2022-04-23: 'Inverse' Transposition

• Cutscene: 'Inverse' Transposition
• Cast: Ruri Hoshino, Omoikane, Megumi Reinard
• Where: The Nadesico
• Date: 2022-04-23
• Summary: Ruri contemplates the nature of music with Omoikane, and learns something important from Megumi.

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MUSIC

"Pythagoras and his students said that all nature consists of harmony arising out of numbers," Ruri reflects, as she looks up at the encyclopedic entry displayed on the window in front of her. She's the only one on the bridge, right now; it's her turn to take the graveyard shift. (Ruri is quite serious about sharing the duties of graveyard shift. Well, not that it matters that much, on a spaceship. Their concept of 'days' are a little loose, given all the space.)

RELATIONS OF STRING LENGTH OCTAVE - 1/2 FIFTH - 2/3 FOURTH - 3/4 1+2+3+4 = 10

"Actually, pitches are waves, interacting with each other... sound is easily expressed down to sine waves. Those fundamental vibrations come together with overtones to form harmonic series. Hermann von Helmholtz first discussed the acoustics of music in the context of his studies of physics and physiology. Well, a lot of people built on those theories."

MUSICAL ACOUSTICS A FIELD OCCUPIED WITH THE PHYSICS OF MUSIC

"Music can be expressed mathematically... using concepts like set theory and Fourier analysis. It follows that mathematics can be expressed musically, too. Using the proper logarithmic tools, entire programs could be written and transmitted through those waves travelling through the air."

DIALLING IN ...

"Well, unfortunately the field met something of an untimely end when Minovsky interference made transmission such a dicey subject. Most of the passion for acoustic computer engineering has gone into other fields, by now... but the connection was significant enough that I learned an awful lot about it. I suppose that means I have some technical ability."

MINOVSKY PARTICLE COMMUNICATION INTERFERENCE NOW CONSIDERED A WAR CRIME STILL TROUBLES WARTIME AREAS THROUGH INCIDENTAL DISCHARGE IN BATTLE

"That's all well and good, but..."

Ruri sighs, looking up at the screens. Her face is still quite neutral, but the slight arc of her brow speaks to something troubled, behind her eyes. "... I guess understanding the mathematics behind it can't really help me understand music, right?"

RUN QUERY?

"I... don't know if this is something I can read about," Ruri admits -- quite a large admission, her gaze tracking to the side of her terminal for a moment before she looks back up. "People like Ranka-san and Ms. Nome have something else, when they sing... I don't know how I'd calculate that. They can... make people feel things." They can make her...

Ruri hums through her lips, unsettled, and pulls an autographed card from her pocket. After a moment, she asks, "Omoikane, define 'deculture', please."

DECULTURE A ZENTRADI PHRASE ADOPTED INTO COMMON PARLANCE ORIGINALLY HOLDING A NEGATIVE MEANING OF SOMETHING UNEXPECTED OR UNBELIEVABLE, IT HAS SHIFTED INTO A POSITIVE WORD EXPRESSING SOMETHING AMAZING OR ASTOUNDING CONTRAST TERRIBLE/TERRIFIC; OLD ENGLISH SLANG 'SICK'

"Deculture... I guess it's something like that." Ruri sighs, looking down at the picture of Sheryl on the card. "But I don't really understand why she'd tell me that..."

"Eh? Who told you what, Ruri-chan?" That's the voice of one Megumi Reinard, slipping into the communication station beside Ruri. Ruri startles, to hear her, looking over with an expression of mild surprise. Megumi leans over, to spy on what she's holding. "Oh! That's Sheryl-chan's signature!"

"Yes," Ruri confirms, tucking it away. "I was just thinking. Is it your shift, Megumi-san?" She got more comfortable with her, after -- well, after almost getting killed on an outing with her. Is that weird? Ruri thinks that might be weird.

"Mm-hmm," their resident comms expert nods. "But you know, I think it's great that you're getting into these concerts," Megumi adds, wagging a finger cheerily. "People aren't just defined by one thing they do. Did you know I used to be a nurse?"

"I didn't," Ruri answers, blinking.

"Sure was! Anyway, idol crazes are totally normal for girls your age. It's really popular!" Megumi assures her, smiling.

"Fool," Ruri chastises Megumi, immediately. "There's no point being crazed about something like this."

Megumi laughs, and she might be picking on Ruri a little, but she's also being genuine. "Ahh, I mean you like the music!"

"Oh," Ruri says, willing enough to accept the clarification. She looks back up to the screens, contemplative. "So, it's 'normal'..."

DECULTURE !

"Mm," Ruri agrees, with a gentle expression.