my helmet that didn’t want to let go. “Give me a report. What have they said so far?”
“Not much, Colonel Riggs. They sent a series of idiomatic pictographs indicating we should meet as warriors on the field of honor. Then they launched three ships, which are now in-bound to our position.”
I frowned. “Three ships? The field of honor? Give me possible interpretations of the pictographs you received.”
“I believe I just did that, Colonel.”
I rolled my eyes. “I need analysis, Marvin. Are they angry, happy or just talking about honor because that’s the polite thing to do?”
“A combination of all three is indicated,” Marvin said. “Being in a state of rage pleases the Worms, and they are always concerned with honor. Without knowing the context of recent events in the system, we can’t be certain which of these elements of their communication represents the primary meaning.”
“Why not?”
“The same set of symbols can indicate a duel to the death is coming, or that a comrade is well-met. The concepts are too intertwined in Worm communications to easily separate them.”
Jasmine and I reached the bridge, where Marvin was crouched at the command table. A spherical holotank floated above it, a newly-upgraded version. The holotank was a globular shape that spun with the motion of the ship, giving our relative attitude and a real-time reflection of space around us. Instead of being mounted on the ceiling with a steel rod, as we’d done in the old days, the system was positioned and spun by gravity plates both overhead and built into the command table itself. Our technology with regards to gravity manipulation had improved recently.
“So, in other words,” I said to Marvin as Jasmine and I joined him at the command table, “You have no idea what the Worms are saying or what their intentions are?”
“That is essentially correct.”
“That’s unacceptable, Marvin. You’re our best translator. I depend on you for accurate communications.”
“I’m well aware of my indispensability.”
I glowered at him for a second and had to force myself to calm down.
“Let’s hypothesize,” I said when I knew I could speak without shouting. “They only sent three ships. That indicates this is not an attack.”
“A reasonable, if not entirely accurate, assumption.”
“Why wouldn’t it be accurate?” I snapped.
“Note the symbols on the table in front of us,” he said, waving his tentacle over the command screen.
I turned my attention downward. My staffers had been watching the three contacts—colored amber, meaning the brainboxes weren’t quite sure how to classify them. The three alien warships were closing on our position. There was a string of symbols displayed beside them, their last transmission. An image of Worm warriors side-by-side, which could mean honor or comradery. Next to that was a pictograph of a flat plain with a sun overhead. Last came a symbol I wasn’t familiar with.
“What’s that final thing? It looks like an X.”
“Crossed lances,” Marvin said. “The symbol indicates a duel or a military conflict of a small nature. It can also mean an exchange of arms.”
I frowned at the symbols. “I have to admit, I don’t see a clear meaning.”
“Neither do I, Colonel—or rather, I should say that I see several legitimate interpretations.”
Jasmine reached out and ran her fingers over the symbols, spinning them around to face her. “You don’t think they’re calling us out to some kind of duel, do you?”
“Um…maybe,” I admitted.
“That is indeed one of the possibilities,” Marvin added.
“Ah, damn,” I said.
“What is it, sir?” asked Marvin.
“My good mood is gone.”
“What mood, Colonel?”
“The feeling of joy and relaxation I was experiencing just a few short minutes ago. Now I remember what being out on the frontier dealing with crazy aliens is really like. What is it about our minds that causes us to only remember the good
“Not much, Colonel Riggs. They sent a series of idiomatic pictographs indicating we should meet as warriors on the field of honor. Then they launched three ships, which are now in-bound to our position.”
I frowned. “Three ships? The field of honor? Give me possible interpretations of the pictographs you received.”
“I believe I just did that, Colonel.”
I rolled my eyes. “I need analysis, Marvin. Are they angry, happy or just talking about honor because that’s the polite thing to do?”
“A combination of all three is indicated,” Marvin said. “Being in a state of rage pleases the Worms, and they are always concerned with honor. Without knowing the context of recent events in the system, we can’t be certain which of these elements of their communication represents the primary meaning.”
“Why not?”
“The same set of symbols can indicate a duel to the death is coming, or that a comrade is well-met. The concepts are too intertwined in Worm communications to easily separate them.”
Jasmine and I reached the bridge, where Marvin was crouched at the command table. A spherical holotank floated above it, a newly-upgraded version. The holotank was a globular shape that spun with the motion of the ship, giving our relative attitude and a real-time reflection of space around us. Instead of being mounted on the ceiling with a steel rod, as we’d done in the old days, the system was positioned and spun by gravity plates both overhead and built into the command table itself. Our technology with regards to gravity manipulation had improved recently.
“So, in other words,” I said to Marvin as Jasmine and I joined him at the command table, “You have no idea what the Worms are saying or what their intentions are?”
“That is essentially correct.”
“That’s unacceptable, Marvin. You’re our best translator. I depend on you for accurate communications.”
“I’m well aware of my indispensability.”
I glowered at him for a second and had to force myself to calm down.
“Let’s hypothesize,” I said when I knew I could speak without shouting. “They only sent three ships. That indicates this is not an attack.”
“A reasonable, if not entirely accurate, assumption.”
“Why wouldn’t it be accurate?” I snapped.
“Note the symbols on the table in front of us,” he said, waving his tentacle over the command screen.
I turned my attention downward. My staffers had been watching the three contacts—colored amber, meaning the brainboxes weren’t quite sure how to classify them. The three alien warships were closing on our position. There was a string of symbols displayed beside them, their last transmission. An image of Worm warriors side-by-side, which could mean honor or comradery. Next to that was a pictograph of a flat plain with a sun overhead. Last came a symbol I wasn’t familiar with.
“What’s that final thing? It looks like an X.”
“Crossed lances,” Marvin said. “The symbol indicates a duel or a military conflict of a small nature. It can also mean an exchange of arms.”
I frowned at the symbols. “I have to admit, I don’t see a clear meaning.”
“Neither do I, Colonel—or rather, I should say that I see several legitimate interpretations.”
Jasmine reached out and ran her fingers over the symbols, spinning them around to face her. “You don’t think they’re calling us out to some kind of duel, do you?”
“Um…maybe,” I admitted.
“That is indeed one of the possibilities,” Marvin added.
“Ah, damn,” I said.
“What is it, sir?” asked Marvin.
“My good mood is gone.”
“What mood, Colonel?”
“The feeling of joy and relaxation I was experiencing just a few short minutes ago. Now I remember what being out on the frontier dealing with crazy aliens is really like. What is it about our minds that causes us to only remember the good
Similar Books
