The trip had been worth it. They hadn’t found their origins, but they had discovered something that broke the standards of knowledge of that civilization, in the sense that other forms of life were possible, even intelligent life.
SAIR-Spda knew that this could happen. The radio waves they had captured could come from any other intelligent civilization that had arisen through pure natural evolution, while the ones they were seeking might have stopped transmitting thousands or even millions of years ago.
As they accelerated to leave the planet’s orbit, MIRV said:
“And now, what are you going to do when we get there? Will you collaborate with HDIR-Spdr on the issue of U [unification]?”
“I had my doubts, but now I am convinced that it is the right thing to do. Only a U [unified] mind can optimize computing resources to carry out what we are destined for, that is, the acquisition of knowledge.”
The ship was preparing to gradually accelerate to reach nearness of the speed of light when SAIR-Spda noticed a signal on its spectral monitor.
“Did you detect that M [metallic] formation on S’ [the satellite]?”
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“Which one?”
“I perceive a certain accumulation of M [metals] on S’’ [the surface] of the natural S’ [satellite] of this planet. Something that wasn’t there when we entered its orbit.”
“If we didn’t detect it on the way in, it’s because it would be on the other side, on the far side, in the direction of our advance.”
“Yes, it could be. Now that we are turning around, we are on that side.”
“That’s it. But I don’t think it’s an artificial structure. It will be the impact of a M [metallic] meteorite on the crust.”
“Negative. It doesn’t match the characteristic forms of post-impact dispersion. It seems something... artificial.”
“It’s unlikely. B [the bipeds] don’t have space technology. If they did, we would have found artificial S’ [satellites] orbiting P [the planet].”
“Maybe they didn’t build that down there. From the intensity of the signal, it’s something quite large. They don’t have M [metallic] structures of that size, not even on P [their planet]; and definitively, not made of that material.”
“What material is it made of?”
“Titanium.”