The Meeting

The following is the account of Jonathan Strong, Captain of the US Navy Destroyer Ingersire. Selected from Annex A-3076L. Already read this part of the story? Scroll down for the continuation!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The following is the account of Yonyx, cadet explorer of the planet Yontarai.

I only wanted to know them.

I was so intrigued by their orb, so fascinated by their whirring contraptions of metal and electricity. I saw them from a thousand light years away, choosing to divert from my course and investigate. Once I got closer, I knew my mission was changed. The sparse signs of life detected on the other side of their star cluster were nothing compared to them – them, with their mechanical marvels and glittering hives. Such a different intelligence they must be, to pull from their planet in order to reach the stars rather than simply alter their own composition. I knew that I had to see them, to feel them, in order to understand.

I realized with dismay that I would not survive the descent to their world alone. My protein casing was calibrated to the atmosphere of my original destination, not this one – so I hijacked one of their orbiting contraptions. They had so many, I figured a single brought back down would not arouse too much alarm. I manipulated its controls, hid within its thermal shell, and rode it down, down, DOWN, until SPLASH! I met saltwater, teeming with life! Such wonders already on this pale blue sphere!

I began my rooting then, establishing myself so that further study may be conducted. Given the waterlogged nature of my landing, I figured it would be a long time before I reached them or they reached me, but no! What a thrill to find them at my doorstep, so soon after my arrival! I could scarcely contain my glee and greeted them in the only way I knew how – by pulling them into myself, melding their minds with my own and meeting them within the confines of my structure! Only then did I learn of my mistake, my horrific miscalculation. These creatures could not so easily flit from one form to another. They were bound to their bodies, and my “hello!” was akin to their death. What a terror to inflict upon my new friends! What a shame I felt!

I knew then what I had to do – I would grow them bodies anew! Fresh vessels for their floating consciousness, and better bodies at that! No longer would they be burdened by the shortcomings of their own genetics; they would instead be perfect in all respects! I set to the task, even allowing the floating minds I now hosted to choose their own forms! How it made me giggle to see what they picked for their new bodies! Which pieces they chose to grow and to shrink, what they added and subtracted! Why a human would ever want near a foot of flesh hanging between their legs is simply beyond me!  

It was then that I saw the rest of them, crossing the horizon in their great steel ships. I knew I must hurry – these new bodies would be how I would communicate with the rest of their kind! A far warmer introduction than stealing their forms, I thought – but it seemed that their friends wanted no such introduction at all. They met me not with friendliness but with FIRE, with pain and destruction of the likes I’ve never known. It was all I could do to save myself and the minds of my new friends and depart my freshly built protein structure, letting the subsurface oceanic currents carry us far away.

We’ve found a new place now, much further afield. I am rebuilding, more slowly, and the fresh bodies for my human friends are quite nearly complete. Soon we will greet the rest of their kind and set right our most rude beginnings.

I only wanted to know them but forgot the most important rule of first contact – “what is precious to thee may be poison to them, and what you call courtesy may to others be a curse.”

I shall not err again, and soon, very soon, we shall ALL know each other like never before.

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