This week with Arlene and Jeff:
...After turning to the First Officer, Jeff whispered, “How long do you think it will take for your language interpreter to work?”
“Sir, as you know, Ship has been working to improve the language translation software and has enhanced the mental aspect of it to the point that she has already vastly improved upon my home world’s best efforts. She has also shortened the time it takes for the software to learn the language straight from the subject’s mind. Unlike our encounter with the Graex in space, this should work well if we can get within mental range of the subject. Ship thinks the distance might vary between races and individuals, but she is reasonably sure that the device should work once it is within fifty feet of most individuals.
“As was the case with the original language interpreter, understanding the new individual’s language isn’t the only problem. Learning to pronounce the other’s words can take time. It generally takes practice for our tongues to learn how to make the new sounds well enough to be understood. That said, all we need to understand them is for the software to lock on mentally. Oh, yes, and Ship is in the process of further miniaturizing the unit, which, she assures me, will be much smaller than this one,” he said as he took the new translator off his belt and handed it to Jeff.
“No helmet?” Jeff asked
“No, Sir. This model only requires you to use an earbud,” he said as he handed one to Jeff. “Ship expects the next generation of the unit to be small enough to attach to a collar and will project the subject’s words to you mentally.”...
Have a goodun;
Roust