only receives the other one? The one where I've chosen my words carefully and don't sound like a babbling loon-)

Dr Xant: You want me to actively block the strongest and most accurate signal? Because with training you would be able to communicate without having to speak at all - Zenthi like myself are the only other species who can communicate on this level. I recommend staying on this Frequency; once you get used to the translator I can get a clearer understanding of the quintal brain waves you're producing.

Subject: (Xant I'd be happy answer questions about my awful subconscious but at the moment I need you to fix the translator so it doesn't pick up my most private thoughts, I’d like to talk in a professional manner, not while I’m panicking about every little thing that passes through my brain, I mean what if I insult the entirety of the known galaxy?)

Dr Xant: Jasmine, I can assure you, a Creator race such as yourself has nothing to worry about - the fact that you are worried about insulting the Council shows a level of understanding higher than most fledgling species in the Council. I will make two settings for your translator, one for formal conversations and the second for telepathic communication. I will schedule private sessions for us to work on that later. I have made the adjustments, you should be able to speak clearly now.

[Note: Private sessions will be recorded in a separate report, after initial trials are over.]

Subject: So, does this mean the calibration is done Dr. Xant?

Dr Xant: The calibration is finished, which means we can begin questioning.

[Session Ended]