<> * Amadeus is underwater and still in the time capsule room, sure. He doesn't seem to mind - or maybe his excitement at being able to actually talk to a new (though dead) alien species is getting the better of him. * Amadeus keeps looking over the various items in the room, because there are so many and they are so strange. "So, are you mammals, then?" <> "Viviparous oxygen-breathing mammals. Are you also?" * Amadeus grins. "Yes, we are. We live on land, though, and can't hold our breath for longer than a few minutes. This suit is all that's letting me stay under water for any significant amount of time." <> * Amadeus doesn't seem to understand, then he asks, a little awkwardly, "How long do you live, then, and at what point do your young reach maturity?" "We live... lived. For mean time one hundred revolutions of the star. Do you know of other living species?" If you mean intelligent, sentient species, only yours, ours, the Sleythin, and the Bugs. Are... er, were you in contact with any other species? I'm under the impression that you also only met the Sleythin and the Bugs. "No, we had thought we were alone until the Messenger." <> "The Sleythin ... live?" * Amadeus nods. "Yes. We came in contact with them approximately thirty-five of our years ago. We have something of an exchange program with them, now. Some humans - that's us - live on their planet, and some of the Sleythin live on ours." I and a couple of the crew traveled to their planet very recently. "We had thought them long dead... where were they?" <> "Our children mature at 9 revolutions." (Be careful of your answer here.) * Amadeus blinks, processing what the PI said, then says slowly, "They were hiding." A brief pause, then he offers, "Our children take about thirteen of our years to be capable of bearing their own young, but we don't consider them fully mature until about eighteen." <> "Curious. How did you find here?" We've been watching the stars ever since we could, and we recently figured out a way to achieve something akin to faster than light travel. It's not widely available yet, but a few of us are traveling to different planets, seeing what we can find and learn. I'm pretty sure this planet was chosen because it's very much likes ours, only a few times larger. It's a likely place for us to be able to settle. Or find new life, but I don't think anyone was expecting *this*. Did you ever achieve space travel? * Amadeus decides that looking at stuff and talking is too much, so he sits on the floor, not wanting to crush any of the stuff. "We achieved orbit, but beyond that we never truly bothered. There was always so much room down here. Do you think that odd?" * Amadeus smiles. "Sometimes. In some ways, the ocean depths are the one still-unexplored frontier on our planet. Our scientists have done our best to examine all we can, but I'm certain there are still species living under the surface that we still haven't discovered." For the most part, though, we've explored outwards. Most humans don't even live on our home planet, but rather the next planet away from our sun. You were content exploring your own home, then? How did you handle overpopulation? "War and breeding proscriptions, like perhaps many species. We also do not breed so fast. You have nearby planets in your system?" * Amadeus nods. "Yes. Eight, including ours. But most aren't ideal for habitation, so we're looking to expand farther." We'd never seriously considered expanding downwards. <> "... does your species recognize fairness?" I like to think so, but what do you mean by fairness? <> "We value fairness over all things; in an equitable exchange of all. It is ... difficult for us to tell things without questions, or to answer without querying. Does this make sense?" * Amadeus ohs, and he nods in understanding. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize. But yes, I think some of our old languages worked similarly, in that they phrased statements as questions, and the like." He pauses, thinking briefly, before asking, "Have you had multiple languages throughout your history?" "We have. Many were interrogative-pointed, but the primary discourse we settled on was multiply-flowing. Sleythin is ... difficult. Do you speak the same languages on all planets?" At this point, almost all humans speak the same basic language, though there are severe dialect differences between planets. We've had over a thousand different languages over the course of our history, many of which were active at any given time. What about your written language? Do you use an alphabet, or is it more a hieroglyphics or character system? "It is a ... picture. Of the sound. We can hear it as we read it. I do not understand much of your question. How old is your species?" Depending on who you ask, humans have existed for half a million to one million of our years. How old is yours? "Roughly the same number of our years. I wish you had made it here in time. Will you tell everyone of us and our songs?" * Amadeus nods and replies, seriously, "Yes, I will. Do you want us to find a way to take you with us, to our planet?" <> "No. I would prefer them to come here, so they can see. Does that make sense?" * Amadeus smiles. Yes, it does. I think a number of scientists and explorers will come here just to speak with you. I would, and will, if I find the time and resources. One conversation is too short, don't you think? "It is. When will you be back?" * Amadeus sighs and thinks about that. "I don't know. I can't come here by myself or on my own resources, so I would have to pull favors and return when I'm off of work. But I'll do my best. How long have you been waiting, before we arrived?" "It ... is hard to say. It was a long, long time." <> * Amadeus winces at the comms. "Right. They're saying it's time to go." He stands and looks at the PI, but it's a hologram thing, so it's not like he can shake its flipper. "My name is Amadeus Cheung, by the way. I'll see you again?" <> "It seems likely. My name is [snippet of warbling]. I realize this is hard to pronounce." * Amadeus does his best to copy the warbling. It doesn't sound close, but at least it's *something*. "I'm glad I met you. I'll talk to you later." So saying, he waves and then heads out, assuming the PI doesn't do anything strange. <>