Exploring Equestria

by A_guy_from_Earth

2. Way to the New World

For the first time in last thousand years the equipping of the Pointing the Way class starship, made for exploration of new worlds, was started. The reason was extraordinary, so work was quick and thorough. Thousands of robots prepared necessary mechanisms and other instruments, repaired and upgraded the ship and minor vessels which will become local bases for research teams and uploaded huge holds. Best scientists of the Institute adjusted the avatar creation machines for two decades. Researchers studied Kepo’s survey materials. Time passed quickly, and, finally, in twenty six days after the session the announcement of the vessel launch was made.

About six millions gathered near the Institute spaceport to see it. The process itself started at noon. Announcement was made, and spectators prepared. But nothing happened. For rather long time. Gathered sentients got confused, some ones got upset, but then… The earth shook, and the thundering sound came – the underground hangars of the spaceport began to open. The starship was raising. Mighty airflow swept through and above crowd, and soon the vessel appeared. Eight kilometers in length, one and a half kilometer in height and two kilometers wide, matted, but with huge, shining in the sun letters of the name, “Kelkerdez-Unaad”. She was more than two thousand years old but still was amazing. Spectators met her with applause. Starship herself meanwhile continued to rise. Soon she was above the hangar roof. When the sufficient distance was reached, the great gates were closed. “Kelkerdez-Unaad” gave the farewell signal and, having turned on the gravity shield, in a minute disappeared in the sky. Spectators saw her off with very loud cheers.

Later, when the planet remained far behind, starship crew gave command to implement space breakthrough. Interstellar jump was started. During it on-board ASIs take control over the vessel, so all crew and researchers can relax and mentally prepare themselves for the mission. They have to overcome seven million light years – it’s four days of flight – so they will have enough time for this.

But during the first couple of days greatest part of all sentients, as it usually happens, just idle.

Edez together with his colleague, technology master and curator of Team Two, leisurely walked along wide corridor that led to ship’s atrium garden, the center of air producing. They were talking, and time by time looked around.

“…and then he just ripped out sensor block with two transmitting modules from her communicator, grabbed that permanently glitching plasmic joiner, in few moments resoldered about forty contacts and then shoved, I say shoved second module in that hole, which remained from broken lever and hit the control panel with full force. And all this started to work! And he, nevertheless, did it! He managed to avoid the collision! Except all already mentioned damages aerocar remained without a scratch! Witnesses said that they’ve never seen stunt like this even on HV! I know that lever control system in case of emergency can be run with imitators, but with details from simple communicator?.. How, dammit, how??? I work with this stuff for eight hundred years, I have full access to all information about previous researches for eight million years, and I still can not understand!” technician surprised. “Somebody, tell me, how?!”
“S’te, if you, technology master, can’t find the answer, then what to say about me?” answered Edez. “I’m a planetologist, I may be as good as you only with measurers.”

S’te sighed.

“I'm starting to believe that no one will help me…” he uttered.
“You can ask other master researchers,” offered planetologist.
“I’ve already tried. Got no results, absolutely.”
“Oh…”
“The only ones I didn't ask are Priors,” S’te continued. “But do you imagine how they will react on such request?”
“Well… I’m sorry for you,” said Edez. “But you must admit that if your protégé was able to do something like that, though he’s mad, he will be really amazing scientist!”
“True.”
“…and that was really cool.”

Technician looked at his colleague and smiled:

“Oh yes! That’s my Rogi!”
“That’s your school,” added Edez.
“Don’t magnify like that!”
“I don’t…”

And at this moment their attention focused on odd procession: in two hundred meters from them, in the atrium, one of the flight engineers headed group of six ASI robots that moved a trolley, full of containers with spark units – starters of ship’s engines. Teleportation is prohibited during the jumps, so all transportations must be implemented only with “traditional” ways. Spark units are incredibly powerful devices, and, at the same time, dangerous. So it was necessary to be extremely accurate with them. But scientists of the Union haven’t invented sources what can be better, so all industry continued to use these devices.

Robots moved very slowly, each their step was only twenty centimeters long, and only two robots was allowed to make moves at the same time. But in spite of this engineer was tensed and just fixed his eyes on ASIs.

“And that’s what I call stressful job,” said S’te.
“You don’t say…” confirmed Edez.

They looked at this for several seconds, but then a calamity happened: one robot that was moving in the front of the trolley stumbled. The trolley shook. And container from the top of the load lurched enough to shift the center of gravity. It began to fall.

Engineer froze and turned pale. S’te and Edez stood still. All other witnesses were paralyzed.

If the unit will fall and break, it will explode. And everything within four hundred meters range will be destroyed.

Technician was shocked and didn’t know what to do. He lost his courage and just started to look around. Other were on the verge of panic. But Edez… His expression changed – he closed his eyes and lowed his head, like he was about to do something really bad.

Oh no! Not this and not now!

“Edez!!!” signal flashed in researcher’s brain. “Stop! If you’ll do it, the consequences can be much worse! Don’t do it!!!”
“Sorry,” Edez quickly answered and…

Having left slight trace behind, in a second he was near the trolley. A moment later he caught the falling container.

Other witnesses got even more shocked. Only after a minute at least they began to came into their senses and sighed with relief.

Edez sighed too, raised and put the container back on load. Engineer, when he recovered, could only utter: “Th-thanks…” Researcher gave a nod in response and rushed back to place where his colleague remained. Others soon returned to their businesses.

When planetologist came back, his companion shouted at him:

“Have you gone mad? What were you thinking? We all could die!”
“I know and I apologize,” answered Edez. “But what else could I do?”
“If your energy mixed with the energy of the unit, it could cause the destruction of whole ship!”
“Tell me, what would you prefer: inevitable destruction of atrium or small chance for salvation?”
“You know, both variants could let to powerful explosions, so they all are bad.”
“But sometimes all possible variants are bad.”
“Eh… Okay, now we’re safe, and this is the main thing. It’s better for both of us to chill out now.”
“Agree.”

And master researchers went to one of ship’s dayroom.

Shutter doors swiftly opened, and Bluve, having looked around, entered the central ship’s canteen. She slowly approached the first free food distributor and put her hand into special aperture. Mechanism grabbed her palm and set of nanoneedles imperceptibly pierced the skin. One moment – and neural connection was established. Machine’s scanner read her mental order, then just thirty seconds of waiting, and her dinner was ready. Full plate of anxaiman treats, which almost entirely consisted of seafood, appeared from distributor’s special window. Bluve took it and, after another look having noticed group of her friends from other groups, decided to join them.

Guys – technicians, officers, sociologists, planetologists, other biologists – amiably greeted her and gave her place in the middle part of the table. Bluve was friendly and very nice girl, so, although she was shy, she always quickly made contacts and found new friends. Medic nodded and sat down. And she immediately got involved into conversation.

Friends talked on various topics – from personal expectations from this mission till latest communication gadgets and several ridiculous incidents that happened recently. But then some guys finally noticed that they forgot why they gathered here. So they passed to their already cool dishes. And the very first bites caused them to remember about the main problem of food from distributors – it always was insipid.

“Eww…” wrinkled some guys.
“Oh Universe, what a muck!” exclaimed other.
“Millions of years have passed, and there automates still producing food that have almost no differences from ancient bacterial masses!” said biologist from Team Fourteen.
“It’s worse than BMs,” growled her friend.
“Nothing can be worse than BM,” answered officer from Team Six.

Other didn’t find anything to object – quality and composition of army food, especially in the training camps, thousand years ago became “legendary”.

“But still these meals are bad,” continued planetologist from Team Ten.
“No doubt,” confirmed almost all others.
“I dunno, why even on the most distant colonies in cafés one easily can find qualitative food that cooked the same way, and even on the best Institute’s ships these machines produce such gruel!” exclaimed medic from Team Nine.
“Hey, Xarri…” officer from Team Seven suddenly addressed to technician from his group. “You said that you had been working with these machines, right? Then tell us why it keeps happening?!”
“I have no idea,” answered Xarri after a sigh. “Automates work as they should. It’s question for ones who fill these machines.”

All other after these words just lowered their heads.

“But you know what’s the most terrible thing?” sociologist from Team Six broke the silence.
“What?” some ones turned to her.
“It’s that we can’t even add some spice in it.”
“Oh yes…”
“You don’t say.”
“I can’t understand, why if some spices from several worlds are drugs for sentients from other, it’s necessary to ban all of them!” exclaimed planetologist from Team Ten. “Especially now, when the treatment is spread everywhere.”
“Those damned bureaucrats just prefer to not force their brains,” answered couple of sociologists.
“Nasty food that we can’t make better… Nice…” spelled biologist from Team Three and fastidiously stirred her soup.
“I’m demotivated,” said officer from Team Six and lowered his head.
“Well…” Bluve began. “I can provide one source…”
“You can? How? What source?” surprised her friends.
“A spice from my homeworld,” answered medic. “But about “how”… You won’t like this…”

After these words she slightly bowed and unbuttoned jacket on her stomach. Then she put own her hand under the fabric and started to fumble. Some ones already wrinkled. She continued, and in twenty seconds muffled crackle and gurgle came. Gathered shuddered, and Bluve pulled her hand out. With a small jar, surprisingly dry.

“That was disgusting,” winced some other girls.
“I know, I’m sorry,” answered Bluve in very apologetic voice. “But it’s the only way to fool the scanning systems of the ship.”
“Forgive me my curiosity, but… Where did you learn such things?” wondered officers.
“This? Well, allow me to reintroduce myself. I’m Bluve K’oishea, who sixty three years ago was also known as Calm Bei.”

Some guys spat out their drinks.

“WHAT???” exclaimed all gathered.
“Yes, my friends. I was that smuggler.”
“I never would have thought that it was you,” spelled officer from Team Seven, hardly managing to not allow his jaw to fall down.
“But it’s so,” said Bluve after a sigh. “At that time I just didn’t find anything better. Hegi occupied Zateaf, my native planet, and I had to do something to help my nation. Yes, I robbed the Institute, but I helped to save lives. For six years, till the end of the war.”
“Ow…”
“And… What happened after?” asked some guys.
“As it should be. I was sentenced.”
“But you did good things in fact!” exclaimed sociologists. “The court should took it into account!”
“They did it. So I had only to pay a fine. Rather big fine, but still… But enough about this. Who wants some?” she raised the jar.
“Is it really spicy?” asked technology master from Team Five.
“Try it!”

Technician nodded, and Bluve gave the jar to her. Then she gave it to other wanting ones. Soon all gathered added some in their meals. And found that this zateafian stuff is really hot.

In the end of the dinner Bluve was declared the savior of the day.

After sufficient nap – that means about twenty one hour – Kor thought that it would be great to have a snack. So he left his cabin and rushed to the nearest canteen. He was already near it, when he heard loud shouts from one side corridor. He got interested and decided to look. Some quiet steps, turn, and the reason became visible: Maderz, officer from Team Three, yelled at his colleague from the group, planetologist Viffo. Maderz was a leyzerzan, representative of race that was known among all the Union for their sizes – even such titans as Kor and Edez were half time less than average descendant of Leyzerz. And Viffo, gojan, thin and low, was like a weak blade of grass before mighty tree. He was just paralyzed, he couldn’t say a word.

The situation was critical: officer was on the verge of fury, and because of difference in sizes and strength he could just crush poor scientist with one hand. It was necessary to intervene, but all other afraid to deal with angry colossus.

Kor also hesitated for some seconds, but then, finally, decided to undertake an attempt. He approached the wranglers and made a growl. Maderz and Viffo heard it, stopped and turned to Kor.

“Guys,” started officer. “What’s going on? What’s wrong with you? We need to be together, be friendly, be calm! We had to became a close-knit team already. What will happen when we arrive if you’re still cussing?”
“Yes, we must,” answered Maderz. “But I can’t act in other way when I need to deal with such stubborn!”
“Stubborn?” Kor looked at Viffo. Planetologist didn’t give a coherent answer because was too shocked. In answer he could only babble, and only from time to time.
“Yes!” roared Maderz.
“Why so?”
“We studied some materials from terran archives about “analogue species” from their planet and prepared some devices what can be helpful. They are rare, and very expensive. That… Viffo needs some special treatment to be absolutely ready for the mission, but at the moment he hasn’t it. I told him, we all told him to avoid any kinds of work. But he just don’t listen! “I can’t sit without work!” he said. And now he “decided” to start prepare our module ship – add these device to her scanning complex. But when he carried them, he dropped them. And broke them all!”
“You got so angry because he just broke some devices?”
“If it was a single case, I thought that it’s an accident, but it’s fifteenth, I repeat: fifteenth such case!”
“If so, then why not take him to doctors?”
“Because he’ll run away anyway. He’s crazy!”
“Well, now he doesn’t look like crazy one…”
“Listen, Kor, go away and don’t interrupt, okay? It’s our problem!”
“Wait, dude. I won’t go away until I know what you will do with him. You are in such state now, so…”
“I know in what state I am now,” Maderz shouted. “You think that I’ll smash him? I would be very glad, but I can’t. He’s the most important planetologist in our team. So I’ll just grab him, throw into his cabin and lock the door till the end of this damned jump.”
“You know, it’s still rather rude.”
“Listen, get the heck out before I locked you in your coop too,” growled officer and turned to trembling scientist.
“Oh no, you won’t…” spelled Kor, ran to Maderz, quickly stood on hind limbs and grabbed leyzerzan’s head with his paw. Maderz after this immediately stopped, screamed, then croaked and shuddered and finally fainted.

Huge body with loud thud fell down. Surprised witnesses froze. Kor, in turn, having sighed, shook Viffo and addressed to him:

“And now you explain me what the heck is happening.”
“Oh…” muttered Viffo in some seconds, when he recovered. “Well… You see… Maderz was, in fact, right…”
“What???”
“Yes, I’m not in good shape now,” quietly said Viffo. “To be honest, I have never been. Since the earliest childhood I have conductivity disturbance of nerves. Because of this muscles sometimes contract absolutely chaotically, I can’t control it. Only reliable source to overcome it is the special nanite construct. And now it’s upgrading. But I got used to work all the time, I just can’t do without it! Understand me, please! They could give some tasks that won’t do harm to anyone, but instead of this they just prohibited everything! So I resented. And, by the way, thanks, Kor.”

Kor didn’t answer. For some moments he stood still, being confused, but then he recovered, shook his head, uttered: “You both are dumbs…” and raised his limb.

“Wait, what you are g…” Viffo didn’t finished the phrase. Kor grabbed his head, scientist wheezed and, having given a groan, fainted. Officer after this sighed, then turned to some guys from crew who watched the action and, having pointed to lying, said:
“Please, take them to their cabins.”

Confused crew members after few moments gave nods, approached officer and planetologist from Team Three and took them. But before they started to move, one of employees asked Kor:

“Excuse me, sir, but what did you do to them? Why they just fainted like that and so quickly?”
“Yeah,” added some others.
“Well,” Kor started. “I’m a verekan, and, as you may know, we some time ago were Lifetakers, so… And now excuse me, I need to have some snack.”

And he quickly went to the canteen. Crew members recovered after some relatively not long time, and when they did it, they complied with the request: soon fainted Viffo and Maderz were dragged to their rooms.

Affi together with telepathists of other fifteen groups gathered in one small dayroom, which has only four long couches and a table between them, to play the most favorite game of all-seeing – the distant guessing. Essence of the game was the following: one telepathist tells another name of his or her acquaintance and the asked should say where the mentioned one is and what he or she is doing. Then they change their roles. Whose guessing appeared to be the most correct, that one becomes winner and moves to the next round. Now was the eighth game, and it was the second semi-final. Affi competed with Jermel, telepathist of Team Nine.

“Okay, let’s see…” Affi thought aloud. “Hm… Oh! Right… So, Jermel, tell me, please, about Sebiffo.”

Jermel closed his eyes and concentrated. He opened his perception and scanned the whole ship. And when he met his aim – officer of his group – he gave the answer:

“Seb is sleeping. That’s for sure. And he’s lounged in… atrium garden.”
“Well, let’s find out,” said Koney, crew telepathist and the referee of these matches, took her communicator and called Sebiffo.

Officer’s device rang, he woke up and answered:

“What’s happened?”
“Ehm, Seb?” Jermel began. “You were sleeping, in the garden, right?”
“No, I slept on the balcony…” uttered Sebiffo. “Wait… Are you playing this damned game again?”
“Well, yes.”
“You pissed everyone off with it, you know?”
“Sorry, dude. But this thing is really interesting!”
“Go to hell!.. Wacks…” and he disconnected.
“Not bad,” said referee. “Jermel, now it’s your turn!”
“Thanks,” he nodded. “Well, dear Affi, tell me about your colleague Edez.”
“Hm…” she concentrated, appendages on her head started to tremble. “He’s in his cabin… watching hypervision movie… and I can even say what he’s watching – “Semtela uprising”.”
“Okay…” smiled Koney and connected with another curator of Team One.

Telepathists gathered and looked at the screen. Soon connection with Edez’s cabin was established, and Affi asked:

“Edez, dear, can you answer?”
“Yep,” he replied.
“If so… Are you watching “Uprising” again?”

Edez didn’t answered. He only made angry face and switched communicator off.

“Well, in that case we can say that the guessing was right,” said few other telepathists.
“So, summing up,” began the referee, “we can say that Affi’s guessing was absolutely correct, but Jermel’s… Dude, you were wrong with the place. Sorry, but you lost.”
“Oh…” sighed Jermel and turned to his opponent. “Well, it was fair. Good luck!”
“Thanks!” nodded Affi.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen, in that case we start the final of our eighth game,” Koney declared. “Affi versus Numabe! For the third time!”
“It’s nice to see you again in the final!” Numabe, telepathis of Team Five, smiled as it usually happens when one sees his or her archfriend.
“I’m also glad,” Affi reciprocally smiled.
“In that case let’s find out who will become the best this time!”
“Agree.”
“So, ladies, get ready!” said Koney. “Affi, you’re first.”

Affi nodded and addressed to Numabe:

“So, what’s about our first flight engineer?”
“Well… He’s again plays HV games at work. Third, yes, third level of central engine compartment,” she answered flatly.

Koney, using her passcode, connected with security cameras in the necessary compartment and displayed the translation on her communicator. And it’s appeared that Numabe was absolutely right: first engineer puttered again.

“Correct… So, Num, gave your task.”

Numabe grinned and said:

“I’ve been wondering why our Creo doesn’t appear at meetings lately. Can you tell me?”

Affi gave a nod and concentrated on the necessary one, the youngest planetologist from Team of her opponent. Her mind flashed through the whole vessel, she recalled all the places and all the faces, and in few moments she found the aim. She concentrated more to see the sight more correctly. But when she did it… Affi sharply opened her eyes, froze and fell unconscious.

For her luck, other telepathists who were near caught her. They took her and seated on the nearest sofa. At first she didn’t react, but her colleagues in a minute managed to bring her to life.

“Affi, are you all right?” wondered Numabe.
“M-me? Why, yes, I’m fine, I’m fine.”
“Then what in that case happened to you?”
“I just… saw things that I prefer not to see.”
“But can you at least give a hint?”
“Well… If you insist… I must say that Creo has… own very private reason to forget about the meetings.”
“You mean…”
“Yes. That’s not for public.”
“Oh, right… And can you…”
“No!”
“Okay.”
“Pardon me, Affi,” Koney intervened. “But such reaction for those thoughts and images isn’t normal.”
“I know,” she answered. “But I just can’t do anything with it.”
“If so, then how did you manage to be on your previous “job”?” asked telepathist from Team Thirteen.
“Yeah!” added some others.
“How could you even enter the objects with such reaction?”
“Don’t forget that I was younger at that time,” answered Affi with a grin. “And how I managed? I just created my own images of that kind.”
“You what?” exclaimed almost all other.
“Every telepathist know that intimate thoughts are the most powerful!” exclaimed Numabe. “And you did that, became moving target?”
“If you produce these thoughts absolutely randomly, you create a shield for yourself. That’s the secret.”

Other telepathists froze with surprise and weren’t able to say even a word. Only after a half of minute first ones spelled: “Wow.”

“Yep, that’s how I did it…” said Affi. “But enough about this. I don’t want to recall this. Let’s continue our little championship!”
“As you say,” answered her colleagues, “as you say…”

Scratching his stomach, Zet’rar approached ship’s main dayroom. Sensors detected him, and the entrance opened. He clasped his hands behind his back and went inside. Having looked around for free places near terminals or HVs which were scattered around this huge room, he noticed one thing that stood out against the general cheerful mood: his pal, Lezwe, technician from Team Four, sat alone and was sad as cloudy day on the lower levels of Ateir. Lezwe helped him for countless times, was awesome guy, and it was hard for Zet’rar to see him being in such mood. He decided to find what was wrong and help his friend.

He approached sad master and sat down near him.

“Hey, Lez, why so sad face?” asked Zet’rar.

Lezwe only sighed in response.

“Tell me, please, buddy,” continued Zet’rar. “My insides shrink when I see you like this.”
“Oh, Zet…” Lezwe finally started to speak. “You always helped me, with different matters, but now I’m not sure that you’ll be able to do something.”
“Is the problem is so hard?”
“Yes…”
“Still, tell me, please. Maybe I’ve dealt with something similar before, so I’ll be able to help you!”
“I dunno… It’s difficult to say…”
“Don’t bother. There’s no one around us, nobody will hear you.”
“Well, if you say so… Zet, have you ever had a crush, but without even a single, simple response?”

Zet’rar, having heard these words, paused, then sighed and grinned.

“Tell me about it…” he said.
“You also had this?” surprised Lezwe.
“Since the very first when we became a Team,” Zet’rar uttered and gently pointed to Oma, who was on the other side of the room.
“Oh…”
“Yeah. And, by the way, who’s your… object of adoration?”
“My? Well… Pevi.”

Technician remembered his pal’s team and that girl. Amalifan, really pretty, for men of tens of civilization. And, as he learned, rather sociable and opened.

“And she doesn’t response?” Zet’rar surprised.
“In spite of everything, yes…” sighed Lezwe.
“Dude, don’t give up! Do your best, try again! Be insistent, but moderately. And you’ll succeed!”
“If only…”
“And you know what? You may try to date some other girl. If she isn’t indifferent – and I think that she isn’t – she will react. You can ask any one. Even… Oma, for example!”
“What?”
“Yes! If such proud girl as she will agree to have a dinner with you, then you will reach your aim for sure!”
“Do you think so?”
“I’m sure! And we can try it right now…” and Zet’rar started to tune his vocal folds to imitate his friend’s voice.
“WAIT!!!” Lezwe shouted. “No!”

His pal stopped, but because of abruptness chocked. When he coughed up, he said: “As you say.”

“Okay, Zet. You convinced me. I’ll try again.”
“Great! Well, buddy, good luck then!”
“Thanks!.. Wait, where are you going?”
“What?” Zet’rar, who stood up and turned to exit, asked again. “Oh, I just thought that I’ll watch some videos on terminals now. Will you join me?”
“Now? Excuse me, but no. I’ll go to start the preparations.”
“Well, good luck again then and see you!”
“See you!”

And technology master left the room.

Oma was spending her time in a company of friends in a comfortable corner of the ship’s main dayroom, near one big table, for hours already. They actively chatted, but then, when Zet’rar came and approached his pal Lezwe, paused and started to secretly watch and listen to their conversation. Some of them had very good hearing, so they, in spite of all the noise that filled the room, could hear everything. And when guys finished and Lezwe left the room, they decided to change the topic and addressed to Oma.

“Listen, Oma,” said Dexessi, planetologist from Team Thirteen. “Allow us to ask something.”
“Sure, ask!” she turned to her.
“Pardon me, but… Zet’rar seems to be really nice guy. He’s really smart, gentle, never let anyone get sad or bored…”
“He almost as hilarious as our curator!” added girls from Team Twelve.
“Yeah, he’s just like Beurru!” confirmed members of other groups.
“Why do you continue to turn away?” finally asked Dexessi.
“Ow…” Oma got a bit confused. “I just… I dunno… Listen, Dex, yes, Zet is awesome lad, and I really like him…”
“Then why?”
“…but he is careless, idle and – what’s annoying me the most – he’s bothersome.”
“Bothersome? Or just too insistent for you?” some her friends maliciously grinned.
“Well, maybe…” sighed Oma. “But such perseverance is repulsive.”
“But keep avoid the response is not the way out,” said Rel, sociologist from Team Two. “You should know.”
“Yes,” confirmed others.
“Okay, okay, I’ll do it, I’ll talk to him,” answered Oma. “For everyone.”
“And that’s nice!”
“So…” said Dexessi. “Ehm… Remind me, please, what we were talked about before this?”

Other sighed, shook their heads or put their palms on faces.

“Dexessi…” spelled some girls, having put their hands or tentacles on their faces.
“What?” exclaimed planetologist.
“Never mind,” said Oma. “We were talking about difficulties with forthcoming integration among locals on that planet.”
“Oh, right…”
“So, any opinions?” said Rel.
“Absolutely no idea what we’ll meet there,” answered some other girls.
“We still have only primary data, and that’s not sufficient,” few sociologist started. “We can only make hypotheses, and still they won’t be good, because we have really limited initial conditions.”
“Well, we can use other sources,” said Rel.
“Like what?” asked some skeptics.
“Some ones offer to use info about analogues… books about terran culture, for example.”
“Myths of single planet? Seriously?”
“These analogues sometimes were connected not only with the similarity of appearance, but with behavior.”
“No way!”
“Girls, in reality it’s so,” suddenly said Oma.
“What?”
“Yes. There were some cases. But more often myth appeared to be flase.”
“I dunno,” said Dexessi. “Remembering those scanograms… I can’t believe that those adorable four-legged can be cruel, and that ugly winged beasts can be friendly.”
“I read about twelve thousand pages,” continued Oma. “Pages of stories, legends, myths and other stuff. And I got nothing.”
“So do I,” spelled some other sociologists.
“You see? We can get first exact data only when we’ll take first local and get her or his mind scanogram.”
“Yeah… Sad, but true.”
“Alas, but yes.”
“Girls, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to get gloomy now. Let’s change the topic and stop talk about sad things.”
“Agree.”
“Okay.”
“Well, any ideas?” said Rel and looked at her friends.
“How about a game?” offered one medic.
“Well… Something as invigorating, but less active would be better.”
“Um, stories?”
“Oh, do you know what our Karin got up?” exclaimed Oma.
“Ehm… No,” other shook their head.
“And what did she do?” asked Dixessi.
“It was just brilliant! I assure you that you’ll laugh so hard you become sick.”
“Then tell it!”
“Okay. So, it’s started when she decided to visit our pilots…”

Sheim was in the ship’s bar and had relaxing conversation with his colleagues. Good atmosphere, good jokes, good company, good drinks… What else one needs for gladness? So Sheim enjoyed all this. And everything was perfect till the moment when visitors decided to organize a little performance and started to tell stories from their lives. And this caused Sheim’s friends to remember that there was one occasion that happened to him, which already become legendary. So they started to persuade their pal to tell it everybody.

“Aw c’mon, dude!” said Holo, planetologist from Team Sixteen. “Just tell it like you always do!”
“Yeah!” added others.
“Ehm… I would be glad, but…” Sheim answered in non-confident tone after short pause.
“What the problem?” exclaimed another scientist, Fradda. “Are you afraid to perform?”
“Well… Yes,” Sheim honestly answered.
“You what???”
“You have a stagefright?” exclaimed Holo.
“Not quite. The mater is that I feel very uncomfortable being on stage.”
“And how bad it is?” wondered Fradda.
“Remember Kepo? Absolutely the same.”
“Dude, you’re not an ASI. You can find courage and focus!”
“Yeah, you can do it!”
“Guys, I’m not su…”

But guys didn’t allow him to finish the sentence.

“Sheim! Sheim! Sheim! Sheim!” they started to exclaim.
“Oh, all right,” sighed researcher. “I’ll do it.”
“Yeah!”
“Go dude!”

Planetologist sighed again, stood up, got up on improvised stage and took communicator that was used as microphone.

“Hello, folks!” he started. “I’m Sheim, Team One's planetologist, and… I’m here to tell you one more mad story…”
“And what is it?” grinned some officers that were in the room.
“Well… Bar isn’t the best place for such stories, but I will tell it. You know, alcohol is really incredible substance. Despite the fact that treatment has been used for generations, sentients are still receptive to it. And that’s why sentients still consume it. It causes absolutely similar effects among ones from almost every known race. It caused a lot of funny things and even more adventures, but also it can cause great troubles. The story what I want to tell you is about why you shouldn’t work being blind drunk.”
“That may be interesting…” spelled some visitors.
“Nah, everybody knows this!” snorted few other.
“Dudes, it’s really awesome one!” objected Sheim’s friends.
“Yep. You can’t even imagine what can happen after thorough booze-up,” continued Sheim.
“How thorough?” officers grinned again.
“Honestly?” answered researcher. “I haven’t been so shit-faced even when I was studying in university.”
“Oh… Wow.”
“Exactly. Well, let’s start then. It happened on Bakheid-Az-4. There were five of us, guys, that were sent there to do a geological survey: Sazaar Yteda, Klesfe A-Poruru, M’gu Nutu Didi, Rra Ttu Hok’kol and me. It’s a pity that I am the only one from that team on this board now, but when you’ll return, shake their hands. So… We had successfully finished the first stage of works. And, as it should be, we celebrated it. Celebration was hard, contents of bottles disappeared like a stardust in black holes. Contents of many bottles… So, as you can guess, results were obvious. We woke up with cast-iron heads. For a whole supramoment* we tried to remember who we are or what we are, where are we and what are doing here. When it was – almost – successfully completed, we stood up. And looked at clock… “Dammit, already eleven!” was our only thought at the moment. We were responsible workers, yes, we remembered that we have work. But instruments were in special container storage (which we left on the most prominent place outside, by the way), and it has a code lock. Can you even remember launch code for your communicators after drinking? No. And it’s only seven numbers. And unlock code for that storage consisted of twenty numbers. We just physically couldn’t remember it. But will to work appeared to be stronger that we thought. So Rra and Klesfe, trying to remember their programming courses, decided to write an unlocking algorithm. Yes… Eventually, the container appeared to be locked forever. But we had to do our job! So Sazaar, who got angry, returned to our coop and took a scrap. He came back to place where we were and began to hack it. He was doing his best, but… During the fifth try scrap just slip off and poor Sazaar hit own face with it. The scrap was only two times thinner than my arm, so no wonder that he was knocked out. At first we were shocked. But then, looking at poor Sazaar, got angry. Especially M’gu. Now he returned to tent and… brought explosives. “If it wants hard way, it’ll get it” he was saying. So he put the substance near the container, joined the detonator, and we stepped back, having taken the fallen Sazaar with us. M’gu shouted and activated the detonator. The explosion came and… We did it! We got our instruments! But there was one problem – M’gu went a bit too far with explosives. There were too many fragments. And one of them successfully – like it was planned! – cut two-thirds of my crest. The crest is weak spot of all rugartairan, as you may know, so I just fell down like a log because of pain shock. And wasn’t able to move. My friends got scared. But when they saw that I was alive, calmed down. They had already rushed to help me, when Rra finally remembered one important thing: we all still were in underwear! You can’t work only in underwear, right? So those three, having apologized, returned to coop to put their clothes on. And everything would be fine, but there was one thing. As I already said, M’gu went far with explosives, and there were too much fragments. Some of them fell on the tent. Its fabric roof wasn’t an obstacle for them. They were sharp, and they were hot. They were scattered around in the tent, but my friends didn’t notice this. So they took their pants and jackets and started to put them on. And at this one moment they made a finding: one fragment fell in Klesfe’s pants… It was hot, I repeat. So Klesfe, having changed his phiz, screamed like “AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!” and began to run around waving his arms like a freak. Rra with M’gu tried to stop him, but Klesfe because of shock just forget about outer world. M’gu was hit right in the nose and was knocked out. Rra because of another punch fell into opened water tank. Klesfe himself just run into a shelving and knocked himself out. And all this happened in few moments, right.”

Audience was exhausted. They laughed so hard that seemed to shake the whole ship.

“But that’s not all!” continued Sheim.
“Not all?” sincerely surprised gathered.
“Yes. When all this mess ended and dust got dispersed, Rra raised his head from the water. And, finally, the punchline came – Rra sighed and said: “Well, that escalated quickly…”

Visitors after this just fell down.

“Yep, that’s the story,” summed up Sheim. “That’s why you shouldn’t work being drunk – ‘cause everything can happen after it.”
“A-and?.,” came a voice.
“What happened next? Well, we, obviously, couldn’t do anything else after this. So we just waited till the moment when we will get sober and recover. When we finally succeeded, we sent a message. Other team arrived, and we got some help and got a big fine. And, also, new instruments – all ones that were in the container were completely destroyed.”
“Wow, just wow!”
“Awesome story, bro!” visitors said.
“Thanks everybody!” Sheim bowed.
“Come again to tell other ones!”
“I will.”

And he left the stage.

“We told you!” grinned Holo and Fradda when their friend returned to them. “We told you that it wouldn’t be so difficult!”
“Yes, you were right,” Sheim agreed.
“So, will you really do it again?”
“After this? Well, maybe…”

Karin got bored. She was tired of gadgets and terminals, she wanted to talk. But all her friends were busy or were already speaking with others, and she didn’t want to intervene. So drooping Karin just walked around the vessel. And at one moment an idea came to her: why not visit the crew? She have already become friend of many engineers, navigators and pilots, they are relatively free now, so they can become a company for her. So she rushed right to the bridge.

Sociologist came to the entrance, typed on the terminal screen her access code, gates quickly opened, and she was already about to went in, but only she glanced around… The bridge was almost as empty as university auditorium during boring lecture – there was only one crew member in this big hall, Drezxo, the second pilot. Karin got demotivated. Why it happens to her? Why?.. Well, at the moment she had nowhere to go, so she, having sighed, decided to talk to Drezxo and find out why other are mooching. She started to approach him. But from the very first steps she felt that there’s something wrong with him – pilot was so tensed that seemed to be on the verge of explosion. When she came closer, she saw that his face was just warped, all muscles on it shivered. So Karin acted as gently as it was possible.

“Um… Drezxo?” she uttered.

Pilot shuddered, but didn’t get scared or irritated.

“Oh, hi, Karin,” he nodded.
“Do I interrupt your work?”
“No, no… Flight is still under automatic control, I’m here just to watch the process… And what are you doing here?”
“I just… wanted to find someone to talk. I thought that there will be at least small company, but…”
“Well, sorry to disappoint. During jumps a lot of our crew might even not appear here. Lazy asses…”
“Ehm… Though such characteristic is quite rude, I’ll agree with you.”
“Heh, thanks…”
“Pardon me my curiosity, but…” Karin a bit timidly said after short pause. “Drezxo, why you are so stressed? Is something bad happened to you?”

After these words pilot faltered.

“You see… Our cap’n is real professional and great master, but sometimes he behaves like complete bastard.”
“Emm… I don’t get it.”
“He has a habit to choose ones for tasks among sentients that are present right here and right now and don’t call ones that are absent, and sometimes he don’t listen to his subordinates,” Drezxo began to explain. “When it happened, there were only me, cap’n and two engineers here on the bridge. According to the Charter at least one pilot or navigator or captain himself should watch the flight during jumps. Engineers had to go – they had to clear some matters with installation of spark units – and cap’n together with them. So cap’s, obviously chose me. I told him that I will have some troubles soon, it may happen in moments, but he didn’t listen and just ordered me to be here and do not leave. Then he just went away. And I can’t go out, ‘cause else I’ll be punished.”
“And what are these troubles?”

Drezxo gulped and muttered:

“Nature calls me.”
“Ow…” Karin felt awkward.

The thing was that Drezxo belonged to zhorghatanians, and for a representative of a race that usually have need to visit the bathroom only one time in a week delays were serious trouble.

“Ehm… Oh!” Karin suddenly exclaimed. “I know how to help you!”
“You what? How?” Drezxo surprised.
“I regularly sat at the helm of different ships, I have skills. In fact, I’m a pilot too! Thought without a license, but still!”
“Wait! You, researchers, pilot only vessels of small classes! And this is large-scale machine!”
“Listen, dude, you have an emergency here, right? And I have experience! What you are doing now? Just looking at the screens! Though I piloted only those small ships, I can watch the jump! It’s not hard. It will be easy for me!”
“You see… Ehm… Are you sure about this?”
“Absolutely!”
“A…”
“Don’t waste your time, go! I’ll do it!”
“Oh, Karin, thank you, thank you!” he stood up and started to go backwards and bow. “You are the best!.. I love you!”
“Run, dude!”

Drezxo gave a nod and in a second disappeared from the bridge. Karin saw him off, but then, when the doors closed, she became sad again. She’s lonely again… Drezxo won’t come back in hour at least, and what about others – she just had no idea. For a whole hour she will be alone with her boredom.

She sat in pilot’s chair and for some minutes just rocked in it. But then one nice, no, wonderful idea came to her. Karim grinned, turned internal communication system on and, having coughed, declared:

“Ladies, gentlemen, altmedies, unaii, and transexes, welcome to the first “Evening Kelkerdez-Unaad show”!..”

In about fifty minutes later captain with some of the crew returned to the bridge. Sensors detected them, and doors opened. Karin heard this, and when they were entering, promptly finished:

“…that was awesome! Sorry, but today we have to stop. Good time for everybody! Goodbye!” and she closed the channel. As it will turn out later, only outgoing one.

Captain soon approached the pilot’s chairs and saw Karin it one of them. He got startled. Sociologist, having seen this, quickly explained and apologized:

“Oh, excuse me, I just walked near and… But don’t worry, everything is fine!” she smiled. “Flight is going well, even perfect. Drezxo will come soon, and don’t punish him – he had valid reason to do this. He’ll tell you later. Well, something like this… Excuse me one more time, please!”

And she run out of the room.

Captain and others didn’t say a word. And where they got ready, a voice came from internal communication system:

“Phew! Exuce me, I slept like a log and just didn’t hear… Dear “Evening”, are you still able to put a song? I would like to order one for my friend…”

No one answered. For a whole minute – all crew was in stupor. When they finally came to life, they got angry firstly, but then, when they realized the situation, they laughed.

Soon after this starship’s crew appreciate the idea and even found a new constant host for the broadcast.

Though the main canteen was rather crowded, Max almost didn’t pay attention to sentients that scurried near him, was calm and even a bit indifferent. He slowly ate his meal and, at the same time, watched movie on HV screen. Thanks to sensors he could keep looking at film action – additional organs detected where plates, tableware and other things were, so he had no need to use eyes for this. It looked quite odd, but a lot of sentients had implants nowadays, and they are able to do usual things in much more strange ways, so for all other it had already become normal.

But it still sometimes caused questions.

“At once these things have become handy, isn’t it?” asked one of crew's medics that sat down near him with grin.
“You know, they are handy all the time,” answered Max without expression. It wasn’t the first such case for him, so he already had well-established pattern of actions.
“All the time? Hm… And I thought that they are used as special tools only,” said other crew medic, who heard his colleague and decided to join the conversation.
“Well, yes, they are special tools, but if you know how, you can use them in all cases of life,” continued researcher.
“Why did you even agree to implant sensors?” wondered first doctor.
“Though officially I’m a biologist, in fact I’m a medic like you, guys,” answered Max. “I had to do not only preparations and dissections, but real surgery too. I knew the importance of good tools and instruments – as researcher and as medic. And sensor organ are one of the best that you can get now – you can’t even imagine how they are useful during surgeries. That’s why I agreed to add them on my face,” and he smiled. The expression appeared to be quite scary.

First medic coughed. Second froze. And Max returned to his meal and HV show.

“But still I must say that you seem to be pretty good with them,” said second medic.
“Agree… I’m really surprised,” added first.
“You are surprised?” Max raised an eyebrow.
“Yep,” nodded first doctor. “I know thirteen other sentients who got this stuff. Years have passed, and only thing that they able to do is orientation when lights are off, and still not always successfully. And their hearing and smelling got better only a little more.”
“I have to agree with him,” spelled second medic. “I saw such things too.”
“Well, all this happens just because of laziness,” said Max. “Yes, it’s always hard for nervous system to accept new sense organ, but if one wake some efforts, he or she can reach the full integration. But sentients, when they start to try, face with obstacles, and then they just running out of patience. They stop to work and don’t return to it, so they can do only easy things. But if a sentient has patience and purposefulness – a couple of years of work, and – I’m not afraid of these words – that sentient will reach new horizons. But in general there’s nothing special in it.”
“So just a lot of time and a lot of patience, and that’s all?” asked second doctor with slight mistrust.
“Yep, work, work and work again and nothing more.”
“Sounds not so bad, but… I still don’t believe that these things can be useful for me,” said first medic.
“And I just don’t feel like,” added the second.
“…but if someone could gave me really good proof, I would probably change my point of view,” the first continued.
“Yeah, maybe…”

Max after these words paused, then, after a look on the table, took a knife and addressed to crew medics:

“So you want a proof, right?”
“I just said that I wouldn’t mind,” answered first doctor. “And what you are going to do?”
“Well, I can give this proof to you,” researcher said. “Right now.”
“You can?”
“Yes. Just put your hand on the table, and I’ll show.”

Medic gulped, looked at his colleague, who petrified again, gave a quiet growl and then, having put his hand on the table and spread the fingers, said:

“Okay, I’ll do it. But if you even touch my fingers, I’ll do my best to make your bank accounts empty as student’s stomach.”
“Oh, don’t worry. Just enjoy,” grinned Max in response.

Then he closed his eyes and started to do the trick. At first he was slow, and hits were very careful and accurate – a sentient with additional sensor organs can do the same thing after even rather short trainings. But in few seconds he began to accelerate. And, for crew medic’s surprise, he didn’t lost the accuracy. First doctor, looking at this, had already started to change his point and got ready to put his hand away, but Max, as he felt this, only accelerated even more. Doctors got really frightened, the first started to shiver. Researcher was like an android: hits were absolutely accurate, but moves and shifts of knife blade were so quick that it just flickered. First medic couldn’t stand it. Because of that mad trick he was scared as never before in his life. He lost all his courage. So doctor, after a gulp, decided to stop it. He was already about to open his mouth, when Max moved to the next stage: he threw the knife up, shoved medic’s limb away, grabbed his other palm with left hand, and with right caught the knife when it was in the air. And continued. Crew members were shocked. They were so frightened that they weren’t able to move. And Max, feeling it, used this circumstance to… put second guy’s hand on first medic’s palm and continued to perform the trick.

Max stopped only in a minute. When he finished, crew medics looked so scared that it seemed that they are closer to the dead than to the living. They were completely shocked and paralyzed. Researcher, in turn, put the knife away and with indifferent face said:

“Here’s your proof.”

And at this moment ship’s ASI declared:

“One day until arrival.”

Biologist, having heard that, grinned and addressed to crew medics:

“Well, it’s time to finally start the preparations. Excuse me, gentlemen, but I have to go.”

And he, having put almost empty tray in the special aperture under the table, stood up and left the canteen.

* – about ½ of an hour

Comments

[Kita Aldrin]

Sorry, but I have to stop here. In short, this was really hard to read. You seriously need an editor. One that can sort out all those alien words because they are so jumbled together with the bad grammar that no one can tell if it's a name or a term or a world. The plotline is interesting and could be promising, but you really need to find some one that can edit for you.

[A_guy_from_Earth]

6741064
It would be wonderful to have an editor, but... the story is quite specific and big, and it's hard to find someone who will agree to edit it. I had been trying for a year.
I appreciate any help. I will be very grateful for each advice and recommendation.

[ibeachu]

Cheese on a cracker, you seriously need an editor!
I mean, I was only just able to force myself to keep going. Ugh, I'm still cringing...

Sorry, but I'll have to get back to this later...

[StarzGecko]

This is really hard to read... Like what are the aliens like? I know a few are human but still would be nice to know what the others are.

[A_guy_from_Earth]

7082325
Look in chapter 3.