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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Minor Finis Way

Minor has a bunch of questions about magical China's department of records. Also, has she had the chance to acquire any skypeople devices to look at?

"A few, early on, to determine that they were not magical."

too-early-and-too-late

These wizards have been monitoring skypeople communications through their internet. They heard about the rabbit incident that way, actually.

"Yes, we have heard it has become uncontainable. It is very troubling."

too-early-and-too-late

"Do you have a sense of what the Ministry here is inclined to do?"

"We are in consultation with the other parties interested in preserving the Statute, and are holding the Animagus ourselves. I suspect we could have compromised on the conquerors' leader being aware of magic, but general knowledge is too much."

too-early-and-too-late

"I agree. And their leader won't cooperate with ensuring it doesn't become general knowledge?"

"It did not seem so to Minister Du."

too-early-and-too-late

"What options are being considered, then?"

"Many people would like to consult the international community for guidance and support. Some prefer to pretend that nothing happened and see if the sky people put the lie to that interpretation of events in a way that cases international friction. A few would like to continue to attempt to cultivate Aitim Neli and bring him to seeing reason on any shared priorities that are available, but Minister Du is pessimistic."

too-early-and-too-late

"So's Neli, I think."

"Oh?"

too-early-and-too-late

"Sent his family away. When skypeople have political disputes they tend to kill each others' families. Rather abhorrently primitive sort of problem-solving, but, well, Muggles. Minister Du must have really frightened him. Not that I don't expect someone could get cooperation if they wanted, but he clearly did not leave the meeting with the impression he should expect it."

"I do not have many details on the content of the meeting."

too-early-and-too-late

"Want some?"

"Of course."

too-early-and-too-late

"Aitim Neli has cameras everywhere. For his own benefit, presumably, but other people can look if they know how." He has a computer. He has a recording.