The Mercy of Gods

Translators are a common element in space opera, conveniently erasing the language barriers that would hinder communication among multiple incompatible species. The black box translators are apparently rare among the species in the ziggurat. While the Carryx all carry one, only a select few of the captive species do. For Dafyd, these translators represent a privilege and a step toward better understanding. When the human group defeats the Night Drinkers, the Night Drinkers give them a black box translator as a symbol of their surrender, which marks a significant turning point in the plot because it allows them to find the other human groups.

Thus, the black box translator is meaningful on several levels. It’s a plot device that brings the disparate human groups together, which eventually leads to Dafyd betraying the human uprising. In addition, the translator symbolizes both the humans’ victory over their rivals and the human endeavor to understand. This is especially true for Dafyd, who makes the most effort to understand the Carryx, believing that this effort will help them survive in the end. While the other humans seem content to focus on the berries experiment or their resistance efforts, Dafyd uses the translator to its full potential by wandering the hallways and questioning every species he comes across.