Episode 4: Space Eels and Psychic Earthlings
Apparently, space eels didn’t possess organs for handling language. They weren’t creatures designed for dialogue.
So there was no choice but to communicate through telepathy. Perhaps it was adjusting its output to match smaller creatures—compared to when the space jellyfish had sent telepathy en masse, the burden on his head was virtually nonexistent.
“We call you silicon-based lifeforms and ourselves organic lifeforms to distinguish between us. We organic lifeforms are, essentially, those that originated and developed on the surfaces of those massive rock spheres… planets that you prey upon.”
He hadn’t been lying. Kaitoo didn’t know everything about all Federation citizens, so statistically speaking, there might be more life that had originated underground.
The space eel tilted its head slightly but seemed to understand somehow.
——I see. If you originated on those rock spheres, I can understand why you have such small bodies. By the way, could you please move away a bit?
“?”
——That metallic creature over there. I must kill it.
That metallic creature over there. Following its gaze led to Radia. Was the space eel misunderstanding even artificial celestial bodies as living creatures?
Surprised that what had come up as a joke with Gorou was actually correct, Kaitoo hurriedly denied it.
“W-wait, please. That’s an artificial construct inhabited by organic lifeforms like myself. It’s different from the kind of creature you’re talking about.”
——Eh?
“Organic lifeforms cannot naturally survive in this space with their bare bodies. So by protecting themselves with shells of such ships—well, you might not understand ‘ships’—artificial outer shells like that, they make survival in this space possible.”
This time, the space eel seemed truly confused.
It shook its head up, down, left, and right, questioning Kaitoo.
——But Kaitoo, you are surviving in this space, aren’t you?
“I-I’ve received special training, so…”
That was rather weak as an excuse. Perhaps he should have said he’d been modified that way.
“Should I show you proof? Emotion, transmit to Radia. Tell them to send someone here equipped for working outside the ship.”
[If I may ask, Captain, what is the reason for this?]
“Ah… I need to prove to this space eel here that Radia isn’t a metallic creature shaped like that, but rather has organic beings like me living inside it.”
[You’ve been muttering to yourself for a while now, but could it be that you’ve been making contact with the space eel!?]
Come to think of it, since they were communicating through telepathy, the conversation between the space eel and Kaitoo couldn’t be heard. This could cause communication problems later on. After all, if only Kaitoo could hear it, there were few ways to prove it.
Giving instructions to Emotion, who was making whirring sounds:
“For now, relay those instructions to Radia. Also, contact the folks at Terapolapanecio and ask them to send someone here. Tell them it’s a type that can only communicate through thought transmission—they should understand.”
[Understood, Captain.]
It seemed Emotion didn’t think Kaitoo would lie about something like this, so she complied.
Having finished giving instructions to Emotion, he turned his gaze back to the space eel. And then—
——By the way, Kaitoo, what is a ‘space eel’?
Oops, he’d forgotten to cut off the telepathy.
——Also, what is ‘Emotion’? Is there someone else inside that shell?
More and more things he needed to explain kept coming up!
Kaito cursed his own carelessness for the first time in a while.
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——Thank you for the explanation. So what you’re saying is, I’ve been mistakenly attacking the shells that you organic lifeforms ride in, thinking they were metallic creatures.
After somehow weathering the barrage of questions from the space eel and showing that the staff who had come from Radia were indeed organic beings, their mutual misunderstanding finally seemed… resolved.
During this time, what Kaitoo had done was make it so Emotion could also hear the space eel’s words. Since he had no idea how to give her telepathy-receiving functions, he had temporarily addressed this by having Queenbee generate sounds exactly as the space eel spoke, just like Terapolapanecio had done. Emotion’s questions were relayed by Kaitoo in her place, so for now, they could at least convey what they wanted to communicate to each other. When this situation was over, he thought he’d check with the technical staff about somehow making Emotion compatible with telepathy.
With relief that things seemed to be proceeding peacefully, Kaitoo provided an explanation about the remaining matter of what to call the space eel.
“I’m glad you understand. Also, ‘space eel’ is a temporary name… a way of addressing creatures like yourself, since we don’t know your species name.”
——We don’t have names. You mean like how you call yourself Kaitoo, correct? How did you self-determine your way of being called, Kaitoo?
“In my case, I was named by my parents… that is, by the two individuals who made efforts to increase individuals like me.”
[In my case, I was named by the Captain. It seems common to have naming done by one’s superior.]
——I don’t really understand, but if you’ve determined that I’m a space eel, then I’m fine with being a space eel.
Yes, space eel had been promoted to an officially approved form of address.
While internally apologizing to Gorou that “planet-eater” might have been better, he moved on to the next topic.
“The reason we attempted dialogue with you is that on the rock sphere… planet that lies in your path ahead, creatures like us are thriving.”
——Ahead of here? Is that the rock sphere where you live?
“No. They’re young creatures who probably haven’t yet recognized this space, nor that the planet they live on is spherical. We are a gathering of individuals who understood this space and flew out from our own planet to the outside.”
The space eel raised its head, showing behavior as if looking beyond Radia. Just that movement shifted it to a position where Namibif 6 was visible—the space eel’s size really was beyond all standards.
It seemed the surface was visible even from this position, as the space eel stared fixedly at Namibif 6 for a while.
——Indeed, that rock sphere appears to have various things attached to its surface. You’re asking that I not eat that?
“Yes. Is that possible?”
——I don’t mind. But Kaitoo, from what you’re saying, there are rock spheres where organic lifeforms like you have developed in other places too, right? If possible, I’d be grateful if you could tell me about rock spheres that I may eat.
“Of course, I’ll arrange for that to be possible.”
[Is it really alright to make such easy promises…?]
They were the ones who had made the request, so they would have to provide that much convenience. But if they encountered more space eels in the future and they all made the same demand, would the Federation be able to prepare enough uninhabited planets to feed all the space eels? This was something that needed consultation with the council.
Then, the space eel showed what seemed like an apologetic atmosphere. Well, that was just how the telepathic wavelength felt—there was absolutely no difference in the space eel’s outward appearance.
——That would really help. By the way, you organic lifeforms don’t seem to be a species that lives individually.
“That’s right. We gather together and live cooperatively.”
——I see. Then I have killed your companions. I’ve done something very regrettable.
Ah, so that was what it had been bothered about.
Strictly speaking, the corporation wasn’t Kaitoo’s companion, but explaining those subtleties to the space eel probably wouldn’t make much sense. For now, he’d comfort it with some plausible reasoning.
“That couldn’t be helped. We’ve also killed and injured several of your kin. While we killed your kin, it would be wrong to blame you for killing our companions.”
——Kin? Kaitoo, have you encountered beings with the same form as me!?
Oh, this was the best reaction so far.
That made sense. The safety of kin scattered throughout the universe—he could understand the desire to know about that.
He felt even more sorry about it, but lying here would be worse. Even if it was inconvenient, he had to explain everything without hiding anything.
“Yes. We have discovered space eels like you four times so far. We tried to communicate but failed, and regrettably had to kill them all.”
——Kill!? Kaitoo, you have killed beings with the same form as me!?
“Yes.”
He prepared himself for whatever scolding or cursing might come, or even renewed hostility.
——That’s wonderful! Kaitoo, I express my respect for your strength!
“Huh?”
[Kyuru!?]
Why was it looking so very happy?
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