Report to the Empiricists (2008) Part 1/5

A short while ago we approached a spiral galaxy, zones of which are currently under your jurisdiction. What follows, in light of your valuable assistance, is a report of our investigation.

The galaxy nearly filled the horizon when a particle caught in our antenna was found to be resonating with a note of despair. We quickly determined that the particle had not been sent locally, and a check of bodies nearby eliminated them as a potential source. At that point we were bound to follow the path of the particle to the point of that collision, and find the initial source of the vibration. Of course, anomalies had not yet been ruled out. We quickly arrived at a provisional conclusion, which proved to be correct. The vibration of the particle was due to a collision with a series of electrons long before.

The path of the particle led us to a galactic arm. Analysis of the vibration showed that the electrons involved in the collision had been broadcast. This increased the likelihood that it originated through a crude distress signal, which nearly brought our investigation to an end. In the three instances in our recent history that we have encountered such signals, source investigation revealed evidence of extinct single-planet civilizations, with less than ideal conditions for any beneficial study. Then it was determined that the broadcast was highly contrived. The note was not directly broadcast from the vocalization of a being, but was from an analogue recording, reproduced through the spinning of synthetic matter. Also, the vocalization itself seemed contrived. The note was too long to be included in dense verbal communication, and probably was not part of a distress signal. At that stage we thought it was possible that the note was simply part of a representation of despair. Our investigation continued due to what Empiricists might call curiosity.

Of course we have our own musical presentations, from the range of pure narrative to pure emotion, recorded from the time we swam our oceans. These are reproduced or enjoyed rarely, since our state and our mission has changed. We notified your group about our mission, such as it was, as we approached the galaxy, and contacted our home system seeking the location of files pertaining to stylized vocalization; our own, and those of other cultures.

"Stylized vocal presentations are always contrived, to a degree. They provide instruction and/or catharsis. When analyzed, they may also have an emotive effect."

We met the threshold of crude sound broadcasts as we neared a planetary system within the galaxy. As we harvested these broadcasts, it was clear that they were from a fresh single-planet civilization which we thought, rightly, could be found extant. I should note that at this point in our investigation we were wrong in assuming that it would be fruitful without your help.

It was determined that these broadcasts were created by a particular air-breathing, surface-dwelling species, with individuals typically one of two gender. Just past the broadcast threshold we found many stylized vocalizations, most of which were accompanied by musical instruments. All members of the crew felt that their curiosity was gratified. Cataloging the prevalent languages was slow, difficult work. Our usual strategy of matching word forms with others, analyzing the tone used and formation of phrases helped with the determination of vocabulary. With these methods, and through acoustical analysis, we found one example of pure vocal communication that was a direct account of a disaster involving a new type of airship. We later learned that this was during a particularly chaotic period in the planet’s history. We found one example of stylized vocalization from that period to be an exemplar of confusion. Its main, literal point was a strong affirmation that there were no stores of a particular sweet, pulpy, tropical herb pod available for purchase. A majority of us found this amusing.

At this threshold of long-distance communication, what could be called a personal involvement between our two cultures began. We were attracted by the signals which were now obviously inter-species directed, but cautious, considering the wild emotions displayed in the broadcasts, and the events which were behind them. With the system star most evident, we found ourselves overwhelmed by information, and frankly, too excited.

It was then that we accepted your translation files, which were gratefully received by our language department. We came to the point of collision between the particle and the particular broadcast in question. Your advice to jog back to harvest the original broadcast series, and the tact with which it was delivered, was appreciated. We discovered that the note was part of a typically short presentation of stylized vocalization, with instrumenal accompaniment. It was captured, restored, and presented ship-wide three times.

The presentation featured the vocalization of an individual of young-bearing gender who had marked the value of one or more individuals higher than that of herself, but then, unaccountably, had lost that feeling.

We received your offer of further assistance, and replied that we had come to what was our third halt for the purpose of analysis. In fact, we were now analyzing ourselves as much as the planet you study. No account can fully reflect what motivated us to stop, or the reason we continued.

Strong and varied reactions were noted among the crew. A few individuals said the presentation was different from others only in its excess of sentimentality. One crew member went as far as to say no further investigation was warranted. Most were intrigued, though, by the presentation, and the individual featured in particular. Then Cultural Section issued a statement that, although fictional to a degree, the presentation could reflect the state of the vocalizing participant. Many of the crew declared that further investigation would be worthwhile, if only to locate the individual and help her regain the feeling that she had lost. When we seemed ready to continue toward the planetary system, a crew member in the drive section began to reproduce the presentation through the use of his gills in a wondrous manner. Species throughout the ship that had not evolved past wave communication organs were the first to note this.

Other presentations featuring vocalizations of the inhabitant in question were captured as we sped toward the planet. We were able to see, among various images, the inhabitant in particular. The afore-mentioned drive specialist exhibited further anomalous behavior, continuing to reproduce vocalization and expressing an unusually large amount of affect. For his physical good, we used the tactic of bringing him to the officer’s leisure section for an encore presentation.

As we arrived at the source planet, a pulse shot from a small box hurtling around it to a spot on the surface. Then from that spot, a line of communication opened to us. As always, we appreciate Empiricist brevity, but we should have requested a protocol briefing at that time. We came to a final stop and defined our mission: To survey a living world civilization, and determine the status of one of its members. World files were located and some of our curiosity was gratified. But, strangely, there was no mention of the singer’s current location. Further communication with the home system located pertinent files and some advice.

"Avoid compassion which harms its own object."

PERSONAL APPENDIX, INCLUDED WITH THE BALANCE OF THE ECLECTIC REPORT

One individual was found to be expert. She is the only member of our crew who had personally studied evidence of single-planet civilizations. After a long period of service, she had been granted a suite onboard and was consulted on occasions such as this.

"They had us confused with others they thought were coming, when we came across the last world civilization I saw. It was pathetic. They needed help, but we can’t help them evolve."

I asked her what the inhabitants might be like, and if there were any dangers that we hadn’t considered.

"Don’t startle them, and don’t let them startle you. That can cause a commotion."

She stroked her dorsal with a tentacle, and it startled me.

"See! That’s one example," she said. "I didn’t mean for it to be, but it’s a useful one. It’s a mannerism I adopted during my travels. ‘Going native’, I guess. The gesture meant something, I think. I don’t know what. It might be a mating gesture, or a prelude to attack. It might mean that I’m about to leave here. I don’t know. I’ve been doing it a lot lately, and have always done something different after. It confuses you. When dealing with primitives, that confusion could be multiplied by a hundred. They express themselves by doing the impossible, by any standard. Then they might express themselves by not putting litter in its place. That’s the way we used to be. Go there. I’m looking forward to seeing it. No files exist where we can see how we used to be."

I reminded her that we evolved fully in water, while these inhabitants surfaced and took another path.

"That’s a physical and cultural difference that shouldn’t be dwelt upon. Leave things like that to the Empiricists. Keep in mind the fact that we’re Eclectics. Use the start they made, and go deeper. You’ll find that our studies mesh at some point. We can assume inhabitant form, so use it. Climbing a tree wouldn’t be a waste. Neither would swimming. But be careful. Don’t let them startle you, and don’t startle them. They can be startled into doing the impossible. I’ve seen it."