(no subject)

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Amazing how a nap improves things.

Naraht wakes up about an hour before lunch (Bar time, that is). He is certainly starving. Wanting to remedy this condition, he makes a bee-line for Bar for a hearty breakfast of limestone with some conglomerate thrown in for variety. Tray fully loaded, he returns to the table where he left his holocomputer, his PADDs and various and sundry other articles.

He munches his breakfast, gazing out at the destructing universe outside.

Well, back to it, then, he thinks, picking up the PADD and going to the place in the text that he marked last night.

What the...

For a moment, Naraht thinks that his PADD has a glitch. Rows if complete gibberish scroll their way up the screen. Damn it! I do not need another malfunction...

Then it hits him. Naraht drops the first PADD like it was corrosive and grabs the second. More gibberish. He switches on the holo-computer. The lines of his plans and schematics he can see and understand but the notes he put by them are indeciperable. As he looks more closely, he can tell that...well, they aren't really gibberish. It's obvious they have a pattern but the key to those patterns has been lost.

No, no, no! Mother, please! No!

In one last-ditch effort to deny it, Naraht looks at the tab board over Bar. That final bit of confirmation rips a high, whistling scream from him.

[OOC: As usual, Other curse progresses. Naraht now can't comprehend either written or spoken language. Telepathy can get through but it will be difficult if the person "thinks" at Naraht using words.]

Comments

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

It's a scream that brings a certain hyperfast security man to Naraht's side lightning-fast. Barry orders a pad and pen, and scribbles a note fast.

WHAT HAPPENED?

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht sees the pad. He even sees the words. But they mean nothing to him. Nothing!

Trapped/caught/alone/alone/alone

Naraht gestures with is macro-cillia, hoping to make Barry understand.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

Barry is not sure what's going on. He sees the PADD on the Bar and tries to hand to the Horta, making a writing gesture.

Even with his fast thought processes, the truth is slow to dawn.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht takes a moment to notice the PADD. Slightly acrid-smelling vapor pours out as fear turns to rage.

He snatches the PADD out of Barry's hand and hurls it across the room as hard as he can.

[silverageflash.livejournal.com]

Barry backs off a bit, and then races to grab the PADD. He figures out how to use it - it's not Microsoft, so it's intuitive, after all - and tries to see what Naraht was reading. But nothing looks amiss.

Which means...

He heads back and just looks at Naraht. Nothing else would get through.

[gone_byebye]

There are some noises that you just can't miss, and a Horta scream is one of them. Even if you do mistake it for one of the Twins exulting over the results of the latest sumo tournament at first.

Good thing Rho isn't eating breakfast or it'd be all over the floor, the way he comes to his feet and heads towards the screaming.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

And there Naraht sits. Every PADD on the counter activated. His holocomputer projecting a map of a cave system. But his fringe hangs down, trembling.

And then in one violent movement, he sweeps all the PADDs to the floor with a clatter. The holo-computer is just out of his reach but you can tell he's contempating something that will likely void its warranty.

[gone_byebye]

Oh, hell.

Rho steps around the mess of PADDs and comes up as close as he judges safe, one hand out in a silent 'whoa, whoa, whoa there, buddy' gesture. He's never seen this before, exactly, but there are procedures in the training manual for situations like this. At least, he hopes they apply here.

Poor kid, he can't help but think.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Rho provides that crucial second of distraction. By the time Naraht has him (and his gesture) identified, destroying his holocomputer seems like a waste of effort.

The huge body seems to slump as despair begins to creep in under the ebbing fury and frustration.

[gone_byebye]

Rho sighs quietly and crouches down beside the rock, laying one hand on the immense silicate bulk. He's no telepath- there are no known human telepaths in his universe, and Dr. Spengler's spent most of his career ripping apart the ones who've made that claim- but he can at least read frustration and sadness across a dozen species, and this is no exception.

He thinks for a minute, then fishes through his pockets with his spare hand and pulls out an object he's probably not supposed to have. Hohner harmonicas are a little bit on the distinctive side, after all. Still, they come in useful at times, and after that noise the Horta made he's got reason to believe controlled air expulsion might form at least some sort of communication. Even if it's just a few querying, distressed notes.

[inquisitivehero]

Hank comes skidding over and places a hand on Naraht's flank. he ties the obvious forst.

What's wrong?

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht grabs Hank's wrist with a grip that is just short of painful. Violently, he shoves the proffered PADD away.

[inquisitivehero]

hank blinks in confusion, then he remembers the test results and his eyes close. His arms enclose around his friend and he gives the best hug he can in his current form.

then an idea occurs to him. he pulls down his laptoip, places it in front of him, and making sure naraht can see him, closes his eyes and uses memory and touch to operate the keyboard.. He works at it with a knife for a moment, making each key different slightly, then he moves it to where Naraht's cilia can reach and hopes that hir will get the idea and more, that it will work.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht thinks for a moment. He runs his macrocillia over the keys, feeling out the markings. He thinks he understands what Hank wants.

Unfortuantely, he has no eyes to close, but he tries not to "notice" the keyboard as he types out. "Is this working? Can you understand me?"

But what is written is, Bleb tar aromic Quanto rig fey zet

Aphasia is an insidious thing.

[inquisitivehero]

Hank sighs, and tries to think more.

then he starts tapping, gebntly, on Naraht's Shellskin. It has a pattern,. He isnt syure if Naraht knows Morse, or no, but he can hope. He places one hand down near Iohor's cilia as he slowly taps out morse code.

I.F.-Y.O.U.-C.A.N.-U.N.D.E.R.S.T.A.N.D.-R.E.P.L.Y.-O.N.-M.Y.-H.A.N.D.

[lvpd_sidle]

That high pitched whistling scream brings Sara running over.

Taking the PADD, she scribbles a frantic WHAT'S WRONG?

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht pushes the PADD away, chuffing acrid-smelling vapor in fear/frustration/anger.

"Shrub call felon top!" he blurts, hoping that maybe tone will convey what his speech cannot.

[lvpd_sidle]

Considering what Barry and Catherine had told her of the progression of Naraht's curse, it doesn't take her long. "You can't understand me," she breathes, hoping he'll comprehend her tone if not her words.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Naraht shivers a bit. The tone is a mix of stunned understanding and pity. She probably gets it. Just to be sure, he picks up the PADD, points at it and makes a negating gesture. Then points at her and makes another negating gesture.

[lvpd_sidle]

She nods. I understand. Wishing there was some way of giving him reassurance.

The best she can do is crouch on the floor next to him, a hand resting gently on his back.

[csi-catherine.livejournal.com]

Catherine kneels down beside hir. Doesn't speak. Just holds onto hir, and tries not to give in and cry.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

A bit of glittering fringe reaches out to stroke Catherine's hand.

The initial shock is past. The urge to break things out of frustration and fear is down to a manageable level.

The only thing left is to bear up so that hir won't be too large a worry for hir friends.

[csi-catherine.livejournal.com]

Catherine draws back, bites her lip. Then takes the PADD and draws--a picture of a boulder, an arrow pointing to it, a blue furry thing with a stethoscope on the other end.

[lt-naraht.livejournal.com]

Has he seen Hank?

Naraht reaches up and, with a great deal of concentration, makes a check-mark.

Hopefully that will be seen as a "yes".

[csi-catherine.livejournal.com]

Catherine draws a speech-bubble coming from the blue furry smudge's mouth, puts a question mark beside it. What did he say?