novel method of FTL travel

[allforthehive]

One of the supposedly pre-warp systems the Prometheus is visiting may seem a little strange. Half an hour into its visit to this system, a new ship appears spontaneously near one of the stations, with no trace of a warp signature.

Comments

[allforthehive]

A station transmitter pauses its data-dump to expand the call to include video. What comes on screen looks a bit like a three-meter tall Earth insect, complete with mandibles, compound eyes, and six limbs.

"We are the hive of Princess Zztk'n. Who are you?"

[warpfairy]

Hesitantly, Isabella offers video back. "I am Captain Isabella T'Mir of the United Federation of Planets survey vessel Prometheus."

[allforthehive]

The Hiver's antennas move excitedly. "You are not a Hiver. This is a momentous occasion. I think your language does not use scent? I can talk in dryspeak."

The non-audio data in the transmission stops. "You say you can go home whenever you like, but your ship is not large enough to contain a gate. Will I assume there is another way of breaking past light?"

[warpfairy]

Sheeee's in trouble. She might actually be able to get out of charges against her about this specific occasion but she wouldn't come through the scrutiny on her other activities unless she can get the hivers to cover for her. Which probably means reaching into her very shallow bag of tricks and teaching them warp, if they're friendly, or panicking if they're not.

"My language does not use scent. I have a device which is translating for me, and it may not be doing it well. Is the gate the way your ships can appear and disappear? My people do not do that."

[allforthehive]

"Yes, yes, you sound strange to us as we certainly do to you! We will remember the reason. The gate is many places and yet also only one place. It allows ships to travel from itself to its sisters. The network is busy, but we are not cut off."

He calms down a bit. "Know that though we are the only hive already on this world, we are not unarmed. If you threaten our princess we will attempt to destroy you. It is not a threat, simply a fact."

[warpfairy]

"I have no desire to harm any of you. Are the gates like wormholes?"

[allforthehive]

"Not exactly. More... My princess wishes to speak to you directly."

The image changes. "I am the princess Zztk'n. I welcome you to this system and hope our first contact with races other than our own can be peaceful and productive. Who is your princess?"

[warpfairy]

"I am not certain that 'princess' means anything that my people have. The United Federation of Planets is led by President Thross."

[allforthehive]

"Hiver royalty is many times as intelligent as all others, and I and my daughters are the mothers of the entire hive. It is the natural order that we direct its efforts. Your biology is alien to us if you have no princess. I suspect that the United Federation of Planets is not similar to the political system I know. The only federation I have ever heard of is a historical alliance between rebellious princesses who took exception to the Queen, before we learned to build the gates."

[warpfairy]

"The Federation I am from is several different species from separate planets, cooperating, and we know of more who do not belong to the group. My own kind does not have princesses, but I have not studied all of the other species' habits in detail to say if any of them might more resemble you."

If Isabella does think so herself this isn't going so badly. Maybe she can angle the entire thing into an anti-Directive activist movement.

[allforthehive]

"Our gene-weavers have long suspected that there is much life in the universe, waiting to be found. We have visited 343 systems, and gateships are travelling to 116 more at this moment. We would be very interested in information about your species' biology and a sample of your genetic code."

[warpfairy]

"...Among my people genetic information is considered very private. I would not like to offer you a sample of my own genome now. But I can tell you general things about the species of the Federation and the others we have met."

[allforthehive]

The princess makes an agitated noise. "How am I supposed to communicate without the subtleties provided by scent? That was intended as an offer to purchase genetic data, not me begging for it with nothing in return."

[warpfairy]

"The translations should improve in accuracy over time, but scent per se is not part of my device's capabilities. Whether my genome is available for purchase depends substantially on what you would want to do with it and how you would protect it from other things that might be done with it."

[allforthehive]

"We would study them and begin to understand the other ways life can be. I clarify that we are not interested in your genetic data in particular at this time, rather, the biology and genetics of your species and other species that you know of in general. Of course we will not share proprietary genes with all, if you wish to protect your competitive advantage."

[warpfairy]

"...I do not have any other genomes on my ship to share. My apologies for the misunderstanding. The concerns about sharing the genomes are not about competitive advantage but about privacy and the potential for cloning."

[allforthehive]

"We understand... You have technology that we do not. I hope the reverse is true so we have something to offer your hive in return."

[warpfairy]

"I've never heard of gates like the ones you use before."

[allforthehive]

"The gates are not mine to give. You would need to speak to the Queen."

[warpfairy]

"Yes, but if you have one unfamiliar technology you may have more. This is not a trading vessel, though, and I did not expect to find anyone to talk to here."

[allforthehive]

She describes several technologies, most well behind federation standards. Though apparently they released dozens of custom engineered bacteria into the planet's atmosphere to speed up terraforming.

[warpfairy]

"Your bacteria are interesting and not an avenue the Federation has investigated as deeply."

[allforthehive]

"I have neglected my duties of birth long enough. If you wish to discuss this further I would have you speak to my geneweavers."

[warpfairy]

"...All right."

[allforthehive]

"The one you will speak to is called Chief Geneticist Kutlt. I would speak to you again about whatever technology drives your vessel after you finish conversing with him."