“We... come... gently,” came the broken reply. Every lava creature in the chamber stopped talking and focused on the odd creature making silly gestures at Qz@px.
CIC, Peggy Sue
Doc White and most of the members of the science staff joined the Captain and First Officer in the CIC. They came to witness the voyage's historic first contact with an alien species. Other species had been encountered in the past and some were actually friendly, or at least not homicidal, but this was the first time for the Orion Arm Trading Company.
It was also the first discovery of a non-carbon based lifeform. True, creatures from Earth had encountered non-carbon life before, but they never actually met them, unless you count exchanging gravitonic torpedoes and particle cannon blasts as a form of introduction.
“Well I'll be,” marveled Will Krenshaw. “Some of my colleagues used to speculate about silicon based life forms but none of them ever dreamed up mobile, intelligent, lava filled rocks.”
“I guess that nature is just more inventive than us humans,” said Doc White. The fancy holographic displays of the CIC had lured her out of her domain in the medical section.
“Speaking for us polar bears,” added Ahnah, “we never came up with anything like this either.”
“I always fought to preserve life—the plants and animals—now it looks like I need to consider the rocks as well,” said Joe Rogers, the climate scientist.
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Dr. Rogers, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” Billy Ray recited.
“I just knew you'd work a Shakespeare quotation into the conversation somewhere,” Beth said, giving her husband a sideways look.
Ignoring his significant other, Billy Ray addressed the computer: “Peggy Sue, how is the translation algorithm coming?”
“We are making great progress, Captain. Another hour or two and we should be able to converse with the lava creatures with little fear of being misunderstood. Commander Danner is quite adept at pantomime.”
“He is a man of many talents, our Sailing Master.”
“Yes, dear. Let's listen to what he and the head boulder are talking about...”
The Chamber
“I am now capable of translating most ordinary conversation with the lava creatures, Cmdr. Danner,” Peggy Sue's computer informed Bobby. “As usual, I will automatically translate units of time and distance into familiar terms. Also note that the creature's names are basically untranslatable so I am given them letter designations—the senior alien you are talking to will be called 'Q'.”
“Thanks, Peggy Sue. I'll attempt some diplomatic small talk with Q here.” Bobby loaded the software changes the computer had sent for his suit's radio, hopefully making his local transmissions sound like one of the sentient boulders. “Greetings, Q. I am Bobby Danner, leader of this small party of creatures from the planet Earth.”
There was a short pause while Qz@px mulled that over. Finally he replied. “Welcome Bobby Danner of earth. I greet you on behalf of the people of the moon metal.”
“I think that was too literal a translation in both directions, Peggy Sue,” Bobby told the computer, before returning to the conversation with the alien leader. “We have come to this system on a voyage of exploration, looking for new worlds and new friends among the stars.”
“These worlds are all fairly old, I am afraid,” came the reply.
Again with the literal translation, Bobby sighed. “When I said new worlds I should have said worlds we had not known about previously.”
“I see. Do you often say one thing when you actually mean something else?”
“I apologize. It was a figure of speech, which our translation algorithm handled poorly. As things progress my words should be translated more accurately.”
“Apology accepted, Bobby Danner. Now that you have seen our world, why would we want to be friends with you? In the past, we have never had any friends other than our own kind, and that has seemed quite sufficient.”
“We have voyaged from our home system seeking other forms of life, with trade our primary interest. We wish to explore the exchange of ideas and technology, though we would also like to form a coalition of species—an association for mutual aid and protection.”
“I see. Is the largest member of your group from a different species?” Qz@px was obviously referring to Umky, who towered over the humans.
“Yes, that is Umky. He is of a different species than the rest of us, but his kind and ours come from the same world.”
“More than one form of life from a single world? That is interesting. There are no others on the metal moon but our kind. Tell me, why did you pelt several of us with food?”
“I believe that was just a misunderstanding, Q. Several of our people were down in a pit filled with gemstones when a pair of your folks threw a shower of red hot stones on top of them. Our people thought they were under attack and responded with the, er, shower of food. If you thought we were trying to steal your gemstones we apologize.”
There was a pause in the translation while the room erupted in a symphony of pink noise.
“What's happening, Peggy Sue? Did I say something wrong?”
“I'm not sure, Commander. The noise transmissions seem to be the local equivalent of laughter.”
* * * * *
As the leaders on both sides carried out more weighty discussions, the constantly improving translation algorithm was distributed to the other Earthlings' suit computers. This allowed them to talk with the lava creatures around them. Naturally, Gx!pk and Kq*zt sidled up to the four members of Drainpipe One, who happened to be close by.
“Hi! I'm G and this is my friend K. We were at the latrine when you threw food at us,” said Gx!pk without preamble. The lava creatures were on a whole plain spoken and to the point.
“Wow, G and K. This is like Men In Black or something,” Hitch said to the other humans, causing the Marines to shush him and Jacobs to give him a swat.
“Er, hi there G. I'm Kato and these are my friends: Bosco, Steve and Matt. Did you say 'latrine'?”
“Hey,” said Kq*zt, “You two are the ones on the ledge, the ones who shot us with the uranium!”
“Uh, no hard feelings,” stammered Kato, “we thought you were trying to hurt our friends, Steve and Matt.”
“Yeah, those are the two who were in the bottom of the middens, playing with the poo,” Gx!pk said, recognizing Jacobs and Hitch from the previous encounter.
“Why did you throw food at us?” asked a puzzled Kq*zt. “And why were two of you messing around at the bottom of a latrine?”
“Is that word getting translated wrong?” Hitch asked the other Earthlings. “It's like he keeps calling the gem pit a 'latrine'.”
“You see, G and K, we two,” Kato began, motioning to himself and Bosco, “are Marines. We protect the other explorers from our crew.”
“Yes,” said Bosco, “Matt and Stevie are sailors, so we have to take care of them.”
“OK,” Gx!pk replied. “You two protect the others, what do 'sailors' do?”
“They help run our ship,” Kato explained. “And when we are in port they move things on and off the ship: cargo, supplies and such.”
“Right,” added Kq*zt, “so these two are poo haulers.”
“What!” Jacobs and Hitch exclaimed in unison.
The Marines literally laughed so hard they cried. It was several minutes before Kato and Bosco recovered enough to continue the conversation with the puzzled lava creatures.
* * * * *
Eventually, the wrinkles in communication were smoothed out and Earthlings' faux pas regarding the gem pit was corrected. The crew of the Peggy Sue spent four more days getting to know their new found friends, the lava creatures. An understanding was reached with the inhabitants of the metal moon and promises were made regarding future visits by ships of the Orion Arm Trading Company. Finally, with everyone secure on board the shuttle, preparations were complete to return to the Peggy Sue.
Hitch and Jacobs were at one of the shuttle's viewports, getting a last look at the little world that definitely had been more than they expected.
“Look at that, Matt. G and K came to say good bye.”
“Yeah, Stevie. They look like a pair of jack-o'-lanterns.”
“You know, I think I'm actually going to miss them.”
Chapter 17
Main Lounge, Peggy Sue
The shuttle had returned, its crew and cargo of scientific samples safely secured aboard the Peggy Sue. In the main lounge, the Captain and First Officer were sitting at the big table in front of the large viewport. They were enjoying a well deserved drink, in celebration of a job well done, when Bobby and Mizuki came into the lounge.
“It looks like we are just in time,” said Bobby, as the couple approached the table, “before these two drink the bar out of the good stuff.”
“Pull up a chair, pardner, and have a little Chateau de Gobbler on me,” replied Billy Ray, raising a glass with a half inch of amber fluid sloshing about its bottom.
“Beth, I can't believe you are drinking whiskey,” added Mizuki, taking a seat at the table. Beth's usual was a hard to find gin named Hendrick's that was infused with the essence of roses and cucumber.
“Yes, the Captain prevailed on me to join him in a traditional toast to a successful enterprise. According to him, this requires a proper spirit—like straight Kentucky bourbon—not a 'foreign' inebriant such as gin.”
Billy Ray waved to Jimmy Tosh, who was behind the bar. “Bring a couple more whiskey glasses and a bottle of 101, if you please Mr. Tosh.”
“I comin' right over, Captain,” the Jamaican barkeep replied, assembling the required supplies. Bobby could not resist teasing his friend about his drinking preferences.
“Ah yes, a taste of the Kickin’ Chicken, the Dirty Bird. The only way to celebrate!”
Though a well respected potable, Wild Turkey was not considered a particularly upper class drink. It was, however, fabled in literature, music and film as the drink of the working man.
“How can you disparage Jimmy Russell's masterpiece? It's been described as a big bodacious bourbon; complex, languorous, rich, elegant and powerful; the Clint Eastwood of whiskeys.”
“How many of those has he had, Beth?” asked Bobby. “He's starting to wax poetic about booze.”
Beth raised a single eyebrow and shook her head slowly. Jimmy sat two squat glasses on the table and poured several fingers worth of golden liquid into each. Mizuki sniffed at her's tentatively.
“It smells of honeysuckle and old leather,” she said looking at the Captain, raised brows bespeaking more than a modicum of doubt.
“Don't let it lull you into a false sense of security, Mizuki,” Beth cautioned. “It starts out with sweet berries and vanilla overtones but quickly moves to a peppery wallop.”
Jimmy looked at the Captain, who nodded, signaling him to refill Beth's glass and his own.
“Go ahead and pour one for yourself, Mr. Tosh, we are celebrating a number of firsts. Our first new species, our first new allies, our first successful trade.”
“Thank you, no, Captain. I a Rastafarian, and we only partake of natural things. Alcohol is a fermented chemical that does not belong in de temple of I body. Better to smoke the holy herb marijuana, which is natural, opens de mind and assists in reasoning.”
“Well, it's yer loss, Jimmy. Just leave the bottle.”
“Right, Captain. Just signal if you need more.” The Rastaman departed with a big smile on his face. As far as he was concerned, a happy Captain meant a happy ship.
Mizuki hazarded a sip. The whiskey's complex bouquet exploded on her tongue as the smokey liquid burned its way down her throat. Not accustom to drinking whiskey neat, Mizuki's eyes began to water—she tended more to fruity drinks adorned with little paper parasols. Blinking, she sat the glass back on the table and gasped.
“Smooth.”
This remark caused Bobby to snort, sending some of the 101 proof liquid fire up his nose. The Sailing Master coughed while the others laughed.
“Watch it, Bobby. Yer feelin' that Wild Turkey's bite.”
“Right,” Bobby croaked.
“Now that wasn't a quote from Shakespeare.”
“No Ma'am. That would be ZZ Top's Arrested For Drivin' While Blind.” Billy Ray leaned back contentedly and took another sip of his whiskey.
“I didn't think you liked country music, Billy Ray,” said Mizuki, now recovered from her first sip and cautiously attempting a second.
“I wouldn't call ZZ Top 'country' but they are from Texas. In fact, that song is off their fifth album, Tejas.” Billy Ray's taste in music tended more toward progressive rock than blues or rock & roll. Oddly, it was Beth, a Londoner of Ethiopian extraction, who liked country music, particularly the older stuff by Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Charlie Pride and Willie Nelson.
“So what's the final analysis of our new rocky friends, Mizuki?”
“According to Ahnah and Will, with some help from Sami, the lava creatures are a true silicon based life form. Exactly what their internal structure is like, what functions as genetic material or even how they move is a total mystery. We do know that they feed by melting their way through the moon itself.”
“That must be where all those passageways came from.”
“Correct, Bobby. They melt and absorb the material, incorporating some elements into their bodies while storing and eventually excreting others.”
“That would be the source of Hitch and Jacobs' mother load of gemstones.”
The men suppressed chuckles; Beth rolled her eyes as Mizuki continued.
“Yes, their gem pit was, indeed, the lava creatures' latrine.”
“You know, we should find a better name for them than 'lava creatures'. It doesn't seem proper.” Beth was big on propriety, particularly after a few drinks.
“They just call themselves 'people', but I think we should call them 'Horta',” said Bobby without hesitation.
“Why 'Horta' for heavens sake?”
“The Horta were a silicon-based lifeform from Janus VI in the original Star Trek TV series. They also dug tunnels through the planet they lived on, though their physiology was nothing like our new friends.”
“Hey, I remember that episode! It was called The Devil in the Dark. Sounds like a great idea to me, Bobby.”
Bobby raised his glass in enthusiastic agreement. The two women looked at each other as if to say “Men!” in the way that women do when confronted with inexplicable male behavior. Mizuki pressed on with the Science Section's findings.
“It would be fascinating to have a better understanding of their metabolism. The only thing we are sure of is that they are kept in a partially molten state by heat from internal nuclear reactions.”
“Yer joking? Those boulders, sorry, I mean Horta are little mobile nuclear reactors? If that don't beat all.”
“Natural fusion reactors are all around us but natural fission reactors are much rarer, though they do exist. The natural reactors at Oklo in Gabon, Africa, for example.”
“That's why they referred to the depleted uranium rounds fired by the Marines as 'food',” Bobby noted.
“And that's why they were happy to take us on tours of the moon and to talk about their history in exchange for a few thousand rounds of 15mm railgun slugs,” added Beth.
“I guess ol' Jack Haldane was right: 'Reality is not only stranger than we suppose but stranger than we can suppose'.”
“Hai, as long as we remember the words of Max Plank: 'One must be careful when using the word, real'.”
“What?” asked the puzzled Captain.
“Never get into an epistemological dis
cussion with a physicist,” said Bobby by way of explanation. Mizuki smiled and Beth started to giggle.
“I think I need another shot, pardner.”
“Amen, brother.”
Crew Lounge, Lower Deck
In the crew's lounge there was also drinking going on. In celebration of finishing their visit to the metal moon and its strange inhabitants, the Captain had expanded the quotidian booze ration. All the participants in the initial exploration of the moon were present. Even Umky was having a drink with the human members of the crew.
“It's about time we had a bit of grog,” said Jay Taylor. “I was stuck on the shuttle for four days and I'm as dry as a dead dingo's donger.”
“You should have been with us, primate. Playing tag with moving boulders.” Umky raised a two liter bottle of blackberry brandy above his head in a two pawed grip, sucking enthusiastic on its protruding straw.
“You should have seen Cmdr. Danner knock that boulder out of the tunnel with the hover sled,” said Vinny, illustrating the collision with his hands. “That rock popped out and into another, and another, like a break shot in pool.”
“You should have seen Cmdr. Danner and Dr. Ogawa fly across the chamber and bounce off the boulders themselves,” replied Umky, lowering the brandy bottle, now half empty. “The Doc whipped out that sword of hers, swung it around and made a perfect landing, just like in a Jackie Chan movie.”
“Jackie Chan was Chinese,” observed a slightly tipsy Tamara, “Dr. Ogawa is Japanese.”
“Haven't I told you? All you humans look alike to us.”
“Huh?”
Tamara's puzzlement allowed Hitch an opening to join the conversation. “Hey, you should have seen the front end of the hover sled—totally stove-in, smashed the controls and everything.”
“Yeah, the engineering gnomes will love that,” added Kato.
“What's this about you and Jacobs discovering a sacred alien site and almost causing an inter-species incident?” asked Kate innocently. She had been prepped by the Marines before the two petty officers arrived.
“What we found was fantastic!” said Hitch.
T'aafhal Legacy 1: Ghosts of Orion Page 20
