Docentia - by Dr Javi
---
Day 1 - I write this log in hopes of maintaining some modicum of sanity in the coming months or, otherwise, that my story can be useful to future researchers and travelers in my situation. My name is J. H. Tikbalang. Three hours ago, stellar transport Docentia was severely damaged upon impact with the second planet of the Educatio system, due to a failure of the navigation system. The safety devices allowed me to emerge unscathed from the collision, but I fear that I will remain here until I can repair the breakdown. My first evaluation of the structural condition of Docentia indicates that, with enough time and support, I could restore its flight capability. Since the life support and food generation systems of my uniform remain operational, I have all the time I could need. But I need to find and train a work team to assist me.
My communication system was also damaged on impact, but still retains its receptor capacity. Thanks to that, I have been able to consult the databases of the Ministry of Xenology: as I understand, on Educatio Secunda there is a life form which could assist me. The adolesc are humanoid creatures, usually shorter than an adult earthling, and with certain cognitive abilities that could be useful to me. The information provided by the public database regarding the adolesc is not very flattering. It describes them as rebellious and prone to violence, which has led to their rejection by many other species. However, this would not be the first time that public data was based on biased and prejudiced information, so I'm willing to take the risk. Tomorrow, I will start looking for a settlement of these beings.
---
Day 2 - I have set the current position of the Docentia as a benchmark in the global locator of my uniform; this will allow me to explore as far as necessary without getting lost. From a nearby headland, I have spotted a gap among the vegetation; the adolesc do not favor any specific type of habitat, so this is as good a place to start my search as any other. Based on the telemetry measurements of my visor and the roughness of the terrain, I presume it will take me three or four days to reach it on foot.
---
Day 5 - Some footprints I noticed back at the clearing have led me to a small group of adolesc that, although suspicious of me, have accepted my company for now. It is not customary of this species to use names, so I will resort to the military phonetic alphabet to identify them: I will address them as Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, and Echo. I notice few variations in color or complexion for which to differentiate them, but that does not matter. The only thing I care about is whether they can assist me in the repair of the Docentia. After patiently explaining my situation, out of curiosity, boredom, or peer pressure, the adolesc have agreed to follow my plan, although with little interest. Tomorrow, we will head for the transport, where I will explain the necessary basics of mechanics and indicate how we will have to apply them to our problem.
---
Day 6 - The adolesc are a more complex and interesting species than the database implied. According to the data that I can access, they are creatures whose cognitive abilities have suffered a recent evolution: their biological ancestor was characterized by an inability for speculation or creativity in addressing problems of theoretical nature, while the adolesc are able to evade the empirical reality to analyze the causal relationships of their actions. However, anatomical studies reveal that the development of the brains of these beings has been uneven, causing their impulsive, sometimes violent behavior. In addition, the psychological and anatomical changes that they have suffered are still new and incomprehensible to them, which could cause feelings of anxiety, confusion, and depression. I must therefore remember to be patient when addressing them, if I want them to continue lending me their help.
---
Day 7 - As we walked back to my transport, I noticed that each adolesc behaves differently, both among themselves and towards me, and seem interested in different specific elements of their environment. For example, Bravo and Charlie have remained by my side at all times, conversing with me; I think the former wants to start learning as soon as possible, while the latter is curious about Earth and the human race. Delta and Echo have not asked any questions, but I know they have been listening with varying interest. Alpha has stayed at some distance from the group at all times, and does not seem to want to relate to any of us. Such disparate behaviors led me to conclude that the adolesc are able to develop specific personalities, observable as a prolonged coherence of their actions and decisions. However, some of my companions do not seem to have yet reached that state of psychological balance. Maybe I should consider these characteristics when scheduling my lessons.
---
Day 8 - Thanks to the locator on my uniform, the way back is proving very simple. I believe that we will arrive at the Docentia before dark, and we can start the lessons tomorrow. Bravo has told me a curious peculiarity of their kind. Apparently, for most of their lives, the adolesc are accompanied by some extrasensory entities, similar perhaps to the mythological familiar spirits, which protect, advise, and guide them in their daily decisions. It would be very useful to deal with these beings, and perhaps to ask for their collaboration and engagement in the educational process I am about to undertake, but it seems that it is rarely possible to contact them, if not through their protégés.
Out of curiosity, I have asked all the students to tell me about their familiars, but as imperceptible entities they do not have a physical body, so they have not been able to describe more than the relationship they share and the attitude they perceive in them. Bravo has described their familiar as "strict and thorough", while Charlie's is "comprehensive and protective" and Delta says that theirs is "kind and forgiving". Echo has failed to, or did not want to, go into details, and Alpha has refused to talk about it.
---
Day 12 - It is not easy for me to educate these students. Once the initial curiosity faded, the defiance of which the Ministry of Xenology accused them has become apparent, and it is difficult to convince some of them to pay attention; I cannot offer any more incentive that the knowledge itself. Although they do not seem very interested in mechanics, Charlie makes the best use of my lessons. Judging by the type of questions they ask, it is clear that their true vocation is xenology, but their capacity for learning and a healthy curiosity enables them to understand my explanations with little effort. Bravo is also getting very good results, but it obviously costs them more work. Their comprehension is very high and they show a knack for logic, calculation, and spatial vision, among other skills, but I feel that they somehow lack motivation. Echo has serious difficulties in understanding the theoretical principles that make the Docentia work, but they seem skilled when it comes to manual and repetitive tasks. Although they pay attention in my classes, they do not seem to want to get personally involved in the stages of repair; they obey my requests, but reluctantly. However, Delta shows no interest in my explanations and can only focus for short periods of time. Also, they do not respect my authority, nor do they relate affectionately to the other students. I do not think this is due to a mental disability, because sometimes I am surprised by their good organization and planning habits. I have serious problems with the attitude of Alpha. I am convinced that, with the proper motivation, they would be able to understand the concepts I teach, but not only do they refuse to participate in my classes, they make every effort to hinder them. They are annoying and distracting to their teammates, interrupt my explanations, and constantly disrespects me. I fear that, if they continue with that attitude, I will have to do without them.
---
Day 15 - I worry about the influence that my Earthling habits may have on the adolesc. I try to avoid behaviors I feel they may find strange, but I often feel obliged to give explanations about my everyday habits and customs. Although in some ways this may be educational to them, and it may allow them to learn details about the human race, I would rather not contaminate them with elements that are external to their culture.
---
Day 27 - Today, I have asked my students about the opinion their familiars have regarding my classes and their contents. Upon doing so, Alpha has moved away from the group immediately. Bravo was the first to speak. Apparently, their familiar believes that the knowledge of technology and mechanics is crucial in the pangalactic technocratic society we inhabit, and wants their protégé to excel in these areas. The adolesc has fully agreed, without showing the slightest hint of doubt. Charlie's familiar, however, does not seem to fully approve this technological training, but after hearing the arguments of their protégé at the beginning of the course, they decided to give them freedom to explore for themself and make their own decisions about their education, if this contributes to their personal well-being. Delta's familiar disagrees with my teachings, but they give in to their protégé's desire to join the group, and allows them to attend my classes, more to avoid a conflict than for considering reasonable arguments. I wonder to what extent this lack of authority to establish rules and limitations may be related to the bad attitude and poor performance of their protégé. Initially and as usual, Echo has refused to talk about their guardian spirit, but the support and insistence of the group have allowed them to clarify some of my doubts. Although I do not quite understand what kind of creatures the familiars are, apparently there is some variability between them; Echo's is despised by their peers due to some kind of physical or social impairment, but still they perfectly fulfill their guidance mission and want the best education available for their protégé.
---
Day 29 - Today I managed to speak to Alpha away from the rest of the group, with the intention of revealing the cause of their constant attitude problems. Instead of rebuking him, I tried to be understanding and conciliatory, which has finally allowed him to open up to me. Alpha, it turns out, does not have a familiar. They do not remember ever having had one; maybe they died or abandoned them when they were very young. Without any guide or protection, this adolesc was forced to forge their own identity, always envying the privileged position of their classmates. I think this conversation has eased a bit of Alpha's discomfort, as they felt listened-to for once. They expressed their intention to leave the group, but I have asked them to reconsider, at least for now. I need the class to stay together, as losing one of their partners would negatively affect the morale of the rest. I must find a way to make Alpha feel comfortable with us.
---
Day 32 - As per Charlie's request, I have postponed the lesson on harmonic gears and, instead, I have given the adolesc a talk about Earth. This change in the routine to which they are accustomed delighted them, and they have enjoyed my brief introduction to Earthling zoology. I have proposed to Alpha a possible solution to their problem. I'm not sure if my suggestion makes sense from the standpoint of the adolesc culture, but they have agreed to consider it carefully.
---
Day 34 - The crystal fusion system of the tail drive of the Docentia is again operational. We suffered some delay due to a small miscalculation, but the group effort of the whole class has compensated for lost time. Probably due to the influence of Echo and the knowledge of their particular situation, Alpha has accepted my proposal that I become their foster familiar.
---
Day 47 - All the drives of the Docentia are working at over 70% of their potential. This is not strong enough to take me to Earth, but I can reach the nearest human settlement. My students are very proud of what they have learned under my care, but they feel sad at the idea of completing their mission and seeing me off. The recent change of attitude of Alpha in my classes has been amazing. They finally feel like another member of the group, pay attention to the lessons, and have actively collaborated in the repair of the Docentia. I can only imagine how my departure would affect their development, now that they have made so much progress. I could offer to bring them to Earth with me, but that would force them to lose all contact with their new friends.
---
Day 49 - The fuselage cracks are properly sealed and the manual steering system is fully operational. The route to the research station orbiting Educatio Universitas is set. I will soon return home.
---
Day 50 - I am very disappointed with the final status of my transportation. It is indisputable that my students have done a great job: the Docentia is able to lift and its control systems indicate that it could travel one or two light years without any mishap. But there are parts of the fuselage where the collision peeled a bit of paint off, and I do not have any stock of the right color. This is unacceptable. I fear that in these conditions I can not leave Educatio Secunda. I will be forced to stay here and continue the education of the adolesc. I cannot leave them now that they have learned so much and made so much progress. I found some textbooks in the Docentia with which I could prepare some new lessons. I wonder what the adolesc would like to learn next.
---
Fin
