Carpathia IV: Episode 64 - Funny White Rock
Space, NCCS Shadowdancer
Kit kept up his study of the blobby for two days, only taking short breaks for an occasional rest. Break times saw a befuddled Teren and his security team do their best to entertain the blobby whenever Kit ate, napped, or did his business. During these times, the blobby seemed content nibbling on the leaves of the trees in the atrium. Joust also rotated Amenaru and Teek from their duties, replacing them with other crew, during this time.
Eventually, the blobby seemed more restless than normal, frequently ignoring Kit to gaze out of the atrium dome high above. They couldn't keep him forever and it was time to send him back, but not before one last meeting. Informed of the blobby's impending departure, Aire came to the atrium to finally meet the blobby with Ryuu and Tayet following behind at a distance. As he entered the atrium, he knew his decision to stay behind and let Kit establish a rapport was correct as he found both Kit and the blobby looking weary, but satisfied.
Kit tapped at his tablet and pointed it at the blobby. The virtual blobby on screen made a series of hops, wiggles, and farts while the real blobby watched.
Kit: I just told him that you are our leader, Captain.
Aire nodded to Kit and then smiled at the blobby.
Aire: It is a pleasure to meet you.
Kit showed his tablet again to the blobby, now translating Aire's words. The blobby watched and then turned back to Aire, suddenly thrusting out an appendage that stopped short of his chest.
Blobby: Hello!
Kit: I taught it the handshake, Captain.
Despite his discomfort at this development, Aire unhesitatingly reached out and grabbed the end of the blobby's... not exactly a hand, really, but more of a nub that was trying to become a hand. To his relief, it wasn't sticky, but had a texture not unlike a gummy bear. The blobby smiled and shook vigorously.
Aire: Joust tells me that you discovered what those structures were, the one that you took a sample from when you visited the planet?
Kit: Yes, Captain. We were, in effect, strolling around a cemetery. I have already expressed apologies on behalf of myself and the inhabitants of the funny, white rock.
Aire: The... what?
Kit: For obvious reasons, they don't have a word for "spaceship." They call us the funny, white rock.
Aire didn't expect that the blobby would understand him, but he nevertheless directed his words at it, expecting Kit to translate. The blobby looked up at him expectantly.
Aire: Kit, please relay my personal apology for stumbling into their cemetery.
Kit tapped at his tablet and then showed it to the blobby. The virtual blobby bounced around and made a series of squirts and farts, to which the actual blobby responded with two dips forward.
Kit: Blobby accepts your apology.
Aire: You named it Blobby, did you?
Kit nodded.
Kit: I had to. It told me its name, but I would probably injure myself if I tried to reproduce it myself.
Fortunately, Kit had kept his tablet pointed at Blobby, probably out of instinct for catching any unexpected communications, for this is what it did, dancing and squirting out another sentence. Kit replayed the communication along with translation text.
Kit: Blobby wants to thank you for the hospitality of the people of the funny, white rock.
Aire: Please tell blobby, "Thank you for coming."
Before Kit could input this new sentence, Blobby was already responding with two bounces to each side.
Kit: Blobby understood that, Captain.
Aire smiled, as much at Blobby as for Kit. For the first time, Aire realized that being a Captain felt like being a dad, even if it's only just a tiny bit. This was a significant breakthrough in the field of xenolinguistics and he felt proud that his own communications officer expertly took the lead.
Aire: I guess all that's left is to ask if Blobby would like for us to get closer to the asteroids so that he doesn't have make such a long float home.
Kit paused for a moment, considering the best way to convey the question in a way that would be understandable to both Blobby and the translator. Finally, he tapped at his screen and showed it to Blobby, who responded with two short hops.
Kit: Blobby would like that, Captain.
Aire turned and beckoned Ryuu and Tayet to approach.
Aire: Ryuu and Tayet will escort you back outside, if that's okay.
Kit showed his tablet to Blobby, who responded with two short bounces again. As Ryuu, Tayet, and Blobby made for the shuttle bay, Blobby turned one more time and stuck out its appendage again in a jaunty wave, which Aire and Kit returned. After they exited the atrium, Aire took out his communicator.
Aire: Commander, set course for the outer rim of the asteroids. Keep it slow so as not to spook the locals. We're giving Blobby a ride home.
Joust: Understood, Captain.
At last, Aire could devote his full attention to Kit.
Aire: Ensign Savea, that was outstanding work. Not only is the Xenolinguistic Institute going to be deliriously excited about this, but your name is going to be listed as the key person who made it happen.
Kit scrunched himself up, his neck and head squishing down into his shoulders, and smiling with a little blush in his cheeks.
Kit: Thank you, Captain.
Aire patted Kit gently on the back.
Aire: You've been at this for more than two days and I'm sure you're exhausted. Take 48 hours off.
Before Kit could protest, a wide yawn escaped his mouth.
Kit: Maybe that's a good idea.
Aire nodded while he walked away, headed for the bridge to monitor the Shadowdancer as it approached the asteroids.
Aire: It is a good idea! See you in a couple of days, and great work again!
Amenaru watched in explosive anticipation while Kit facilitated the interaction between the Captain and Blobby. He thought the Captain would never leave, and when he finally did, all that stored energy let loose like a squashed-up spring.
Amenaru: Kit! Kit! Kit! Kit!
When Amenaru saw Kit wince at him, hurtling toward him recklessly as he was, he suddenly came to a screeching halt, realizing in that instant that Kit would not appreciate a tackle-style hug. Indeed, given what he knew of Kit's capabilities, it would be likely that Amenaru would end up an amorphous pile of skin and broken bones if Kit reacted in self defense. Fortunately, Kit did not kick him clear to the back side of the atrium.
Amenaru: Sorry, I got a little excited. That was amazing!
Kit smiled and clutched his tablet tight to his chest.
Kit: Thanks.
Amenaru took a step back, favoring one foot while crossing the the other foot to the side, eyes darting all around while nervously scratching the back of his head.
Amenaru: So... um... can I... um... walk you back to your quarters?
Kit flushed and looked away, squeezing his tablet even more tightly, leaving Amenaru in a nervous fit. Finally, Kit looked up and nodded.
Amenaru was sure he felt his heart stop, if only for a moment. Carefully, Amenaru turned and put his arm around Kit and together they strolled to the atrium exit.
The Shadowdancer nudged its way gently toward the asteroids surrounding the planet, all while the bridge crew closely monitored the actions of the blobbies perched upon them. The bobbies watched back, but made aggressive moves, perhaps because the red blobby, with whom Kit spent the last two days conversing, perched itself upon the bow.
Aire: Slow to 5% thrusters and then cut engines. Let's drift in.
Teek: Slowing to 5%, Captain.
Aire: Nalma, any signs of hostility?
Nalma: None, Captain.
Teek: Now cutting engines, Captain.
Aire: Very well, Ensign. When I give the order, bring us to a stop slowly. We don't want to jar Blobby sitting out there.
Another ten minutes passed while the Shadowdancer creeped closer to the asteroids. Before Aire could give the order to stop, Blobby launched himself from the bow of the ship toward his comrades.
Aire: Ah, well, there goes Blobby anyway. All stop.
Teek: Yes, Captain. Reversing thrusters.
Aire: Tayet, get a visual on as many of them as you can. Nalma, focus on Blobby.
Tayet: Yes, Captain. Switching to multi-camera.
Nalma: Zooming on Blobby, Captain.
The Shadowdancer remained where she was while the crew collected their final data. Whatever conversation Blobby had with the rest was certainly animated, though nobody knew what they were saying. Kit's data was not in the system and it was obvious enough to anyone who met Blobby that their way of communicating was different in the weightlessness of space.
Except one way.
To everyone's surprise, several thousand blobbies suddenly turned toward the Shadowdancer and extended an appendage, giving an exuberant wave. Nobody on the bridge was sure if the blobbies could see them, but they all waved back nonetheless.
Aire: I think that's our cue. Teek, come about and accelerate slowly to full thrusters.
Teek: Yes, Captain.
The Shadowdancer turned and flew away, leaving behind a successful mission and some new friends.
Commissioned art in this episode from:
AvareonArt
Zelbunnii
Thatwildmary
Colourbrand
