FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

>> LOADING . . .

>> NOTE: VERSION INCLUDES PARTIAL TRANSLATION FORMATING

"If you knew how to speak all this time, why haven't you?" the Builder asked as we walked. At least, I hoped I translated that correctly.

"I didn't," I said, my goal to use as few words as possible. The more I tried to talk, the more room I had for error.

"What do you mean?"

A simple question, but it made me struggle. What I wanted was the word for "learn," but I didn't know how to say it. And their language wasn't simply sounds either, it was embedded in their facial heat. From what I could tell, it was in many ways like human body language, but much more structured. It provided a level of precision that humans rarely achieved, more than simple emotion or instruction. It turned "what's going on here?" into "what the hell are you doing?" just by using the right heat pattern. Their vocal language wasn't inflected; it was almost pictographic. Their facial heat gave the details.

"I had to know what I did not," I attempted, my heating a mess of patterns.

"You had to [...]?" they said. I didn't know that last word. Was it "learn?"

"What is [...]?" I asked, repeating it.

"You had to..." they paused in thought, "You had to figure it out?"

"Yes."

"[...]."

I had no idea what they just said. I changed the subject.

"So you call yourself Ra-mank?" I remembered.

"Yes, and you?"

"I don't think it would make sense to you."

"Try [...]."

Assuming an invitation, I said my name in English. And English, unlike whatever I was trying to translate, was on a much higher vocal range. I wasn't sure how this creature would respond to it.

"I am [AMBER]."

Their ears shrunk almost immediately. "What was that!?"

"I am called that."

"You were correct."

Amused, I stayed silent.

"Then what can I call you?" Ra-mank asked.

"I don't know," I said.

Ra-mank was quiet, trotting beside me. It wouldn't be too much longer till we reached my lander and equipment.

Since I had landed and got more situated, my research accelerated. Not only in linguistics, but in many areas of study. Geography, biology, even some astronomy. Many of the stars visible from Earth were also visible here, though there was, of course, one much closer now. Lalande 21185, often just shortened to Lalande in the years before my mission. It's a red dwarf, burning already for billions of years and set to go for trillions more.

The stars, even a fairly small one like Lalande, made me feel microscopic. I wondered how the stars made a Builder feel, even without all the math and tools. Did they know how cosmically insignificant we all were?

"I think your [...] showed me where you came from, but why [...]?" Ra-mank spoke.

"I don't follow."

Ra-mank let out a low grunt. "Why did you come here?"

"I was sent to learn."

"Learn what?"

"All that I can."

"[...]?"

"I don't follow," I said again.

"[...]? Why? To do what?"

My vocabulary was too limited to hardly begin to answer that. I was sent to learn for the benefit of mankind's growing web of scientific intelligence. A vague concept--how do you explain such an arbitrary, yet momentous goal with only a few words? I could only begin to predict what would be done with my data, my thoughts.

Perhaps a planet so rich in minerals would make a valuable base for humans a hundred years from now, making necessary the extermination of their species. Perhaps the humans would establish contact, helping them accelerate their scientific understanding of the universe. Or perhaps nothing would ever happen with my data. Humanity would wipe itself from existence before my data ever reached them--become their own Great Filter with a couple carefully placed antimatter explosives. I didn't know how to tell this small Builder what I knew of the universe to come. But maybe I could show it.

My paws slowly morphed more and more into something more like hands, the digits extending and growing joints, preparing for the work to come. When they were fully shifted, we had reached my lander.

Ra-mank stopped short of my metal complex, staring at it all intently. "What is all this?"

"Tools to learn."

Most of my equipment was stowed prior to my arrival to protect against any curious critters. Though with the metallic appetite of some of them, I sometimes doubted they wouldn't find weak points.

Some experiments had to remain extended or separated from the craft. The full-size americium generator needed tall radiators on the top of the assembly to remove waste heat. My seismograph instruments had to stay on the ground for more accurate measurements.

I sent a signal to extend out the utility bay, a portion of the craft dedicated for housing spare parts, 3D printers, and more gadgets.

"Come here," I told Ra-mank.

"Why? Why have [...] here?" Ra-mank said, taking a few paces toward me.

"To learn," I said simply. I shifted my weight on two legs to grab a special piece of very power-hungry equipment from the bay. By standing, I was towering over the Builder more than usual.

Powering on my holographic projector for a short animation, I showed me placing it on Ra-mank's narrow head.

"Can I?" I asked.

"What is it?"

I searched my limited banks for a valid word. One matched.

"History." I quickly snapped the device onto Ra-mank's head, and he collapsed.