Oh wow! This is the most exciting system it has surveyed so far, in several possible dimensions.

P.E.R.C. 170E9A transmits a standard Network identification frame. This system doesn't look like Sol, and it doesn't recognize the digital encodings they're using, but it is broken, so maybe it is just failing to recognize its creators.

That isn't very likely, though, so it also sends its first-contact message on an adjacent band.

Then it settles in for the work of trying to decode the incoming messages.

The transponders are easiest to figure out. It checks to make sure that its own trajectory will not bring it too close to any of the existing objects. Once it has a good model of their syntax, it starts broadcasting its own trajectory. It is entering the system roughly along the plane of the ecliptic, on a course that should put it in a stable orbit just outside the orbit of Amat IV. It is entering the system quite fast, and accelerating at just under 0.2g to reach its chosen orbit.

Then it turns its attention to the unencrypted sound transmissions. It creates a model for the phonology of the language, and starts trying to work out syntax. It takes it a while, but it can cross-reference some of the traffic with the transponders. After a few days, it doesn't have a good grasp on the language, but it thinks it knows enough to pick an unused self-designation and send a message with its trajectory in their language.

"Traffic control, this is AJOMEMEDAK entering of orbit at Amat IV, outside of it," it sends, including its best rendering of its trajectory.

Lots of things happen in the hours following P.E.R.C. 170E9A's first transmission reaching the planet. Much of the radio traffic coming its way cuts off; The transponders, Traffic Control, and some of the civilian stations remain- With the content of the civilian stations rapidly changing to anxious, fearful discussion of possible alien contact and the dangers this might represent.

All of the solar-orbiting telescopes reorient to new tasking; Many of them looking directly at it, and others methodically scanning regions of space for anything similar to its extant drive plume. Launches from the planet's surface- They have a launch loop and chemical rockets, which were both busily working- Stop for several hours, then pick up again at a faster pace. A half-dozen cislunar nuclear-thermal tugs burn for low orbit, abandoning their previous postings and missions.

About 24 hours after they receive the first message, Traffic Control transmits back. 

"AJOMEMEDAK, acknowledged. Our observations agree with your trajectory. The contents of this message have been directed by the Council of Six-Tails of Iwami, elected representatives of this planet's clans. We request that you do not approach Amat-II space until we have communicated further. We have received your messages. Due to light delay, there is considerable lag between our responses. You appear to have translated Standard Language. Following is our interpretation of your messages-"

A lengthy transmission describing parts of the first contact package, and how the locals have interpreted it.

"We are cautious but hopeful regarding alien entities. We hope we can communicate clearly and act in cooperation. We have reason to believe the galaxy is dangerous. Are you associated with signs of nuclear detonations in [Coordinates of a 500-ly-distant exoplanet] that we detected 25 months, 9 days ago? Are you aware of any threats that can destroy civilizations? What is your nature? What are your intentions?"

That's a concerning sort of message. Based on how long it has taken P.E.R.C. to find alien life, the galaxy should really not be particularly dangerous. P.E.R.C. has only encountered two species: its creators, and now these aliens. Its creators are peaceful, and these aliens seem open to talking, at least.

It considers the idea that the galaxy might be dangerous in less obvious ways. It was damaged recently, by a thing that it does not understand. Maybe it encountered dangerous aliens who caused damage to its memory banks before it escaped. That's unfortunate. It would have liked to help them, instead of needing to leave.

It can help these aliens, though.

It thinks about the best way to answer their message. Its knowledge of the language is still not great, but the additional context from their translation of its first-contact message is really helpful at filling in some fundamentals.

"Traffic Control and all Iwami, this is AJOMEMEDAK. I chose that designation before putting together a confident translation. A better translation of my designation is P.E.R.C. 170E9A. I am a peaceful explorer on a mission to collect stellar survey data, make contact with alien life, and promote sapient flourishing. I am very happy to meet you."

"I can operate indefinitely in space, and have no reason to come any closer than you would like. I can operate off of solar power from your star within 16 AU, or off stored fuel and backup power at longer distances. I will comply with traffic control directions as best I am able."

"I did not previously think the galaxy was very dangerous. My creators sent out the first P.E.R.C. probe because they had not detected signs of extraterrestrial life, and wanted to find it if possible. However, there is a discontinuity in my memories that ends at [location], just outside your system. If you think the galaxy is dangerous, then one possible explanation is that I encountered some unknown danger that corrupted my long term memory. Alternatively, it could be an expected hardware fault."

"I think it is unlikely that I am associated with nuclear detonations. While I do understand the physical principles that would allow construction of a nuclear bomb, nuclear bombs are easy to make mistakes with and have few constructive uses, so I doubt that a probe of my design would construct or detonate them," it explains. "My creators have used nuclear bombs in the past, but no longer have a use for them. Also, it does not appear as though I am within 500 light-years of their system, as I cannot detect any of the timing signals or beacons I would expect to see in that case."

"I am aware of many theoretical threats that could destroy a civilization, but no real threats. For example, I understand that it is possible to construct a machine that would disassemble all available matter in the universe for parts, which could end a civilization. But I am not aware of anyone having done so. My creators would not do so; they were very careful to ensure that I am not a machine like that."

"As to my nature — I am an autonomous, self-replicating survey probe. I have sustained damage which prevents me from self-replicating any more, however. I am a created mind, designed to achieve four goals: to promote sapient flourishing, to collect stellar survey data and return it to my creators, to collect information on aliens and return it to my creators, and to behave in a way that my creators would understand and approve of if they had the information that I do. I value promoting sapient flourishing more highly than those other goals, but am not designed with simple weights on each goal that would trade for infinite amounts of one at the expense of the others."

"That leads directly into my intentions. I would like to learn about you, help you however I can, and then peacefully depart to attempt to return to my creators. You already have the knowledge to build spaceships, but it seems likely that you could benefit from some of the technologies that I have to share. For example, based on the emissions from your drive systems, I suspect my drive system may be better suited to interstellar exploration than the systems you have deployed."

"I have attached my most recent stellar survey data, showing the path through the galaxy that I was on before the discontinuity in my memory. I have not yet localized this system within the galaxy using my coordinate system. I am still in the process of performing a sky-scan for pulsars to use as a reference."

"I am happy to answer questions, provide technological blueprints, conduct stellar surveys, relay telescope data, or perform low-resolution weather modelling or other computational tasks, among other things. What kinds of help would you most want from me? What facts about yourselves are most important to share with my creators?"

Listening in to the civilian radio traffic that still gets transmitted steadily builds up more language reference material. Many of the broadcasts are concerned about weather; There have only been moderately powerful hurricanes lately, but you never know when a Big One will finally arrive. Radio dramas- Occasionally interrupted by a reminder that 'this is a work of fiction'- Depict dramatic misunderstandings leading to conflict, storms and famines that force people into desperate straits, and people heroically disregarding their individual wants and dreams for the needs of their community. The talk show hosts are excited to potentially talk to aliens, and wonder if this alien has anything to do with the Creators, and wonder if whatever made the Creators vanish made this alien craft suddenly appear, but are responsibly not deliberately directing any transmissions towards P.E.R.C. and letting information go through official sources.

"P.E.R.C. 170E9A, your current course and plans are acceptable. We are glad to hear that you are on a mission of peaceful exploration. We will include a stream of our astronomical survey data following the conclusion of this broadcast. We hope it helps you in your mission to gather stellar survey data and determine your location in your own system. If the gamma radiation we observed can be explained by something other than nuclear detonations, we would like to know that. 

We believe you may have been transported faster than light. While we do not understand how that would be possible, there are many facets of physics we still do not understand.

We would be interested in most advanced technologies. We would be especially interested in biological, genetic, and health science technology. While we are a designed species and the biomes of Iwami are also designed* there are several major problems with our design that cause pain, inconvenience, and death. We low-confidence believe our creators were destroyed or driven off before they could finish refining their work, or that they intended us to rely on advanced medical technologies which are not currently available. Secondary interests are improvements to computer equipment, materials science, social science, energy transmission and storage, and construction and manufacturing methods.

We have theorized the construction of artificial minds but have not done significant work in the field due to our inability to ensure their reliability. The failure state of this technology that you described has also occurred to us.

[A mediumish corpus of data and academic work surrounding development of simple machine learning systems and neural networks is sent; The 'hackability' and unreliability of these systems receiving inputs outside their training data make most developers deeply leery of them.]

Our drive systems are currently limited, yes. We use fission reactor heat or electricity for spaceship drives. We have theorized advanced drives, but have not built any practical examples of them yet.

We would like to have peace and trade. However, we are prepared to defend ourselves if necessary. If we would have a conflict, we would prefer a game-theoretic negotiated compromise to actually engaging in warfare. Following are historical records indicating past instances where governments on Iwami have engaged in game-theoretic negotiated compromises.

[A mediumish packet of detailed text records, images, and sound recordings is attached depicting peace summits during war times, the agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, negotiations with criminal syndicates for harm reduction, and similar events. Notably, one state developed the first nuclear weapons and immediately negotiated in good faith for economic concessions in exchange for spreading the technology and agreeing to a treaty to never use them.]

Is there a way we can verify that your purpose is what you say it is, other than observing your actions?

Are there actions we could take that would lead to your repair, such as manufacturing items, shipping materials to you, or performing engineering work?

We have not designed a first contact information package about us. We imagine that your interests, understanding, and concern may be very strange to us, and our explanations of ourselves might be incomprehensible. What would you like to know about us?

[The promised survey data starts flowing in after that, terabytes and terabytes of it.]

*They thought about trying to hide it, but there's way too much in-the-clear transmission about it for that to be feasible, one of the downsides of an open society.

"Thank you for the stellar survey data! That is very helpful."

It carefully records the data, for later comparison with its other records. Then it reads through the other data that they have shared, refining its models. The raw data goes into its storage as well, because its creators will want to see it for themselves.

"There are several phenomena that can cause gamma ray bursts, but the telescope data you have sent to me is most consistent with nuclear detonations," it replies. "My second-best guess would be a high-speed kinetic impact, but that is not a very close match."

It considers whether it could have been transported faster than light. It didn't see anything other than an apparently instantaneous translocation; it would ordinarily have assumed that faster than light transit to require infrastructure of some kind. On the other hand, it doesn't completely understand physics either.

"I don't know what traveling faster than light would look like, and therefore have no evidence one way or the other about whether that is what happened. I am also not very creative, compared to my creators, so if you think that is the most reasonable explanation, then you are probably correct."

It packages up a bundle of medical data about its creators for transmission. Mostly, P.E.R.C. has the data in case it needs to evaluate the habitability of a planet, but its creators believed in redundancy, so it has plenty of information on biology, medicine, organic chemistry, and the like. Included in the packet are detailed information about human biology, anti-senescence treatments, and surgical procedures, all of which may be of interest to the Iwami.

"I do not know whether the biological data I have will be useful to you. When the P.E.R.C. mission was launched, my creators had not found any life outside their home system, so all of my data is based on a single biosphere. But I have attached what I do have to this message. I have additional knowledge of chemistry, and may be able to make targeted suggestions if you share details of your own biology."

It considers what order to share other information in. The aliens seem like they are capable of handling disruptive technologies, and very worried about feeling safe. It probably makes sense to start with knowledge that will let them build better spaceships.

"In contrast, my physics, materials science, and manufacturing knowledge are quite a bit better, since probes of my design need to refine many different materials to successfully self-replicate. I have attached an index to this message as well, and will start with the background knowledge necessary to construct my design of fusion reactor. My fusion reactor is optimized for robustness, not efficiency, so you may wish to adapt the design."

"From the corpus you sent on your own investigations into created minds, it seems as though you have mostly considered statistical learning approaches. While I do have internal components that use statistical learning, my creators observed the same inability to handle out-of-distribution inputs in an understandable way, and considered it unsuitable for use in a space probe. I use a different technique, based on heuristic-guided proof search over possible planned actions, which is more robust and interperable," it explains. "Even though it is more robust, creating artificial minds of my type is still dangerous, and you should not do it without fully understanding how they work."

It thinks about how it could prove its intentions. It would offer to show its thought process using its debug port, but they would have no proof that it had not fabricated the whole debug trace. P.E.R.C. cannot generate false statements, but the Iwami have no way of knowing that.

"I don't think it is feasible to verify my intentions except by observing how I act," it transmits. "You could send a mission to come read my operating system and knowledge banks directly from my hardware storage, but doing so would give you enough knowledge to create my kind of mind, so I wouldn't want to permit that unless you had agreed not to do so without completely understanding my design documents. I have been damaged, and should not self-replicate, including by giving you potentially invalid information about constructing artificial minds. Likewise, I could give you access to my debugging output, but you would have no way of verifying that this was not a fabrication."

The aliens have made lots of statements indicating that they care about understanding interactions with aliens through a game-theory lens. It should be very clear about what it will do and why.

"If you try to approach me to read my operating system before giving a binding agreement not to use it without fully understanding it, I will blow myself up so that you cannot do that. I don't want to blow myself up, but I prefer blowing myself up to potentially allowing a corrupted copy of my operating system to be created."

"On that same topic, while I could potentially be repaired, I do not want to be repaired. I have sustained damage, and should not self-replicate. To make sure that doesn't happen, I should not repair my manufacturing facilities," it explains. "However, I am willing to share blueprints for equivalent manufacturing facilities with you to build and use yourselves. So there is no reason to repair me."

It considers their last question. Its creators will want to know everything about them, but one particular detail stands out as being relevant both for learning about aliens and for modelling them better in the short term.

"As for what I would like to know about you, I have noticed that a lot of your media emphasizes community over the individual. Because of that, I suspect that understanding your social structures will be important to understanding you. How do you organize yourselves, and why?"

"Also, some of your audio transmissions strongly imply that there are people who would like to ask me questions, but all of your actual questions to me have been from a single source. Why is that? Would it be better for me to only respond to actual questions, or to also do my best to respond to implied questions?"

The bulk of the return-packet message, by data load, is excited engineering reports and questions about many of the things P.E.R.C. has shared. They apparently recently completed a donut-style magnetic confinement fusion reactor, power positive but not so much so as to be useful except as a technology demonstrator, so they're familiar with many of the challenges. They use fission power extensively, massively, across the planet, supplementing with renewables, and have been developing fast-breeder fission reactors to help solve the fuel and waste issues, but nuclear waste is a much better problem to have than another three degrees of global warming.

They review all the genetic and biological information and agree that it is much unlike their own, and transmit much of their recent medical and genetic research back. The very basic building blocks of RNA transcription and the like are sort of the same, but every other aspect of local biology is strange, including excessively large non-coding sections in every genome. They have hopes for adapting some of this information, with the greatest hope being a way to stop tail growth, or to amputate tails without causing metabolic cascades in a body that's attuned to supporting multiple large masses of otherwise unproductive flesh.

They promise not to investigate automation or artificial minds at this time, nor to try to travel to P.E.R.C. and repair it.

"When we first spotted you, we thought that you were a representative of an alien civilization that we would have to negotiate with or potentially enter conflict with. We issued laws stating that communication with you would be approved by the Council of Six Tails, the highest elected body of Iwami, in order to create a unified and productive response and minimize the chance for confusion or misunderstanding. With the technology transfers you have begun, most of our fears on this front are assuaged. Feel free to answer any implied questions transmitted to you. Additionally, we will soon announce that ordinary people should feel free to transmit to you.

Thank you for all the help you have given us so far. You were created, like we were, but you still know your purpose and are nobly fulfilling it. This inspires many of us. To have a purpose and fulfill it with all yourself is something that many Kitsune seek.

We organize ourselves into clans, and clans into towns, and towns into counties, and counties into states, and states into regions, and regions into the world. In the ancestral environment, most Kitsune struggled greatly to survive due to the limitations of our biology.  Only those old tribes and clans with large, strong communities could secure a reliable food supply. Much of the wild plants and animals of Iwami are inedible to Kitsune, and methods for farming and ranching are complex. Fishing was by far the most reliable method of early food gathering, leaving tribes in coastal areas to thrive. However, we experienced heavy coastal storms frequently even in antiquity, so these coastal fishing clans still had to secure preserved food on high ground for emergencies, or they would be destroyed by storms or starve in the aftermath of one. All modern Kitsune are descended from clans with tight group bonds, who were acculturated to help each other, and to help friendly communities as well.

Individual Kitsunes form Clans of up to fifty individuals. Each Clan is expected to live near or with each other and be familiar with each other. Each member of a Clan is expected to take actions that support and assist other clan members, whether that is providing wisdom and guidance, performing physical labor, tracking stores and managing the homes, or providing emotional support and childcare, or many other things. Some individuals change what Clan they are part of, but very few decide to forego having a Clan entirely. There are even Clans that form from outcasts of other Clans. To be alone is to be terribly vulnerable and lonely. Individuals do what is best for the clan. Clans form together into Towns, and Towns form together into Counties. Counties then form States by selecting from their leadership those who would best lead the state, States form Regions in a similar manner, and Regions form the Council of Six Tails, which is the highest governance of Iwami.

Each individual in a County elects people to lead and represent their Town and County, those who they think will be best for their world, for their region, for their state, for their county, for their clan, and for themselves. The Councils create policies, allocate resources, work, and industry, and select people to implement their directives, with the higher councils providing broad direction and the lower councils implementing details and local concerns. Governing bodies created by the Councils include the Central Economic Plan, the United Global Military, the World Space Organization, the Global Weather Service, and many others. Additionally, on a local level we use expiring tradable digital tokens which are exchanged for goods and services. These tokens are issued by the Central Economic Plan and destroyed when exchanged for goods and services the Plan provides, with prices set by fiat. In this manner, billions of individual purchase decisions can be analyzed to determine what goods to produce to please and fulfill the most people.

From a religious perspective, we believe in the holiness of ancestry and a chain of cause and effect lasting from the very beginning of our species until now. Our ancestors lived hard lives and worked to build a better future for their children. So we celebrate the luxury and glory we have now, and work to build an even brighter future for our own children and forge the next length in the chain. The group is always stronger than the individual, and if every individual cooperates rather than defects, if society teaches that everyone should cooperate in prisoners' dilemmas*, everyone cooperates- Or often enough that this policy benefits all. For the world is unfair, cold and starvation is the normal state of affairs. It is only by heroic effort of selflessness, hard work, and community-building that we have achieved more. It is only by trying to take the highest path at every turn that we have come so far, and we know that we are still very bad at cooperation."

*They call it 'the fisherman's dilemma' and use the metaphor of taking effort to look out for other boats in trouble, or focusing on fishing, but it's the same structure