Starship Armstrong - Season 3

Part 60 - Old Habits (II)

"Hello there," said the tall woman. "I'm Lieutenant-Commander Mitzner of the Huxley Foundation Starship Armstrong. And we come in peace right back at you."

"I am Dr. Kang," interjected the bearded one, apparently Dr. Kang. "These are my assistants McAfree and Wagner."

"Ensigns McAfree and Wagner," added Wagner.

"Shut up Wagner," said McAfree.

"Starship Armstrong," said Mupallidat-Tiamat thoughtfully. "Where is this Starship? It must be very far away."

"Oh no," said the one called Lieutenant Commander. "It's right here in local orbit. We just arrived less than a standard day ago. We didn't detect you guys though."

Arrived? Had the strangers been sent here by their ancestors, like her people had been so many generations ago? Mupallidat-Tiamat felt a twinge of fear. The first contact between these people and her own was an incredibly important moment. Dangerous even. Mupallidat-Tiamat wished there was a Captain-caste here.

"Have you come to scout the strange metal thing like me?" she asked

"Oh no the metal thing is our shuttle..." the woman seemed confused.

Shuttle? Mupallidat-Tiamat didn't understand. Another strange word in their strange, barely comprehensible dialect.

Now Dr. Kang was laughing for some reason.

"Huh," said Lieutenant-Commander.

"Looks like we found the quarter kays," said Dr. Kang.

Mupallidat-Tiamat didn't really follow.

"The metal thing is yours? What manner of thing is a 'shuttle'? Why did you bring it all the way here?" she asked.

"We're explorers," said Lieutenant-Commander. "The shuttle is our means of travel."

That much made sense. They must be Operations-caste like her. The 'shuttle' was some kind of sledge. Mupallidat-Tiamat couldn't even imagine what the animal that pulled it must look like. And it must have pulled it all the way here from some place beyond the scouted lands.

She looked around suspiciously. Was the giant beast still in the area? Was it very dangerous? How could something like that hide so well? That implied the shuttle moved by some other means, like a boat sailing on the water. She had so many questions she didn't know where to begin.

Mupallidat-Tiamat wanted to see where these people lived. See if they really were from a starship like her. Get a sense of the reality of some of the amazing things she had been imagining.

"Can you take me to Starship Armstrong?" she asked.

"Well it's a long way away and we just got here," said Lieutenant-Commander. "Is there a particular reason you wanted to go?"

"I wish to see it for myself," said Mupallidat-Tiamat. "So I can tell my people what I saw."

"Why don't I make you a deal," said Lieutenant-Commander. "If you take me to see your Starship, I'll take you to see mine."

Mupallidat-Tiamat thought about it. That seemed like a fair deal.

"Very well, I agree," she said. "Come with me."

She headed back into the forest, and the strangers followed.

The trip back to the Starship was not long but the strangers did not take it in stride. Dr. Kang and McAfree complained the entire way and all but Lieutenant-Commander were obviously exhausted by the short hike.Lieutenant-Commander was the only one who seemed like they'd make a decent Operations-caste.