This OVALS triad is analyzing and set to scoop up an old relic and then go mess with ol’ homo sapiens obsoletae.
“I’m heading in to get a look at this thing. “Review with me.” Madrigal says to Corcoran.
"OK,” Corcoran responds. “That dome looking thing, you know, that’s the plume from a gas geyser. “You’re going to have to penetrate that and then get below it. “Once you’re clear of that, you should have good horizon all around. “The readout is going to take you right to your location.” Keep auto off until you get below the plume.”
Corcoran, Madrigal, and Graybill hover over a "stinker.” Stinkers are planets that produce and belch. It could be gas or liquid, but some planets gather energy in their bellies and expel it. Any planet with life or movement has to have a way to eat and a way to expel. One way or another, one material or another. All planets with life have some kind of cycle of some elements or others.
“What the heck is this thing?” Graybill asks. The three of them look at images of the crash they are surveying to claim.
“It’s a long way from home, that’s for sure.” Corcoran says. “Anybody know when it’s from?”
“This is basic carbon made stuff.” Madrigal says, “It’s not Earth, though, but definitely linear. “I wonder if it’s early Frestric.” I think that bulge inside the vertical stabilizer looks like an early plasma box housing."
“I have a feeling you’re right.” Corcoran says. “There’s nothing here of note, really, I’m not sure we’re really here for the materials. We may just be establishing ourselves in this mapping. “I think we need to establish some paperwork out here.”
“OK, I’m ready to drop.” Madrigal says. She gets herself into position beneath the other two. Corcoran ranges off to the side to follow the descent with a view from the side. All of these maneuvers are logged and recorded by all three OVALS. Graybill will stay directly above her as she descends. The main focus of this OVAL is the gas cloud.
OVALS function identically in any atmosphere. For the species that developed the OVALS, there is no distinction between a gas and a liquid, in terms of their evolution. They evolved on and escaped from what we named Earth 4 million years before humans even began evolving. They evolved to master both the land and the sea. They breathe and function equally well, breathing Earth’s air and water. They breathe both fresh and salt water.
For this reason, their physics are completely different. They have never approached science and manufacturing in the same way humans have. Most of their tools and materials function equally well and behave identically in gas and liquid environments. Including the OVALS.
Maddy descends into the plume, and Graybill and Corcoran admire the chemical reaction as her OVAL approaches the source of the gas. “Pretty",” says Graybill. “You’re glowing yellow and blue, Maddy.” Corcoran says. Maddy can see whatever they are seeing. They see what she’s seeing. They all have one another’s screen’s views.
“OK, I’m out, I’m following readout.” In an instant, Madrigal is hovering over the wreck. “Activating claim.” she says.
She gets her images of everything, and they run their analysis. It is, in fact, one of the earliest Frestric. The Frestric have probes all over space, but as a species, they’re ‘grounded,’ meaning they’ve never been out of their atmosphere. There are many advanced species that cannot travel due to the nature of their biology. Frestric are a carbon species like humans and myriad others. Frestric are what is known as ‘ethereals’. They are comprised of thirty percent light, and they have very soft, translucent, and delicate features. Things like pressure and vacuum do not agree with them.
“Their stuff is good.” Madrigal says. “They definitely compensate for their displacement. “This stuff is barely dented. It kited down, it was an automated descent, but it couldn’t handle the landing.” She explains.
She runs all sorts of analysis on the station. It’s not dissimilar to an Earth station from the same era. Frestric are a more intelligent and advanced species than humans, but rather than their intellectual and emotional conditions, its their physical attributes keep them tethered.
“Let’s convene.” Corcoran says. “Let’s meet over at Earth at my favorite low orbit hang, ready.” Corcoran set’s the mapping, and they are gone.
“It seems like the more communication capacity these linears have, the worse they get along.” Madrigal says, as they watch 1970’s Earth.
Corcoran responds: “Well, what happens is that the better their technology is, the faster they destroy everything.” They aren’t just linear, they’re backwards too.”
“We’re seen!” Graybill announces.
“I see them.” Madrigal responds. “What should we tell them?” She adds.
“One of them just asked the others if they thought we could see them.” Graybill says. “I’m going to blink twice.”
“You are so bad.” Madrigal says.
“I’ll take care of it.” Corcoran says. He chants three times to them.
“Coincidence. Coincidence. Coincidence.”
The End.
AI Titles.
"Exploring the Unknown: A Journey into the Gas Cloud"
"Stinkers and Surprises: Unveiling Mysteries on Alien Planets"
"Frestric Encounters: Unearthing Ancient Technology"
"The Legacy of Frestric: Unraveling the Secrets of Space Probes"
"From Gas Clouds to Ancient Wrecks: A Scientific Expedition"
"Ethereals Among Us: Delving into Frestric Technology"
"Mapping the Unknown: Adventures in Alien Terrain"
"In the Shadow of the Gas Plume: Uncovering Extraterrestrial Relics"
"Interstellar Encounters: Navigating the Challenges of Space Exploration"
"Frestric Chronicles: Tales from the Outer Reaches"
Claiming Scrap on Planets