Greetings, Traveler
Aug. 19th, 2011 03:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hwrnmnbsolLook. Look! There, did you see it? That plume of flame and column of smoke? No, you're looking too far to the south. Yes, there.
I see it now! Incredible, they did it again. Oh, glorious, glorious! Isn't it wonderful when another primitive race joins the fraternity of space travelers?
It is a thing of beauty. The poetry of this struggling, nascent intelligence, pouring what little resources and technology they have into a dream – a dream that they might one day win free of their planet's gravitational pull and go forth to explore the cosmos!
I'm glad we're here to see it, friend. This was a good idea you had.
Why, thank you. I'm just happy that… just a moment.
What is it?
Oh those daring savages. Can you imagine the courage?
What's going on? Tell me!!
I'm getting life readings from the craft that just deployed from the chemical rocket. One of the rocket-builders has sent themselves up in their own spacecraft!
Is that wise? So soon after their development of high-altitude rocketry? Aren't they worried about the dangers…?
I imagine they must be, but their curiosity and daring overcame their natural instinct for fear! Whoever's piloting that thing is a hero in my book. Listen: let's greet them astrally and welcome them into the community of celestial explorers. I want to meet the being with the skill and nerve to hurl themselves out into space so boldly!
All right, I'm opening a portal… Greetings, space traveler, on behalf of the ninety-five sentient races of this galactic sector! We welcome you and your kind into our community!
…what did she say?
I’m not sure. I mean, the drooling didn't seem inherently hostile, but what do you think she meant by "woof, woof"?
Here, let me try: Being! You are BRAVE! We ADMIRE YOU. We want only PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE and MUTUAL RESPECT. We hope to open a new chapter in… here, now, what's with all the whining??
Now, now, don't get too excited. Clearly we're having a communication issue.
I'll say we are. Perhaps she's sustained some sort of injury that is preventing her from communicating normally? I'll just run a scan.
And I'll check out the ship. Hmm, this is peculiar. It looks like the craft didn't deploy properly; most of the insulation on the back of the unit has been torn away. That can't have been done intentionally.
Oh dear. You're not going to believe this. The being is in an agitated state but is otherwise healthy. However, a measure of neural activity shows minimal higher patterns. This can't possibly be a sentient.
But that's impossible. We both saw the rocket launch! How did it pilot the craft if it lacked the mental resources to even build it?
I don't think anything inside this capsule is a controlling element. I hate to say it, but I think the real spacecraft builders are still on the planet's surface, and they sent this simple beast up in their stead.
What!! The cowards! Of all the craven things to do….
I know, I know. If you aren't willing to expose yourself to new dangers, what right do you have to send a less gifted being to take the risks on your behalf?
Don't these people have any conception of ethics? Here, look at this poor animal. If I had to guess, I'd say she looks terrified.
I think she's overheating, too. The side of the capsule that lost the insulation is facing towards the sun. Temperatures in there are getting on the high side for the survival of a water-and-protein model being. This particular creature doesn't seem to have much ability to self-regulate temperature, and if any equipment was provided to reject heat, it must have been damaged during launch.
Wonderful, so they've sent a simple beast into space and now it's cooking alive. Those rocket-builders down below will have some explaining to do.
I imagine they must be aware of the malfunction of their systems. Look, the craft is riddled with telemetric equipment, and the beast is studded with electrodes. Surely they must have some mechanism for aborting the mission. But why haven't they deployed it?
Let's dig a little deeper and see. Well now, at least they provided the craft occupant with water, and I assume this gel is its food supply. That's something.
This is odd. There don't seem to be any reaction jets on this capsule.
Hold on just a minute, it looks like one of the rations of this gelatin contains a complex protein that the other packets don't – it's a toxin! My goodness, it appears that the craft builders have created means for giving this poor animal poisoned food. They mean to euthanize it?
It's worse than that. There are no rockets, no sails, no inertialess drive – there's absolutely nothing in this craft to effect a change in its orbit, or to decelerate the craft once it hits atmosphere. There is absolutely no means for bringing it down safely.
But… but that can only mean….
Yes. This was a one-way journey for our little traveler. She was always meant to die.
That's terrible.
I know.
…well, we can't just let this go on. This is the most disturbing thing I've seen in a long time.
I agree, we have a duty to do something. But what?
Well, we can't just go barging in, snapping up the animal and bringing her back to the planet. If they mistreated her once they'll do it again.
I agree, but more importantly, I don't want to let these sadists know we're here. I can't think of a sentient race I'd less like to meet. And I certainly don't want to encourage their space-faring efforts by letting them know that there are other intelligent beings out here!
All right, we can agree on that count. But we can't just let this animal die!
No, of course not. But we could engage in a little trickery, no?
How do you mean?
Well, they always planned on her dying, right? And certainly given the extent of damage on the craft, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to expire around now, yes?
Sure. Go on?
Supposing we were to trick their primitive telemetry into thinking that the animal died? It wouldn’t be hard; it looks like they're just monitoring heartbeat and breathing. We spoof these signals slowing and stopping. They'll assume the creature died. Then we rescue it from the craft, and when the orbit decays and the craft crashes, there won't be any way to tell from the bits that burn up in the atmosphere that the capsule was unoccupied.
That's brilliant! Let's do it right away. Here, I'm sending some anomalous biometric readings.
And I'm coupling to the craft. Don't be scared, girl; just a few sparks and we'll be through that hatch.
Whoops, they're sending the signal to trigger the poison pill! No no no, don't eat that. I've jammed the signal so the toxic food won't deploy. Let their mission planners think on how *that* happened.
I've got the hatch open. Hello! Hello, baby! It's okay. Let me get all these electrodes and harnesses off you.
Got her? Okay, I'm closing up and releasing the capsule. Goodbye! Goodbye, you sick schmucks! I hope you don't figure out how to shield from radiation properly until you're much, much older and wiser!
She's licking me! I think she likes me. Who's a good girl? WHO'S A GOOD GIRL?
I see it now! Incredible, they did it again. Oh, glorious, glorious! Isn't it wonderful when another primitive race joins the fraternity of space travelers?
It is a thing of beauty. The poetry of this struggling, nascent intelligence, pouring what little resources and technology they have into a dream – a dream that they might one day win free of their planet's gravitational pull and go forth to explore the cosmos!
I'm glad we're here to see it, friend. This was a good idea you had.
Why, thank you. I'm just happy that… just a moment.
What is it?
Oh those daring savages. Can you imagine the courage?
What's going on? Tell me!!
I'm getting life readings from the craft that just deployed from the chemical rocket. One of the rocket-builders has sent themselves up in their own spacecraft!
Is that wise? So soon after their development of high-altitude rocketry? Aren't they worried about the dangers…?
I imagine they must be, but their curiosity and daring overcame their natural instinct for fear! Whoever's piloting that thing is a hero in my book. Listen: let's greet them astrally and welcome them into the community of celestial explorers. I want to meet the being with the skill and nerve to hurl themselves out into space so boldly!
All right, I'm opening a portal… Greetings, space traveler, on behalf of the ninety-five sentient races of this galactic sector! We welcome you and your kind into our community!
…what did she say?
I’m not sure. I mean, the drooling didn't seem inherently hostile, but what do you think she meant by "woof, woof"?
Here, let me try: Being! You are BRAVE! We ADMIRE YOU. We want only PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE and MUTUAL RESPECT. We hope to open a new chapter in… here, now, what's with all the whining??
Now, now, don't get too excited. Clearly we're having a communication issue.
I'll say we are. Perhaps she's sustained some sort of injury that is preventing her from communicating normally? I'll just run a scan.
And I'll check out the ship. Hmm, this is peculiar. It looks like the craft didn't deploy properly; most of the insulation on the back of the unit has been torn away. That can't have been done intentionally.
Oh dear. You're not going to believe this. The being is in an agitated state but is otherwise healthy. However, a measure of neural activity shows minimal higher patterns. This can't possibly be a sentient.
But that's impossible. We both saw the rocket launch! How did it pilot the craft if it lacked the mental resources to even build it?
I don't think anything inside this capsule is a controlling element. I hate to say it, but I think the real spacecraft builders are still on the planet's surface, and they sent this simple beast up in their stead.
What!! The cowards! Of all the craven things to do….
I know, I know. If you aren't willing to expose yourself to new dangers, what right do you have to send a less gifted being to take the risks on your behalf?
Don't these people have any conception of ethics? Here, look at this poor animal. If I had to guess, I'd say she looks terrified.
I think she's overheating, too. The side of the capsule that lost the insulation is facing towards the sun. Temperatures in there are getting on the high side for the survival of a water-and-protein model being. This particular creature doesn't seem to have much ability to self-regulate temperature, and if any equipment was provided to reject heat, it must have been damaged during launch.
Wonderful, so they've sent a simple beast into space and now it's cooking alive. Those rocket-builders down below will have some explaining to do.
I imagine they must be aware of the malfunction of their systems. Look, the craft is riddled with telemetric equipment, and the beast is studded with electrodes. Surely they must have some mechanism for aborting the mission. But why haven't they deployed it?
Let's dig a little deeper and see. Well now, at least they provided the craft occupant with water, and I assume this gel is its food supply. That's something.
This is odd. There don't seem to be any reaction jets on this capsule.
Hold on just a minute, it looks like one of the rations of this gelatin contains a complex protein that the other packets don't – it's a toxin! My goodness, it appears that the craft builders have created means for giving this poor animal poisoned food. They mean to euthanize it?
It's worse than that. There are no rockets, no sails, no inertialess drive – there's absolutely nothing in this craft to effect a change in its orbit, or to decelerate the craft once it hits atmosphere. There is absolutely no means for bringing it down safely.
But… but that can only mean….
Yes. This was a one-way journey for our little traveler. She was always meant to die.
That's terrible.
I know.
…well, we can't just let this go on. This is the most disturbing thing I've seen in a long time.
I agree, we have a duty to do something. But what?
Well, we can't just go barging in, snapping up the animal and bringing her back to the planet. If they mistreated her once they'll do it again.
I agree, but more importantly, I don't want to let these sadists know we're here. I can't think of a sentient race I'd less like to meet. And I certainly don't want to encourage their space-faring efforts by letting them know that there are other intelligent beings out here!
All right, we can agree on that count. But we can't just let this animal die!
No, of course not. But we could engage in a little trickery, no?
How do you mean?
Well, they always planned on her dying, right? And certainly given the extent of damage on the craft, it would be perfectly reasonable for her to expire around now, yes?
Sure. Go on?
Supposing we were to trick their primitive telemetry into thinking that the animal died? It wouldn’t be hard; it looks like they're just monitoring heartbeat and breathing. We spoof these signals slowing and stopping. They'll assume the creature died. Then we rescue it from the craft, and when the orbit decays and the craft crashes, there won't be any way to tell from the bits that burn up in the atmosphere that the capsule was unoccupied.
That's brilliant! Let's do it right away. Here, I'm sending some anomalous biometric readings.
And I'm coupling to the craft. Don't be scared, girl; just a few sparks and we'll be through that hatch.
Whoops, they're sending the signal to trigger the poison pill! No no no, don't eat that. I've jammed the signal so the toxic food won't deploy. Let their mission planners think on how *that* happened.
I've got the hatch open. Hello! Hello, baby! It's okay. Let me get all these electrodes and harnesses off you.
Got her? Okay, I'm closing up and releasing the capsule. Goodbye! Goodbye, you sick schmucks! I hope you don't figure out how to shield from radiation properly until you're much, much older and wiser!
She's licking me! I think she likes me. Who's a good girl? WHO'S A GOOD GIRL?
