Nightshift 37: General Storage

[its-the-mileage.livejournal.com]

[from here]

The storage room was nondescript but organized; just a lot of boxes and supply cabinets. If anything in here was planning on killing them, Indy decided, it was just gonna have to get in line.

He dumped everything but the flashlight next to where the door used to be and started hunting.

Comments

[its-the-mileage.livejournal.com]

Gaging the other man's reaction, Indy decided he might've been a little too pointed in making note of the fact that he hadn't yet seen any proof that this guy could translate so much as the back of a Cracker Jack box. Carping wasn't going to be any more helpful now than it had been earlier in the night. He'd have to look for Pierson's message tomorrow; might shed a little more light on just who this shady roommate of his was.

In the meantime, he posited, "Actually, it makes perfect sense, if you have the technology to do it. You get the advantages of understanding each other without losing the clues you pick up from someone's accent." Something else occurred to him. "Remember the first response? Native languages and secondary languages work differently; at least, that's the idea. If you're speaking English and it's a first language for both of us, your accent wouldn't get translated out." That sounded more ridiculous the longer it was out of his mouth, both because the language thing was a cockeyed theory to begin with and because it struck Indy that, if it were true, he had no idea whether Pierson was actually speaking in English or not. Some experimentation might be in order here.

At least the next idea was a lot easier to swallow than the first. "You do have a point on that one," he admitted. "I know for a fact the Third Reich is obsessed with the occult, but they're not the only ones. Anybody could be trying to catch up; sort of a paranormal arms race." A sobering thought if he'd ever heard one.

[oldest-man.livejournal.com]

"That's rather the point, actually," Methos replied. "Assuming, for the moment, this hypothetical Babel fish actually exists, anyone speaking English to either of us should have their proper accent. I'm assuming you do, and you apparently hear mine, so that's some support for the theory. If the nurses are speaking English, either they've naturally got an American accent, or they've taken the time to learn to imitate one remarkably well. If they're not speaking English, then the default accent for translation into English is American. It's reasonable to assume we're either in America, or someone's gone to a fair amount of trouble to make it seem that way. Of course, I suppose the technology could just be American and they've never changed the defaults, but I certainly hope that's not the case."

He grimaced at the mention of the Third Reich, quashing once again the urge to remark upon its downfall decades earlier. "There are several organizations delving into that sort of study. Several relatively well known ones, that is. Chances are there will always be some sort of covert conspiracy. It's human nature." He eyed Jones thoughtfully. "I suppose it's safe to assume you've got some experience in that area? I do have to wonder how many people here might say the same."

[its-the-mileage.livejournal.com]

Indy turned that one over. If he thought about it like a scientist instead of a jingoist, what Pierson was saying was the only semi-plausible theory they'd come up with so far. Occam's razor threatened to slice any other possibilities he could come up with to ribbons. "What's a little more trouble when you've already kidnapped dozens of people? We're talking about the people who get up early every morning to restock the storage closets and replace the doors," he said, more out of residual petulance than actual conviction.

He nodded at Pierson's mention of organizations, thinking of Donovan. "Or wealthy individuals, even. And yeah, guess you could say I've got some experience in that field. But I'm an archaeologist; my work is tangential to the study of the paranormal at best." Indy was showing his hand; time to see if Pierson would do the same. "Do you have a more direct connection?"