They were asleep in the jungle. They often slept in the jungle, drifting in microgravity. They were in an experimental stage; one of the women had blue skin and space dark hair. The other’s skin was green, and her long copper colored hair worn in dreadlocks that seemed almost tendrils, moving slowly in the gentle air currents. The blue woman had one foot hooked in front of the green woman’s knee; her opposite hand held gently to a naked green breast.
“Captain Gray,” said the smooth alto voice of the ship’s expert system. A moment later it repeated, “Captain Gray.”
Before the voice could repeat a third time, the blue woman cleared her throat and answered, “Yes, Josephine?”
The green woman stirred, not quite waking, and with the ease of long practice, the two adjusted their posture and grasp of each other. “I have detected an anomalous signal,” Josephine revealed.
“Anomalous in what way?” Captain Gray asked.
"It is a radio frequency signal which is not binary,” the computer answered, “but seems to be intelligently pulsed. It is repeating, within a three-sigma margin of error, though the frequency is shifting erratically."
"Uh-huh," Captain Gray said, sleepily. She vaguely remembered that she had put SETI related signals into the list of things Josephine should wake them for. "Play the signal."
The green woman’s eyes popped open, and the two shared a moment’s startled look. There... in the static... was something they had never expected to hear again, but would never mistake or forget. Bursts of static... short, pause, short, pause, short, longer pause... long, pause, long, pause, long, longer pause... repeating.
"Localize that signal!" the Captain instructed. She kissed her wife and flipped around, using one foot to push lightly against her knee, pushing herself towards the open hatch to the ship's spine, and the green woman back towards a palm tree. A moment later, she'd pushed off the palm tree, and followed the Captain out.
“Captain Gray,” said the smooth alto voice of the ship’s expert system. A moment later it repeated, “Captain Gray.”
Before the voice could repeat a third time, the blue woman cleared her throat and answered, “Yes, Josephine?”
The green woman stirred, not quite waking, and with the ease of long practice, the two adjusted their posture and grasp of each other. “I have detected an anomalous signal,” Josephine revealed.
“Anomalous in what way?” Captain Gray asked.
"It is a radio frequency signal which is not binary,” the computer answered, “but seems to be intelligently pulsed. It is repeating, within a three-sigma margin of error, though the frequency is shifting erratically."
"Uh-huh," Captain Gray said, sleepily. She vaguely remembered that she had put SETI related signals into the list of things Josephine should wake them for. "Play the signal."
The green woman’s eyes popped open, and the two shared a moment’s startled look. There... in the static... was something they had never expected to hear again, but would never mistake or forget. Bursts of static... short, pause, short, pause, short, longer pause... long, pause, long, pause, long, longer pause... repeating.
"Localize that signal!" the Captain instructed. She kissed her wife and flipped around, using one foot to push lightly against her knee, pushing herself towards the open hatch to the ship's spine, and the green woman back towards a palm tree. A moment later, she'd pushed off the palm tree, and followed the Captain out.
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