"Hello," says the voice at the other end, "my name is Anjiang and I represent Vanda Nossëo."

"How can you speak this language? And who or what is Vanda Nossëo?" The tone is cautious and suspicious. "I assume this is a contact attempt and not a trade offer for a communicator of unknown make. May we take the communicator inside?"

"I don't speak your language; I am using translation magic," says Anjiang. "You may take the communicator inside. This is a contact attempt, yes."

"Hold."

The call ends, the two Delvers take the phone and retreat inside, they call again a few minutes later. A slightly different male voice this time.

"Is your 'magic' capable of affecting things remotely? That is, is it currently affecting me or the communicator? Also, what do you wish to communicate?"

"Some magic is capable of affecting things remotely; my translation magic is only capable of affecting me. Vanda Nossëo has come to this planet to extend offers of trade and goodwill and membership in the Vanda Nossëo federation to all the peoples on it."

"If you represented the origin you would have begun using code phrases by now. Where do you come from? We are Mine 556. We have learned extreme caution and would like to avoid most contact with outsiders. We are generally willing to trade, and do not intend any aggressive action except in self defense."

"That makes sense. Our intentions are completely peaceful, but we can at least establish a track record as trade partners before asking you to take our word for it. Unlike other traders we don't much value physical objects. Instead we like stories - true or untrue - that help us learn about people. Will you trade us those in exchange for our goods? We usually distribute food, lights, heaters, magical contraceptives, healing objects, and other things depending on the needs of the people who will be receiving them; is there anything in particular you would like?"

"Mmh. The majority of our material situation is classified. Most stories that aren't entirely fictional could imply things about our preparations and defenses. If you demonstrate the ability to divine such information without our help that becomes irrelevant. Alternately there is pure fiction or things the surfacers would know already. We often purchase exotic food, wood and pelts and cloth, and artifacts of various makes. Filtration masks and oxygen supply systems would be valuable. I... Suppose we could try a healing object and see if it has side effects."

"We're happy to accept fiction or things the surfacers already know. We can also demonstrate information about your circumstances down there if you like. Filtration masks and oxygen systems are easy, on top of food and wood and textiles. What kind of artifacts interest you?"

"Most artifacts traders bring, they do not understand how to use, and so they offer them cheaply. If they are broken they can be repaired or salvaged. I think artifacts from another world would not have these properties. If you can spy on us we would rather know and know what you know."

"Among the kinds of magic Vanda Nossëo employs is a kind that allows the conjuration of copies of arbitrary material objects, such as all of you and your homes."

"Hold."

The call drops.

Ten minutes later,

"It would simplify things greatly if you demonstrated your modeling ability, with no further information from our end."

"All right. This phone can send pictures. In a few minutes I'll send some pictures of some models."

And he does, once the forensics demon up on the ship has made some and taken photos.

They have quite a network of tunnels and reinforced halls and hardpoints and boltholes down there. The largest single space is some sort of mass mausoleum divided into sections and levels, with tens of thousands of sarcophagi in rows along walls and lots of decoration. All of the outer tunnels including several that open to hidden parts of other nearby hills have traps and sensors and guard posts all over them, and the path down from the main entrance is the most heavily fortified of all.

If they can do that, they're an insurmountable threat. They probably could have gotten the old codes if they wanted to. "...Right, so all the paranoia was completely pointless. We appreciate the demonstration. I still don't think we want to invite outsiders inside. Do you want to send down more phones and talk to more people?"

"Sure can!"

More phones are delivered presently, and more representatives set up at the far end.

Soon they are speaking to the one they were speaking to before, Security Authority Fremen Shotgun. He tells them a story about the last time the 'red menace' (the dragon) tried to raid them and got away with a few mining tools and severely injured two guards.

As well as Parts Authority Salah Crusher, who wants to know if they can create some fairly specific replacement parts with model numbers they they've been low on forever.

And Hydroponics Authority Maksin Masks, who opens with a rant about how nobody appreciates how hard it is to keep soil bacteria alive and what the lengths he has to go to with fertilizer to manage it, since they want stories that's one!

And Medical Authority Komuran Driller who would like that healing object please and then tells them about reviewing her own life extension therapies and deciding they're working just as expected, estimated 30% morbidity at 200 and 60% at 250, right along the average.

They can do parts. They can do healing objects (these people seem technologically savvy enough to understand a pause button, so they get a little battery operated music player instead of an illusion rock with a sound baffle box).

The parts Salah wants appear to mostly be various kinds of computer chips, but there's some absurdly powerful magnets and other weird stuff like laser lenses in there too.

Can they have all the stories various people tell be paid into a central mine account that is used at the authority of the Authorities?

Unconventional, but sure, why not. If they don't want to tie up the phones, stories can be delivered in writing by signing them "Story Mail 44901 sugarglider".

Right, the spying capabilities. They'll use the phones only for realtime conversations then. Is there anything they want to know specifically or want to address politically?

Stories include: This one time my friend insisted we'd hit uranium but the geology is all wrong for uranium and I was right, it was sulfates! The creche minder used to make me play with all the other kids even though I just wanted to be alone, I know we are stronger together but sometimes I just want to be alone. We had a screaming argument about security spending vs expanding the mausoleum last general session, it took days to resolve, honestly are we even delvers anymore if we don't honor the dead properly??? A fictional tale about the curious miner who delved too greedily and without backup and was rescued through heroic efforts of his peers and learned to be a team player as the moral of the story. A dramatic rendition set to music of the most recent battle against the Red Menace, who was forced to flee before the might of shocksticks and shotguns!

They can explain the values and goals of Vanda Nossëo!

"Does freedom of travel include allowing people in or just out?"

"Just out. You don't have to let anyone in, although we recommend being clear about your entry criteria to anyone considering leaving in case they might not be welcome back."

"We do have laws against murder, rape, and kidnapping and we'd be happy to hold a population-wide vote on the matter, but... The defense agreement and resurrections are extremely appealing. But we are pretty wary of joining a federation - not to mention, if we resurrect everyone we would need to expand or leave the hold, and that would probably complicate things given that a dragon also roams this area. Not to mention that our ancestors... Cannot currently be consulted and may be offended to have joined a strange new governmental structure without their consent, as it were."

"Those are all very reasonable concerns. We haven't been able to get on speaking terms with the local dragon, unfortunately. You could, if you wished, settle somewhere else entirely? I don't know how attached you are to this exact location on this exact planet."