Problems and Solutions

                                        

                                              
Nahuel had brought the Human over but their great plans to have Aeryn help them died a quick death when they realized that there was still no way to communicate with their alien friend. They had enough difficulties expressing the fact that their ship wasn't working, let alone try and explain as complex a topic as a recording and viewer. If they were going to get this Human's help, Tokala realized they'd have to teach him their language completely.
                              
"So your ship is...dead?" Aeryn asked, watching Nahuel try and charade it out. They were currently sitting in said ship, and the Human could tell that all was not well. It wasn't a large ship, nothing intended for extended space travel, but it would have more than enough space for the two Humans as well as the Pantharni.
                              
Tokala shook his head while Nahuel used the human word. "No." Head tilted to one side, Aeryn waited for a clearer explanation.
                              
Tokala was getting frustrated, trying to make this Human understand. It would be so much easier if Aeryn had a translator too. Nahuel wasn't close to giving up yet. He was convinced that their new friend would have the answers if they could only make him understand. Nahuel gestured for Aeryn to sit in one of the navigation chairs. After a brief pause, the Human slid into the chair and quickly jerked back out of it when the chair started moulding around the human's figure.
                              
"What the hell was that?" Aeryn demanded, voice sounding startled. The Human was watching the seat resettle itself, metamorphosis clearly evident. Neither Pantharni could reply, instead they waited while their Human ally investigated the seat. Aeryn pressed a hand against the chair and watched as the seat settled around it, cushioning it in and supporting it. "Wow." the voice was now astonished as Aeryn resettled into the chair and let  it take the Human's shape. Once settled in properly, the console system realized that the navigator only had one set of arms and restructured the control system to allow for all control with only two hands. "Wow." Aeryn breathed, amazed.
                              
"Goodnight." Nahuel said in the Human's language and patted the console. Again Aeryn's head tilted to one side, the Human's obvious confusion indicator. Nahuel patted the console again. "Goodnight." he repeated. He couldn't remember the Human's term for sleep and was trying to lead Aeryn into understanding.
                              
"Goodnight?" Aeryn repeated, trying to figure out if he was telling the ship to go to sleep or.. "Oh! You're ship is already asleep!" Aeryn burst out, excited to understand. Nahuel clapped his hands in happiness, glad to have made the Human understand.
                              
"Alright. So your ship is asleep. Ummm...I'm guessing this isn't supposed to happen?" Aeryn asked, shifting position in the chair and feeling it sluggishly respond.
                              
Tokala was beginning to be impressed by their Human ally. As Nahuel and Aeryn were working towards making the Human understand the situation, it occured to the elder Pantharni that this Human had a keenly intelligent mind, though he seemed unaware of his advanced understanding. Tokala left the two children on the bridge as went towards the utilities closet, making up his mind to trust Nahuel's instincts. Sometimes a little risk taking is necessary.
                              
He pulled down a piece of Pantharni technology, the small item a heavy weight only in his mind. Giving this to the Human would be a major violation of his Tribe's code to never interfere unless absolutely necessary. Unlike the armour the two Pantharni wore, this technology served no other purpose than to translate languages for the user. But Tokala wasn't sure that the Human would be able to use it, and if able to use it, would be able to understand the cost of wearing it. Once the Listener was attatched, the Pantharni had found no way to take it off, it would change the Human permanently.
                              
Tokala returned to the command center to see Nahuel leaning over listening to the Human as Aeryn had his head buried under a maintenance panel, following the nerves of the ship. "Okay, so the seats are still awake and working, but the rest of your ship is basically in a coma. Though your air systems and basic environmentals are all running..." Aeryn was used to working alone and had long ago developed a habit of talking outloud to make it seem like there was company. The Human scrabbled out of the panel and sat looking up at the two Pantharni. Aeryn had taken the horned gas mask off, not wanting to damage it or the ship in their investigations. Now Aeryn's darkest brown eyes burned with intelligence as the Human started to try and understand the inner workings of this alien ship.