Future Tense (Part 1)

"This is exciting! We will move faster than any human ship ever. I have prepared the engines. On my mark. Mark"

"Oh Shit!"

..........

Space has tides, things can wash up from the deep and the forgotten places. Remnants from other days and other lives pulled or pushed from the dark by black holes, dragged by strange winds. This is where we found the human ship.

It had tumbled into a major shipping lane, a ghost. The sleek shape was marked by a life spent in the deep, it was pockmarked by micro meteors, dark and cold as space itself

We sent the Imperium cruiser Sannel to intercept and investigate. The ship was typical of its type, a Tri-AI Command system. Experience has taught us that one AI will, eventually, go mad. Two will conspire. Three works.

"We have no records of this ship type. Unknown configuration. Unknown crew. Recommend recovery."

"Concur."

"Concur. Recommend contamination protocols."

"Agreed."

The ship had records of mad-machine intelligences, dragged from well deserved oblivion, trying to infiltrate the ships that recovered them. It was a death sentence for everyone involved.

Now slowed and stabilised, the human ship carried no markings. Whatever had been there had long since burned away, but otherwise there appeared to be no serious exterior damage.

"Sending in drone recovery. There is a port of some kind, attempting to open."

The drones began to cut into the airlock. After a few pointless minutes scoring the outermost layers, the port opened on its own, allowing the drones access. Initial scans showed that the ship hull was remarkably thick, well beyond any normal Imperium design.

Even more remarkable was that further ship systems began activating. The damage caused by the drones was quickly and silently repairing itself.

Lighting switched on, alongside a simple dial, indicating spectrum range. The drone fumbled with the dial, discovering it was a simple plus or minus control. It set the lights to its optimal preference.

Then the gravity activated, alongside a similar dial.

"This ship is remarkable. It obviously belonged to a multi-species civilisation. I am intrigued."

"Concur. Forwarding details to Central Hub."

"Continuing study."

The drones reconfigured for gravity and began mapping the ship. The vast majority of the ship registered as solid. Either the sensors couldn't penetrate properly or it was an unimaginable, purposeless design. The drones moved towards the sole open space they detected.

Sitting alone on the bridge was a humanoid. Obviously artificial, it was a tall creature with long limbs. It began making sounds, watching the drones. Suddenly high pitched screaming resonated through the drones.

"Aural spectrum established."

The humanoid stepped forward, offering a device to the drone. It made no further movements.

The drone scanned it quickly, it was a self-contained read-only memory chip. No hidden folders, no active code. Basically it was a very long document, listing mathematical descriptors, followed by elements, then common objects. The Tri-AI absorbed the information easily, a simple language primer.

"This is the Imperium cruiser Sannel. Please state your origin and purpose."

"I am the Human Planning Ship Longshot. Pleased to meet you. My purpose is simply to preserve this ship. I was thrown far from our space, beyond any recovery.

"You are a derelict ship in Imperium space. I require your cooperation. You will submit to our instructions."

The Avatar nodded." Of course, I am happy to meet you. You are not permitted to board the ship as a hostile force, otherwise I shall cooperate. I will transmit our first contact protocols to you. Perhaps we could go from there?"

The Sannel needed a moment

"It is clearly not derelict. Nor is it without a crew. There is much to learn here."

"It does not appear hostile, in fact it seems to be intent on presenting a peaceful manner. I suggest we, provisionally, allow this as a first contact situation. Others will decide."

"Fine, I concur.

"Concur."

"Concur."

The two ships moved quickly to the quarantine station Hammel, in orbit around the sun of a planet free system. Each ship had evaluated each other passively. For the Imperium ship it was an education and, to be frank, slightly worrying, as the human ship had effortlessly matched any pace it cared to set. It still showed as dark, no emissions detected.

The Imperial Diplomats were waiting as the ships arrived. They were inclined to follow the Sannels example and treat this as a first contact. Of course, it might be a useful way of extracting any tech. If necessary they could simply take the ship.

The Human Avatar arrived through the airlock

"Thank you for your welcome."

Behind her, the Longshot sealed itself up. The door disappeared, the ship now registered as entirely solid.

"Welcome to my station. I am the AI Hammel. These organics represent the Imperial government. It is they that will decide your fate. I will only intervene if the station is threatened."

"Still, a pleasure to meet you. It would be a pity to discover, for example, that eighteen members of your covert ops were currently trying to breach my hull. That's very brave, considering what might happen. Lucky I'm a diplomat, isn't it?"

The Hammel moved quickly. Perhaps a little flattery might help?

"You are designated ambassador for humans. We apologise for our.. curiosity."

The intervention teams were quickly recalled. For some strange reason their matt black uniforms were now bright pink.

On the sole channel that the teams were broadcasting on, the Longshot learned quite a lot of new swearwords.

A long and painful decontamination awaited them.

One of the Aliens stepped forward, "Welcome Ambassador, perhaps you could give us some details about yourself and your people? You are not the first mechanical species we have met, please forgive us if we are a little slower on the uptake. I'm afraid my people have chosen to stay with our organic forms."

The Longshot smiled " Oh, humans are organic. I'm a product of theirs, sort of a hobby they have. They persist in trying to make everything sentient. I think they were lonely for a long time. I am, however, a full human citizen and entitled to First Contact protection. May I ask your title?"

"Of course, how rude of me. I am Heltan, Imperium Science Director for this sector. I'm afraid you stumbled into a rather busy time for us. We have prepared a meeting, I'm sure you have many questions. I know we do."

Clearly the meeting was important. Several screens overlooked the conference. Heltan took his position at the head of the table. He began.

"Excited as we all are to meet a new species, under the protocol you send us, I believe you are required to provide us with information as to your intentions and capacities."

Longshot nodded. "Of course. I am the avatar for the Human Planning Ship currently in orbit. I am an artificial intelligence representing the interests of the Human species in general and specifically my human crew."

There was a murmur at that. One of the screens started flashing.

Heltan explained " It appears our military has a question. General Resjok would like to join our conversation."

"Why are we talking to a machine if its master's are outside? Explain!"

Longshot had been waiting for this. Fun times ahead. " My organic crew members chose to await recovery in stasis, rather than spin in space indefinitely. I will reanimate them when I judge it safe. Also, they get bored easily and bored humans are unpredictable. Frankly, I prefer them all asleep."

The General seemed unhappy with the response. " You get to judge this? A toaster! Where is your Captain?"

"You misunderstand, General, I am the Captain. I was Captain before the accident and I remain so. My crew trusts me to look after their interests, as I'm sure your men do. Unless, of course, they are 'toasters'."

Heltan felt the mood shifting again. He hurriedly interrupted " My apologies, I'm afraid the General is a little old fashioned." He ostentatiously cut the Generals feed.

" Perhaps you could continue?"

"Certainly. I have observed that you use a calendar of twenty eight hours, two hundred and eighty revolutions per year. Is that correct?"

Heltan nodded, unsure where this was going.

"Then I have been traveling for around three hundred of your revolutions. I estimate our destination is another two hundred years or so from here."

Longshot paused, inclining her head as if to hear something distant

"I have a question that appears more urgent, however. There appears to be a fleet approaching under some sort of crappy cloaking shield. Do they belong to you?"

Heltan watched as his meeting fell apart, the station staff running from the room.

The Avatar watched. " I guess that's my answer."

"As I said, you arrived at a busy time. We are suffering raids from an unknown force. Unhappily, most of us were hoping you were a part of it and willing to talk. We are unable to penetrate their shields. Or detect them, unlike you apparently."

The Avatar showed her teeth." I, of course, cannot get involved in your military conflicts. We have barely met. However, should they attack my ship, I will respond. May I ask you for your permission? I dislike being interrupted."

Heltan quickly agreed.

Longshot returned to her ship and began booting up the scanners. The incoming fleet had an organic crew, so no mad machines. She decided to call them.

"Hello incoming Fleet. Any chance you could identify yourself?"

Nothing. Perhaps this was a good time to wake up some people. Humans got annoyed if they felt they had missed out. She hit the Lazarus button.

Of the twelve newly awakened crew, the first to reach the bridge was the Engineer.

"What have you broken?"

"Hello Chief, good to see you again too. Nothing broken, just an incoming Fleet. Probably hostile. Also met a new empire, which I know you love. Thought you might like to be here for this. The coffee is ready by the way, I suggest you have a cup."

Then the unknown fleet attacked.