Xenomyna Skaoi

'sides the minor details, the approach of Skaoi IV been a operat'n o' smooth'n'silent attributes. No less easy on the neur'uns, our crew been a report'n back with no contact and event'ally celebrat'd local perfermance.

Howev'r, theh Carroll then came back at us with wild stories of the Skaoi technology. All at once over ship-ta-ship commun'cations, we herd tale o' advanced hover-tech liftin' cities an theh like, how'ere they be doin without space travel with tat be bogglin' ta me; signs o' violence, or at least, chewing very loudly, it was hard ta und'rstan them what with them talkin so fast'n'all; and least o' all theh instructionless equipment of ill-conceived usefulness, aye, with what kind'a civil'zation be misguided 'nough ta make somethin' so unintuitive, so clearly stuck 'n place, without any manual ta speak fer isself.

But all things combined in one transmission, ship engine Ogden be smokin fumes o' somethin fierce, 'mediately engaging ta position isself ready to dart about, and doin' so at theh slightest space pebble o' possible tret. What whiplash! Called by theh cap'n I was, so fierce wer theh lunges to'n'fro, order'd ta stop theh engine nonsense at once.

Consultin' theh manual did turn up results. "Xenomyna" they be callin' it, the Foreign Defense Mode, autoengaged by verbal command or percepsh'n o' tret, aliens be dashed. Oddly, contact wit theh Carroll shewed that they be havin no such treble, findin' their engine heard tales a time tween'em 'nough to tell 'em part as not too trecherous. So I read'em advice on theh manuals, an it suggest'd theh engine be read stories o' tha calmin' sort, bedtime, wit'cha charat'rs bein ta perceiv'id tret.

Now I ain't ta best stor-teller in tha ship'n'shpace, but I did well 'nough ta convince engine Ogden a Skaoi IV attack force be not on 'is way, an tis engine operat'r did save th'day.

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Montglimmery Scott, D.N.