Krista met her team on the day of departure. Another Class 8 world, another journey into the unknown, another chance to fill her mind with endless possibility, only to have it met with disappointment.
She was a Reacher, equipped with the standard red hair and green eyes common to anyone from or descended from her homeworld. Their race was known throughout the universe as one of the most inquisitive of the Class 8 citizens and Krista's own insatiable hunger for exploration was a perfect reflection of that opinion.
Almost in direct opposition to everything about her, the man they appointed as Judge for her assignment was tall, dark and forbidding, descended from a race of Class 8 citizens that held a rather fatalistic view of life. It would be to this man to pronounce the fate of Earth based on her research and observations and, though she'd never worked with him, his personal reputation was one of excellent judgement.
The Solara were, of course, the only Class 1 citizen participating in the endeavor and wouldn't be of much use in the actual fact-finding aspect of their work, but were required for their ability to communicate with other Solara, including the one in Earth's own star system. She liked the Solara. They didn't speak much, had forgotten more about the universe than the rest of the Council had ever learned, and had a very dry sense of humor. That last, she thought, was an odd trait for a literal star, but it was the one she liked best.
Of the five people assigned to the Inquest, the only one she'd worked with previously was Bolstrom, a Class 3 citizen. Where Class 8's were all bipedal variants of universal life, Class 3 were quadrapedal. Subdivisions in the classes would narrow any group down into a specific branch, but Bolstrom's race was the only known version of a Class 3 that could literally vaporize itself and exist in a cloud state. They were, even after several million years in the Council of Worlds, a curiosity for scientists everywhere. Krista appreciated the opportunity to learn about Bolstrom's people's unusual ability, but she liked him for his personality. He was shy and adorable with large expressive eyes that always held a hint of mischief.
The final member of the crew would be the ship, itself. Silicate life was rare in the universe, but they were just as much part of the Council of Worlds as any other. There was an odd symbiotic relationship between the Perronine and the Solara. While she ate food that contained all of the protiens and amino acids and carbohydrates she needed to sustain herself, the Perronine saw the Solara as a food source and, oddly, the Solara seemed to benefit from the relationship though she never had the time to look into the details. With more than a trillion member races in the Council of Worlds, focusing on a single detail of any one race would be a commitment of time and energy she rarely had time to spare. She was an Investigator and she, instead, focused on new worlds.
"Hail to the Sun." These words greeted her as she walked into the hangar bay. The Perronine ship was docked in it's cradle and a blue line of light appeared at it's nose, traversed it's length to it's engine cowls and vanished, a common greeting of the race. She smiled and turned to Bolstrum. 'Hail to the sun' was flattery from Bolstrum's people and referrenced her red hair as the color of their world's star as it rose over the horizon. The young man had explained this to her on their first mission and to be greeted in such a poetic and personal manner had become a ritual that was dear to her.
"Hello, friend." She responded. A 'friend' among Bolstrum's race was a rare and coveted thing. They were all loners by natural design and to be considered a friend by anyone was the rarest of gifts in the universe. The little creature scuttled left and right in delight, pointed claws tapping. Her grin was wide and warm and if it had been a color, it would have been a deep forest green with flecks of silver sparkling within. She knew this because the Perronine's surface recolored, the silver and platinum of their natural tones seeming to bleed away from the green. The lines and trim of the ship sparkled silver as an accent and Krista's head cocked in fascination. The Perronine sat in it's docking cradle and every light that shone upon it was static. The sparkling was, therefor, an intentional visual effect by the ship and she thought it quite beautiful. The recoloration was inviting and comfortable and seemed to exactly fit the situation as it's doors opened and a walkway extended from the dock toward it. The Perronine could communicate with and control dock functions through simple contact, as they could most non sentient machines and computers. Still, the suddenness surprised her. The ships were known for careful deliberation and were slow to act without being instructed but this one seemed downright giddy with it's instantaneous responses. Her smile broadened.
The bay in the station was a massive affair but each docking cradle had privacy walls that extended around the many Perronine docked within. For an expedition like hers, it was important for each member of the team to have a chance to meet and establish protocols before boarding. Comfortable couches lined the walls and she cast Bolstrum a wink before walking over to one. This act seemed to be the trigger to begin the formal introductions and her two new companions joined her in the seating area, Bolstrum choosing a low bench seat which it straddled then lowered onto before curling it's sharp pointed legs under it.
The Judge took a seat opposite to her and the three formed a triangle. After introductions, the Perronine would send out it's avatar with an invitation to board and their quest would begin. But first, important items must be attended to.
As the Investigator of their mission, Krista began the formalities. "I am Krista of the Reach." She nodded at Bolstrum, the Judge, and the Perronine in turn. "I request no accommodations for race, religion, gender, reproductive status, or political bias." It was rare for a race to request nothing, but Krista's were an inquisitive people, filled with curiosity and a desire to learn about the universe. By rejecting accommodation, she was giving the entire team permission to be themselves around her, to never worry about offending her and to be at ease in their own skins. It was the opinion of her people that accommodation interfered with learning about others. She turned to Bolstrum.
"I am Bolstrum Magard Ahvanetis of Betrasin Ahventis." At this, her optical overlay produced his name in fine white text below his folded legs. "I request accommodation in physical contact. Please refrain from touching me." This was common for the Betrice. Their homeworld had the unusual characteristic of being in thermal stasis and changing temperatures was uncomfortable for it's people. A person's hand on their skin would cause a temperature differential that they found to be quite painful. Bolstrum looked at her with a quirky grin and she nodded in assent. The Judge did so as well. A blue flash of light emanated from the Perronine that briefly illuminated the bay. All three turned to stare at the ship. Such an accommodation was impossible for Perronine to carry out as they would be living inside of it. Contact would be required for walking, sleeping and simply existing in any environment beyond a gravitational stasis lock. The Perronine didn't normally join the introductions for the simple reason that they were not expected to accommodate any other being. As they were the living method of transportation for the missions, it was the crew that would accede to anything required of the ship.
Bolstrum stuttered in surprise. "I, uh, didn't mean to place any limitations on you, Perronine." The ship may have chosen a name or not, none of them would know until the end of the meeting. Referring to any person as their race was considered a neutral address, though she knew the Betrice considered it to be polite and proper and the preferred method. She was a friend and could call Bolstrum by his name, but few others would. Without requesting accommodation for address, though, Bolstrum had given blanket permission for the team to be informal with him. It was a strange quirk that did much to endear him to Krista.
The ship flashed a soft pink light before returning to silver. Krista's head tilted slowly as she stared intently. What was the pink light? Perronine color responses were very much in line with an emotional response for the Reachers. Was the pink coloration to indicate embarrassment? A chagrinned Perronine? The implication of that took her sense of etiquette, being reminded of her situation by the Judge as he rather pointedly cleared his throat. Krista turned and he made a rather complicated gesture with his eyebrows suggesting hers were quite unacceptably raised. She took a moment to school her features.
"I am Cantis Fold of The First." The Judge's voice was deep but precise, settling over the small area like a rich, warm blanket that seemed to linger. "I request accommodation for reproductive status." The First were the Council of World's initial exposure to a Class 8 species. They were bipedal, carbon based and bisymetrical. Krista knew that there were hundreds, if not thousands, of subdivisions within each class ranking but the main two characteristics people tended to pay attention to were the current state of physical evolution and the current state of societal evolution. Almost all member races of the Council of Worlds were content to be left alone, or to trade and explore. Very few found any use for war, but the First abhorred violence in all forms. For this reason, they were very specific with their requests for accommodations as they felt that, by being specific, they could avoid problems. Many of the races that worked with them appreciated their self awareness and communication of those expectations. Krista had been part of many expeditions and felt that the orientation of the teams taught her and her people much about the races of the universe. The First were a trisexual species and the subject was taboo. However, on a mission such as theirs, anything that might cause issue must be addressed before departure. It wasn't uncommon for an entire mission to be reconfigured to accommodate the members races involved, the specific purpose of the mission, or the individual. In Cantis' request, he had let it be known that the mission would be exposed to an element related to the reproductive aspect of The First which interested her a great deal. She didn't know anything about how a trisexual species reproduced and Cantis had just put a hard stop to her curiosity on the subject. She was delighted. The judge's gaze passed to her and she nodded respectfully. Bolstrum followed and a faint blue flash came from the Perronine which caused another surprised pause in the meeting.
"I appreciate your acceptance, Perronine." Cantis said, a warm smile softening his hard features. "I request accommodation for personal space." Personal space was usually defined as 'within arms reach'. This was a very common request as some of the member races of the Council of Worlds were very physical in their communication. The First were not known for their need for personal space, so Krista considered it might be related to the first accommodation Cantis requested. She nodded under his inquisitive gaze, as did Bolstrum and the slight blue flash from the ship. "Finally, I request accommodation of honesty." This was the one accommodation The First adhered to without fail. When dealing with The First, the expectation was honesty without exception, regardless of personal bias or sympathetic bias for another. Under no circumstance would it be acceptable for a member of the expedition to deal with Cantis in a manner which might lead to a false understanding of fact or circumstance. This unflagging adherence to truth was one of the main reasons The First made excellent Judges. Nod, nod, blue flash.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
With the Perronine's flash, the customary orientation came to a close. Each had stated their boundaries, and each had agreed to abide by those boundaries. Krista's heart sped up a bit as they all turned to the Perronine, expectantly. Their race was known to be somber and serious, but so many things about the ship had already surprised her. From actively participating in the orientation to it's direct communication with her and it's emotive expressions, she was excited to learn about this new person. The Perronine were, without question, the mission leader if one were to be had. It was to them to keep the members alive, comfortable, and to be the communications hub between the Solara and all parties involved. They had full authority to reject any mission, to cancel it for any reason, to extend it or to change it in whatever way they saw fit. While they rarely interfered with an investigation and had never interfered with a Judgement, it was understood that they had every right to do so. As met with the seriousness of the position, the avatar provided by the ship would be used to facilitate communication and service to the crew. Most used androids provided by the Council, but a few used holographic avatars. They weren't great with physical tasks but any Perronine who chose holography for such a purpose would expect the crew to take up what physical tasks were required. Those were her favorite missions.
The ship pulsed a deep red, which confused Krista. Red would be considered representative of anger among her people, but she couldn't remember a time when a Perronine had ever used such a marker outside of combat. She glanced at her companions whose expressions both showed trepidation. They had the same thought she had.
Slowly, almost hesitantly, a figure peeked around the open doorway at the end of the gangway. The little face was no more than six inches off of the deck, elongated and fuzzy with twin expressive black eyes. It was a tiny horse with little wings on it's back.
An otherworldly sound emanated from Bolstrum as the tiny creature seemed to gather it's courage and it hopped into the open. Krista was leaning forward, eyes round in shock. The avatar of the Perronine could be anything. An android, a light matrix, a slab of steel that vibrated to produce sound. But this one had chosen what appeared to be child's stuffed animal. Krista couldn't make that make sense. Expeditions were serious things. Every mission had it's dangers and some held terror and woe. Each member of the team understood that not every circumstance could be accounted for and there was a chance that someone would have to relay disastrous news to the loved ones left behind following a catastrophic failure. Krista stared at the most unserious avatar she could have possibly imagined.
"That," Cantis said quietly, 'is the most adorable thing I've ever seen." This seemed to break the confused tension as Bolstrum squealed in delight and skittered off of his bench-perch. He scrambled up to the little creature and got right down on the floor, pointed legs splayed out beside him as his stalked eyes created a hemisphere of observance around it. He continued his delighted squeals, quieter in proximity to the ship's avatar, but no less enthusiastic. Krista agreed with both men. The tiny thing was absolutely the cutest thing in the universe at that moment.
"The Perronine." Cantis said, walking forward. She stepped wide in obeisance to his request for personal space, but he recognized the onus was on him to engender the spirit of the accommodation. He held his hands up as an offering of apology and stepped even further away before gesturing to the ship. "It's a child."
Krista's mind played back the short intervals between entering the bay to now. The emotional display. Not understanding the customs of orientation. Embarassment from a Perronine. The ready need to be involved with it's new companions. She looked down at the little stuffed horse, took in it's tiny golden wings and was that a little golden horn? The creature hopped about happily under Bolstrum's many eyed gaze.
"I would die for her." Krista spoke the words before realizing they were even a thought in her mind. She had arbitrarily assigned the ship a gender which was a fairly scandalous breach of etiquette. "Them." she corrected quickly. Cantis nodded in approval at her recognizition and recovery.
"The Perronine have bestowed on us an unparalleled honor." His smile was warm and carried into the depth of his deep voice. "They are a long lived species and I have never seen a young one." He stepped closer and peered down with a gentleness at odds with his race's normally bleak demeanor.
The little horse seemed to notice Krista and Cantis for the first time and hopped backward, scuttling across the gangway to stand in the door of the ship. Bolstrum collected himself and looked about sheepishly a wide grin splitting his face nearly in half. Krista saw his eyes watering and wondered if the Betrice would cry right then and there.
The tiny creature hopped once, then disappeared into the ship, an invitation for the others to board. Some Perronine would not allow it's occupants to wear shoes or boots within its walls as they tended to cause discomfort to the ship, but this one made no indication of any rules for boarding. Bolstrum took a moment to remove his 'boots', long slender sheathes that fit over his pointed legs. While the boots were made of a rigid metal composite, the 'feet' within tended toward elastic curvature when walking. two clawed appendages emerged from Bolstrum's underside, collected the boots and held them close to it's body as he preceded Krista and Cantis into the ship.
Krista's shoes were soft and thin and the next best thing to being barefoot which was her race's preferred method of pedestry. She didn't remove them as there would be little to no difference to the Perronine. Cantis took a moment to adjust his personal environment generator to include a thin cushion of air under his own rugged footwear. Krista was pleased that each of the expedition members had the compassion and empathy to board the ship with the confort of the Perronine foremost in their thoughts. This would be a fine mission.
Child or adult or senior, there was no such thing as a small Perronine. While only the ship was present for boarding, it was contained in a small space and would expand and reconfigure itself at will. As they boarded, corridors stretched and elastic walls straightened and became rigid. Before boarding, the distance between nose to engine cowls had been compressed to about fifty yards. She watched, in real time as the ship's size increased two fold, then five, then ten. The avatar bounced from one side of the corridor to the other, happily, faint blue lights marking it's paw prints as it advanced into a massive chamber. Pristine white light fell on a richly carpeted open area set tastefully with couches, chairs, desks, work stations, vast tables, blank display screens and a long dining set against one wall. Krista smiled, impressed.
"Wow." This from Bolstrum who had staggered to a halt, head swiveling rapidly. She agreed with the statement to her core. She had never seen an open plan within a Perronine. Her experience was that each department be segmented and isolated from the others. Planetary observation was in one room, dining in another. Meetings were held in a conference room while each member of the expedition had their own quarters. A series of doors set into the milky white wall to her left gave her to the understanding that instead of quarters, they would have dormitories. She peeked through one open door and saw a comfortable looking platform with the platform forming ramps at each side. Bolstrum followed her gaze and nodded in approval. Pillows were strewn everywhere, a delicate draping of silken cloth hanging from the ceiling. Krista memorized everything she could. She would have questions.
Cantis' gate was slow as he appreciated the simplistic, nearly artistic beauty of the chamber. Somehow, the room was both minimalistic and inviting, open and cavernous without being imposing.
The Judge glanced down at the little horse. "You are beautiful." He said, simply. The entire room flashed pink, before settling. All three smiled at the little creature which bounced once, then galloped comically around in a circle before leaping three feet in the air to land on the centerpiece of the room. A round table set with three overstuffed chairs. The creature looked down at the gray rectangle beneath it.
It was to Krista to take up the document sheaf and sit. The other two followed suit and she held up the folder to begin the informal custom.
"The Grey's report." she said quietly. Her eyebrows raised as she felt the Perronine detach from the station. She had never felt that happen before. Bolstrum's eyes stared vacantly as his consciousness focused on his senses. Cantis' eyes travelled, unseeing around the room. The little horse, which sat beside Krista, turned slightly pink and it was all she could do not to gather it up in her arms and whisper words of comfort.
Cantis focused on the creature. "We have all done these many times, Perronine." He gestured to Krista and Bolstrum. "Each of us began our careers without knowing one thing or another. It was your people who helped us through those times and it will be a genuine honor to repay that kindness." Krista nodded in agreement and Bolstrum tapped his claws together in agreement. The little horse flashed blue before returning to it's usual white and sat, contend, on Krista's hand. It was soft and squishy and fuzzy and melted everything inside her into warm honey. She wiggled her hand with a smile to let it know it had accidentally used her as it's seat. It hopped up and spun around to stare aggressively at her hand. She held up the folder again.
"The Grey's report." She repeated. Krista peeled back the flap, careful not to turn to any page but the very first. The Grey's knew their customs and, despite the rigid and cold dedication to their duty to the Council, played along with it in this one circumstance. There was no reason to have a physical file, but it was tradition. On the first page were a series of questions and a black dot after each.
"Earth." She said. "Home." It was the most common translation of a new species' planet name. When she touched the black dot, it would reveal what the planet name actually translated to, but wagering on the basics was tradition. People rarely bet on the first question, so she just waited.
"Agreed. Home." Bolstrum said.
"Haven." Cantis said after a moment. Each of them wore overlays and, while none of them actually spoke the same language, translation was never even thought of on a day-to-day basis. Saying the name of the planet they would be visiting however, the translation was the audible equivalent to how the species they would study pronounced it and that moment of surprise would always take half a heartbeat as they each realized that without the Case species, none of them would be able to have a conversation.
Krista touched the black dot on the page which bled away to form letters to reveal the answer. She blinked.
"Dirt." she said simply. Bolstrum and Cantis exchanged glances. After a pregnant pause, Bolstrum spoke.
"They named their planet "Dirt"?
