What Do Space Mites Eat?
Posted on May 17, 2017 @ 11:44pm by Iphigenia Bonviva
Edited on on May 17, 2017 @ 11:44pm
Mission: In Place of God
"What Do Space Mites Eat?"
=/\=
Location: USS PHOENIX
Scene: The Vulgar Tribble
Stardate: 2.170517.2222
Iphie Bonviva smiled with satisfaction as she watched Jasmine ate her food. “Told you it was good.”
The Sec/Tac officer with graceful yet efficient moves dabbed the corners of her mouth. Setting down the napkin she looked over at the chef/bartender and said, “You did and I thank you.”
Iphie watched as Calvin and Hobbes, the omnipresent Bynares of The Vulgar Tribble came over, one carrying a pot of tea and the other a delicate teacup and saucer. Both were appearing to argue and when they came closer the appeared to engage Iphie in the binary argument to which she said, “Oh knock it off, I’m not asking her that!”
Observing that she was the only “her” nearby (aside from Iphie) Jasmine felt safe to ask, as the Bynares placed the teacup down on the table and poured the Jasmine green tea, “Ask me what?”
The Bolian/Human woman sighed as she turned and said, “All day we’ve heard people come in and talk about the space mites.”
Yu sipped the tea, nodding along, rolling along with the chef’s colorful language.
“So these two want to know how do we know that the space creepy-crawlers come in peace,” Iphie finished off.
Jasmine looked at the cerulean woman, then at the Bynares (who today in addition to their normal chef jackets had headbands that lit up with small stars) and answered honestly, “We don’t.”
The Bynares clearly understood that and went off in rapid-fire binary speak as Iphie held up her hands. “Go clear off the bar. I want to see my face sparklingly in it.” When they kept gesturing towards Jasmine, Iphie rolled her gray eyes. Folding her arms she said, “Thanks for setting them off.”
“Thank you for the tea,” Jasmine replied. Nodding towards Calvin and Hobbes, who were still arguing across the way, “What else were they saying?”
“They wanted to know if this was another Blind Willie Johnson and Zefram Cochrane switch,” Iphie said as she sat across from Jasmine.
The Sec/Tac furrowed her brow slightly. “Obviously I know who Zefram Cochrane is but the first name eludes me.”
The chef waved off the confusion. “Don’t worry only those two I think knew who he was. Now I do too because they made me listen. Evidently long before Cochrane, EARTH had been shooting up crap into space -- art, science, textbooks. The best of the best, trying to honor all those who represented who they thought they should be.”
“Like a time capsule but in space. A virtual first contact,” Jasmine nodded. “I’ve heard of that.”
Iphie nodded. “Blind Willie Johnson was a pioneer of blues music who never was fully recognized during his lifetime on EARTH but when they shot this thingy--”
“I believed they used to be called satellites,” Jasmine offered.
“Yeah that’s what I said,” Iphie nodded, “Anyway, they included his music. Blind Willie Johnson, who in life was screwed over but now was a musical Ambassador for all of Humanity. But that’s not what the Vulcans saw or heard.”
Jasmine shook her head. “No. It’s not. They saw a war-torn EARTH and the first PHOENIX had elements of a mass destruction in its design.”
The women were quiet for a moment, as Jasmine set down her teacup and Iphie poured her another. At one point the Bynares brought over a tall glass of a pink liquid for Iphie and walked away, still talking to each other, but much quieter.
“We don’t know,” Jasmine repeated once Calvin and Hobbes walked away. “We don’t know what’s in those images. We hope for the best. It could be they too sent their art and music”
Iphie thought about that. “My brother-in-law; the first one who died, not the most recent one whom my sister got divorced from.” When Jasmine appeared confused Iphie held up a hand and said, “Ok, quick primer on my sister’s marriages it goes in order: dead brother-in-law number one, missing sister-in-law, divorced brother-in-law number 2. She gets married six more times she gets a prize cause Bolians like the number 9. Got it?”
“Got it,” Jasmine nodded. “So brother-in-law number one as you were saying…?”
“Oh right,” Iphie grinned. “Right that one was part Bajoran and even when he’d explain how the Bajorans went into space thanks to the Prophets. But think about it...even if you buy that what did that lead to?”
Jasmine thought through what Iphie was saying. “I see your point but even with that, the Occupation didn’t happen until long after Bajorans went into space. It’s not a direct correlation.” Looking over she said, “Why are you so convinced that it’s not good news?”
“I didn’t say that,” Iphie protested.
“Hmmm,” Jasmine demurred as she placed down the teacup. Resting her elbows on the table and folding her hands, she studied the woman across from her. “Let me ask you a question. What if all our Scientists and all our Counselors and all our Doctors come together and figure out that these creatures are not a threat. Even better they think that they’ve pieced together the rudimentary pieces of what they’re saying. What they’ve been trying to communicate is not art or science--”
“I knew it!” Iphie yelled triumphantly.
Jasmine gave a look with cool brown eyes as she continued on, “But they’re hungry. The messages we receive is that they have no food. And thirsty.”
The chef/bartender ran her finger over the rim of her pink drink. “Most bugs eat other bugs,” she said quietly. “They may eat plants.”
“So isn’t that something you could assist with?” Jasmine asked. When Iphie said nothing, the Sec/Tac shrugged. “Of course we could get Commander Argo to set up some kind special replicator system--”
Iphie let out a near growl. “No replicated food will be used to represent this ship.”
Jasmine tried not to smile as she got up. “Just a thought. The messages may not be the best and brightest that they have to offer, I agree. It could just be a plea for help.”
Iphie watched Jasmine leave as she too got up. “Jasmine?” When the Sec/Tac turned around she said, “A couple bugs need blood. Just thought I’d tell you.”
“Maybe these are the plant eating kind,” Jasmine pointed out, silently hoping that these were not the blood-sucking variety.
=/\=
NRPG: Just a small contribution to the mission ;-)
Ran: Hope I did ok with Jasmine!
=/\=
Sarah Albertini-Bond
~writing for~
Iphie Bonviva
=/\=
This is a present from a small, distant world, a token of our sounds, our science, our images, our music, our thoughts and our feelings. We are attempting to survive our time so we may live into yours.
— U.S. President Jimmy Carter on “Voyager 1” probe launch
