#sci fy

After an incredibly odd raid, they had a human on board. It had a few things with it a strange instrument likely from its home world and of course the fabric they were so they were known for being so protective of.

Captain Lilen, a tall Featherdeten and owner of the ship and considered the mother of the motley family, Decided to keep the being as they tended to look at least somewhat similar to the Featherdetens. Just lacking the titular win, feathered faces, or the slender legs that made landing from a flight so easy for the species.

Borek, a Snoutrump one of the strongest known species in the galaxy had argued that it was dangerous to keep but the captain always won out over the security guard/weapons professional.

Whimper a Phasmon, the ship scientist/medical professor stated how most Terrans about 89% killed their masters Within 30-day Cycles The other 19% killed their masters not long after. Keeping a Terran on board results usually in a 4% survival rate.

The youngest of the ship a Buzzkin, not even a proportional adult in his species. An excited genius prodigy who made his way onto the ship by being an engineer. He was curious, Terrans were unique next to nothing was known about them and maybe they only acted that way because they were scared. There was just so much unknown about this new species. Tolvin wanted to know more…

***

Three cycles, three cycles, and I broke my promise. I told the captain that he would not interact with the Terra, but I couldn't help myself. I was curious and it was kind of interesting seeing such a tiny featherless Featherdeten-like being. So I found myself standing in front of the door where the Terran was being kept I shifted the door from opaque to translucent, still strong just now I could see the Terran. It looked up at me noticing the different time as it was not its scheduled meal time it wouldn't be for a little while. “Hello, there you probably can't understand me b-but I wanted to say hello! It is proper etiquette to introduce oneself to all members of the crew… your species interesting did you know that?”

I stood there for a moment before the Terran begin to bark back at me it was strange yapping noises but there was somewhat of a pattern to them almost like it was speaking but that's silly Terrans didn't have a language, they weren't a sentient species. The Galaxy Bureau of Investigation of New Species (GBINS) already tested, too violent. I sat down and began to talk about meaningless things with the Terran just to hear the odd pattern of its barks we ‘chatted’ with each other for a while. Eventually, I had to leave as he would get caught talking to the Terran the one thing I was strictly told not to do. “I have to go now but we'll talk next cycle promise,” I kept my promise returning to the Terran every day.

“Hello, Featherless!” I decided to call it Featherless deciding it shouldn't go without a name. “Hado!” “Did you just say hello?” “Hado! Hado!” it repeated. Terrans could mimic. No one else has ever documented to this it’s a fascinating discovery, Terrans can mimic others! “That's so cool Featherless! what if you said my name?” Then pointed I pointed at myself and said in a slow but clear voice, “Tolvin.” “Toe-van” “Tolvin.” “Toe-van.” “What close enough you're faster on the uptake than most mimics.” It then pointed to itself and made a barking noise, “Sarah” “What?” It just shook its head from left to right, “Sarah” “Sarla?” “Sarah” “Sarla” Featherless - no Sarla released a breath and moved its eyes in a circle before refocusing on me.

“Well, it's nice to meet you then wait if you have a name that means you have a sense of self which is only present in sentient beings but that doesn't make sense the GBINS had proclaimed that humans were too violent to be sentient which doesn't make sense because it has a sense of help self! we-we've been keeping things that were- that is- oh no, I've been calling it, an it! They are a sentient being and I've been treating them like a pet-” “Toe-van” Sarla's front appendages were pressed against the force field their eyes were blown wide (wider than they usually were) and they were staring at me intently. “Sorry… I had a bit of a freak-out. I should go.” Turning the door opaque, I turn down the hall and ran back to the engine room.

The engine room is my favorite place in all of the ship no one bothers me here free to tinker. To busy myself with the mundane things that keep the ship running.

It takes me three recycles to return to Sarla’s room. The other members of the crew are still debating on what to do with the human. Earlier that cycle Borek come by with a faulty communicator he has a backup, but he prefers his main one. However, I couldn't just get the right kind of focus in the engine room (Something that's never happened before) so before I knew it I found myself wandering back to Sarla. Turning the door translucent I began to fix the communicator one of my proudest works simple AI that analyzed language and then translated it. Sarla was returning conversation in that odd barking ‘language’ of theirs and I would often say a few things back. Suddenly silent barked a few things and the translator buzzed to life “…you gotta understand how lonely I was! You are the only nice person I've met in space!” They quieted as they saw me jump at the translation. We sat in silence for a few seconds before it began to bark again, “The [thing] you're fixing is it okay? it's not going to ---- right?” I stared at them then the communicator then back at them, “What? why are you looking at me? What is that thing doing?” Turning on the two-way communication feature I slowly began to speak, “It's a way for different species to communicate with each other it's for one of my crewmates but it started translating your language.” “Wow, I can understand you! Wait you understand what I'm saying now! This is amazing so can you take me home?” “I don't think so it is really hard to get to your home planet. With how hard the government mandates what goes through airspace there… I don't know if you've noticed but we're not very legal. The captain is planning to just give you to someone as a pet once we find somewhere cheap to drop you off. “I'm sorry, please tell me the [communicator] got what you were saying wrong, my people are considered pets!?!” Their voice begin to get louder and the communicator began to register the emotion as possibly angry. “Yes…?” Sarla out a string of words that the communicator could not translate, but I felt they were curses.

Just then I heard a strangled noise coming from just down the hall turning I lock eyes with none other than Whimper. “What are you doing?” The scientist said showing the typical Phasmon signs of confusion and fear. “Toe-van who's there? That's a different voice of the communicator. what are you looking at?” “Is it translating the non-sentient being?” I click my mandibles (a sign for yes among my people), "I believe they're actually… a sentient species... and the GBINS incorrectly labeled them as non-sentient.” “Wait! A bunch of letters said that my people were non-sentient!?!” “I think that was an incorrect translation we were referring to an acronym.” I clarified for Sarla. “Didn't catch the last word sorry.” “It's okay the more you talk the communicator will be better at translating your language.” “Oh cool!” the Terran flashed their teeth something I have something they do a lot around me, I think it's a sign of friendliness among Terrans. It usually isn't put with other aggressive behaviors such as tensing muscles, which are common among predator species.

“How many how long have you been spending time with it?” Whimper asked exasperated. “Didn't last more than three days before I said hi…” “Oh, you're hopeless!” “Why is that bad?” Sarla trying to get a glimpse of Whimper. “Your species are Infamous for being incredibly dangerous.” “Can you repeat that with small words? the communicator is not that good.” “You're dangerous.” “Try again.” “You cause pain?” “You saying I'm [Dangerous/violent/harmful]” The communicator listed the possible words that Sarla could have been saying. “I think so but the communicator is not very clear.” “They're friendly to me! they've done nothing that is then possibly threatening to me yet.” Whimper shook his head up and down a sign of frustration among his people, “yet did you forget that it bit Borek?” “I would like to not be referred to as an ‘it’ anymore I'm not an object I prefer to be referred to as [she/her/referring to a female].” “Sorry!” I say as I twitch my antennas in a sign of apologies and happiness. “Why are you apologizing you're not the one I was referring to me as an object.” “Well, I was earlier before I knew you were sentient.” “[Acknowledgement/surprise/confused/stunned]” “We should probably tell Lilen about this she is the captain after all. She'll want to meet her new crewmate properly -as long as you promise not to hurt us” He said gesturing to Sarla “you get that Communicator up and running,” he gestured to me. “it'll be lovely to talk and study the ins and outs of humans and I can ask you medical questions how fascinating!” He said Clapping (a common sign of joy happiness or excitement for Phasmons) before turning down the hallway in excitement.