I've got a list of names | Glowfic Constellation

Afen is disappointed in the universe. He bounds back and forth across his room explaining why to his wife, his infant granddaughter, the end table, and a reporter flabbergasted by her good luck and cringing silently against the wall in the hopes he won't remember she's there.

"There is no reason to suppose that a species evolving independently of Amentans, with their own evolutionary history and living mammalian species likely related to theirs, would end up looking like us. None. Every explanation every scientist has ventured to the press has been unimaginative and unconvincing retroactive refitting of bad models to baffling data. Aliens shouldn't look like us but with different hair colors. Aliens that are not made out of carbon at all would be unsurprising; aliens with only as much physiological dissimilarity as exists between us and animal species on our planet would be mildly surprising; aliens with opposable thumbs would be truly remarkable. This is not remarkable and biologically enlightening; this is just inconsistent with everything we understand about the universe. It doesn't teach us new things about evolution; it should make us rethink evolution. - don't quote that part, they'll take it out of context."

Reporter nods rapidly.

"All of that said, I've picked up three of the languages and I'm working on building a good machine translator, it's a challenge with as little as they've produced in the way of electronic records. I'm absolutely going there to meet them as soon as the politicians figure out what to do with themselves."

"Do you have any predictions about that?"

"About politics? Why would I have predictions about politics? They deliberately obscure relevant information, for one thing, and for another it's deathly boring."

"- I mean, sir, surely you hear from your son about -"

"I have seven children and some of them are very dense indeed but not quite dense enough to try to interest me in politics."

"I was referring to -"

"I know who you were referring to. If you want a statement from Aitim go bother Aitim."

"Thank you for your time."

"I did not alter my activities in response to your presence and therefore you can't yet be said to have wasted any of my time though you should go before you do."

...out skitters the reporter.

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"Tempted?" he asks his wife.

"I'd have to manage the domestic business remotely and everything'd be polluted and what about schools for the girls - but I'm sure there are a million inefficiencies in all their production lines..."

"I know, right."

"Is your father going? He can probably just tutor them in everything they can't learn from written material."

"Yeah, they'd have quite a time stopping him. I bet he'd be delighted to tutor the girls."

"And if they want music - well, is Makel going, I don't see that he has any reason to -"

"I don't think so. No internet, he'd perish of lack of attention. We could probably find some music tutors who'd be ecstatic to come along."

"Or art, if they want art. Hala's never cared much for it but Kaloa might decide she likes it more than as an occasional hobby at any time and who knows about Sisheka. Who knows? Who knows, not me and not you!" (This last to Sisheka, who is across the room in Hala's arms making Hala's first spring much pleasanter.)

"I bet we'll have our pick of both if we can get them clearance to go be colonists. Though there'll be a lot of turnover while people figure out who seasons properly. I was thinking we could stay most of this year even if we don't get lucky with the seasons, spring with Sisheka'll be fine."

"That makes sense. I can bring a bunch of my more promising yellow staff, leave any who season right behind even if we have to go."

"Sounds good!"

Isama picks out staff who will be able to assemble Assemble by themselves on a colony planet even if she leaves and want to go.

Afen Kisantami

greengreengreen

Afen gets his machine translation working adequately and teaches French classes to packed auditoriums with a million people following along online.

Inlad Elegan

"What do you think, should we go?"

"It's certainly interesting but I don't know that blue credits in particular will be any cheaper there than here and they may not have much demand for judges. I suppose we could apply and let them make that judgment - I doubt credits are more expensive there -"

Inlad Elegan

"I was thinking land would be cheaper, one might end up more or less owning a whole country if they administered it well and had cousins in high places. And we'll need to enforce the laws for the locals, right?"