Ta’Kinar sat across from Captain Ra’Jinn in her quarters and set down his cup of Impach. The mug still steamed and the bitter aroma met the Captain’s nostrils. “Well, that was a wake up call on how far behind we are from these Terrans.”
Ra’Jinn sipped from her mug, “It was more than a wake up call, our security officer nearly had a double heart attack when he found that they had made a copy of our entire database and had full access to it as though it was their own ship. I nearly had a double heart attack when I thought to what NSFW stuff would have been on our computers, our crew looks at some rather crass things on the inter-web. She then sat down her mug, “Actually, the Ambassador confirmed that they rendered our entire ship down to the last quark in virtual reality just to make sure they understood what they were dealing with. That’s why I asked why she seemed giddy when we entered the lounge and she stated, “It’s different when you walk through a model versus the real thing.”
Ta’Kinar picked back up his mug and blew across the surface of the liquid, “I think they may know more about us than they let on, they speak our language with perfect royal dialect after only knowing of our existence for a few minutes. I know our databases on board are nowhere near complete, but they can learn a lot from them.”
Captain Ra’Jinn crossed her legs, “They were also surprised to know that we had made first contact with two other species in our region of space. She was so excited to know that there were more beings in the universe.”
Ta’kinar finished the last of his Impach and set down his mug, “I found it a bit sad when she stated we had no idea how lonely the universe had been when they thought only Terrans existed.”
Ra’Jinn reached for the kettle and poured more Impach into her cup before continuing, “Yes, Terrans, a fascinating term. Humans, AIs, Goodbois and Goodgurls, Madkatz, and finally Prettyburds. All of which are considered one race, Terran.”
Ta’Kinar looked out the ‘window’ of the Captains’ quarters and sighed, “Imagine being so lonely as a species you created artificial beings, and then started uplifting your favorite pets to sapient intelligence levels? After a billion years it’s amazing the whole species didn’t go mad.”
Ra’jinn uncrossed her legs and stood walking over to the ‘window’ that her XO was staring into, “Ambassador Nora told us she slept for the past four hundred thousand years, and this beacon of hers was the only reason she awoke at all. I’d imagine after such a long life, everything would eventually get dull, and to put yourself in a digital coma until something interesting was happening would be the only way to stay sane.”
Ta’Kinar stood up and fixed his uniform top, “I’d tend to believe you to be correct Captain, but sadly I cannot sit around any longer, Nigel will be exiting the beacon soon and I will be meeting Ambassador Nora in the cargo bay in a few minutes. I’ll try not to cause a diplomatic incident while you sleep.”
Ra’jinn turned and smirked at her XO, “Any more than you already have so far you mean, I won’t be there to kick you under the table tonight, be on your best behavior.”
Ta’Kinar brought his closed fist to his secondary heart, “It will be so!” And left her quarters. Captain Ra’Jinn sat down behind her desk and started another report for when they arrived in Nal’Shiar Enub. She shook her head, what she wouldn’t give for their string radio that allowed them communication across the universe. After another hour of paperwork she decided to settle in and get some sleep, tomorrow would be another busy day.
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Ta’Kinar walked into cargo bay 3 and saw that Ambassador Nora was already there and speaking with the science officer Na’Edin. “Yes Science Officer, the probe is a type of nanotech structure, but it is in a polymorphic quantum state, which allows it to stabilize otherwise unstable elements.”
Na’Edin was writing what she said down in a small journal as they both looked to the probe for Nigel to emerge. “I also noted that it varied in age depending on sections of the probe, does that mean it is able to self repair?”
Nora nodded, “Yes, when you build something to last as long as possible, some things simply have to be repaired, and over thousands or millions of years some elements half-lives come into effect. Those parts have to be repaired, if not, all heavier metals would eventually revert to simple iron.”
Na’Edin nodded vigorously as he wrote, he was about to excitedly ask another question when Ta’kinar spoke up. “Calm down Na’Edin, the Ambassador isn’t going anywhere, and I have absolute faith that we will be starting up a cultural information exchange in the near future. Since you are on the first contact vessel I’m sure you will be asked to be part of it. Now, the Ambassador and I have a new member of her staff to meet, go get some sleep, tomorrow will be a big day.”
Na’Edin sadly put his journal away and nodded, “Very well, I apologize if I’ve been a nuisance, I’m just very excited about the technology and sciences in front of me.”
Nora smiled back to him, “It’s fine, we’ll talk more later. Actually, you’ll want to talk to Simon, he’s our resident big brain nerd who knows everything about everything.”
Na’Edin nodded, then asked, “I understood most of that, but what’s a ‘nerd’?”
Ta’Kinar grinned, “If I’m not mistaken, that would be what the rest of us would consider you, an intellectual rather than a physical type. Now get some sleep, that’s an order.”
Na’Edin raised his clenched fist to his secondary heart, “It will be so!” and then exited the cargo bay.
Ta’Kinar then walked up beside the Ambassador, “I apologize for my crew, they are extremely excited to meet your people.”
Nora looked over to Ta’Kinar, her forward facing eyes made him freeze involuntarily for a moment, “It really is no problem, you have no idea how excited Terrans as a whole are at the moment. Trillions of our numbers have awakened from either digital slumber or bio-stasis just to witness these events.”
Ta’Kinar smirked, “No pressure for us to get this right then, eh?”
Nora nodded with a slight grin of her own, “None at all.” They both then looked back at the probe as it began to open. The ramp came down and out came a male about the height of Ambassador Nora. He wore an outfit that was grey on top and tan at the bottom, with dark brown shoes and a walking cane. Quite different from the imperial dress that Nora wore.
Ta’Kinar stepped forward and clasped his fist to his secondary heart, “Nigel I presume?”
Nigel walked down the ramp and duplicated the salute, “At your service executive officer Ta’Kinar!” He then walked over and brushed his lips to each side of Ambassador Nora’s face, “Ambassador, you look as lovely as ever.”
Nora then looked over to Ta’Kinar, “He literally just saw me in my library four seconds ago. He does have a flair for the dramatic.”
Ta’Kinar looked over to the smiling Nigel and back to Nora, “Wait, four seconds ago? We were just talking four seconds ago.”
Nora nodded, “Yes, we were, but I was also splitting my conscious to visit my team in my library to ensure everything was ready for Nigel to take inhabitance of his new body.” Ta’Kinar shook his head, these Terrans were indeed strange.
Nigel stepped forward putting his cane to the side, “So XO, would you be so kind as to give me a tour of the ship? I’d like to see it outside of render if you don’t mind.”
Nora looked over to Ta’Kinar, “You might as well, he’ll keep bugging you until you do.”
Nigel looked hurt, “Why Nora, that doesn’t sound like me at all.”
Nora sighed as she grinned, “No, that sounds exactly like you. Executive Officer Ta’Kinar, would you please indulge Nigel with a tour of the ship?”
Ta’Kinar smirked, “Very well Ambassador, I am at your service, please follow me.”
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Deep in space, another beacon stirs to life. This one does not resemble the spherical beacon left by Terrans over an eon ago. This beacon sits completely cloaked to the outside universe, it has detected a string radio transmission from a section of space nearby, it reports it’s findings to it’s Mother.