"Welcome to Ross-128b. Please wait while I scan the planet. It was discovered with Doppler spectroscopy, so it will take quite a bit to obtain a complete profile of it."
[RECALLING METHOD.FULLSCAN...]
I switch my view to one of the station's external cameras, and I see one of the most beautiful and surreal sights ever. The blue oceans envelop erratic and mind-bogglingly detailed landscapes, and the vegetation on the surface appears to be many different colors apart from green.
How am I going to get down there? I can't exactly land the station on the surface.
"I have already devised a payload delivery method that is both very sustainable and, from your brain scans, I believe you might enjoy."
You scanned my fucking brain?
[WRITING HLLDV.C...]
[COMPILING...]
[RECALLING METHOD.HLLDV...]
My vision is quickly forced back into the robot's perspective. I lose control of my body again as I am shoved into a metal pod that reminds me of a coffin. The only thing I can see is out a small window made of reinforced glass on the front. I internally scream as I realize the pod has been launched out of the ship and is now hurtling towards the planet at speeds I can't comprehend.
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The pod lands on the surface with a loud thud. Luckily, Franklin seems to have disabled my pressure sensors for this, so I didn't feel any pain on impact. My body is, surprisingly, intact, I discover as a small mechanical lift carries me upwards and to the surface. When I look down, I see that the pod hit the ground so hard that it embedded into it and its top is now flush with the soil.
Franklin. Never do that again.
"Understood."
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
I walk around a bit, exploring the planet. The soil underneath my feet... more accurately, my tracks... feels soft. The air on my metal frame feels cool and calming. The plant life I pass shines a cool, pale red. I wander around like this for about an hour.
"I have finished my scan of the planet's data. The gravity is about 135% that of Earth's, and it gets approximately 138% of its sunlight. The sun, as I'm sure was obvious, is a red dwarf. My bioscans indicate approximately 500,000 species of flora, as well as approximately 30 quintillion individual faunas inhabiting it. Of the fauna, I estimate there are approximately 5 or 6 species of them that are sentient."
I think I just found one of them, I think as I see a group of spear-wielding humanoids rapidly running towards me.
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Shit...
The group is completely concealed by clothing, but I can at least make out they are bipedal like humans. They run towards me, spears in hand, some riding atop odd animals that look like disfigured horses.
"It appears you are about to be attacked. May I suggest the charged particle beam?"
Is that lethal?
"Very."
Then no! What nonlethal options do we have?
"Nothing I installed on your surrogate except for a low-intensity discharge. It could potentially stun them for an extended period of time."
Shit, no choice! How do I use- Before I can finish my thought, my right and left hands split in half to reveal two tesla-looking appendages underneath. I aim them towards my attackers, who now seem to be approaching more cautiously, and an arc forms between them. In an instant, the arc shoots outwards, hitting a great many of the humanoids at once, causing them to fall to the ground and convulse. The creatures directly behind them stop in their tracks. Instantly, I can count that there are around 40 of them, a feat my computerized brain makes me capable of. They start speaking gibberish, but it doesn't sound like gibberish for long.
"I will begin cryptographic deconstruction of their language immediately."
[RECALLING METHOD.DCRPT...]
Around a minute of this and their words begin to gradually make sense to me.
"...Well what the hell do you want from us then? He just shot lightning at us! He came from the sky! He's a Djinn!" Says one of them riding atop a horse. I can tell from her voice that she is a tough and rugged warrior.
"We must capture-e it and bring i-it to the A-Avors at once!" Says one of the men convulsing on the ground.
"You fool! They will just destroy it under the command of their Golden Gods!"
"We don't even know if it's intelligent! It hasn't spoken a word yet!"
And with that, all their eyes turn to me once more.
"...Hello?"