Chapter 3 Space whales.

Act 1 Cloudy the space whale.

Log date 126 AMH: by 5299 AC Elder Niyal: Of the CFE Wrangler.

It's been an earth decade since we've met our new friend, Cloudy. Once he was classified as the first natural void fauna, at least the first one the Star Council Fleet had discovered. more social science personnel were dispatched as we studied Cloudy and he studied under us. That's how he got his name.

He wanted to be named after the things he called "sweet stuff." overall It's been a good first contact. But after we've learned of Cloudy's biology and then age it became apparent that he's young, and comparable to a very smart 6 years old human.

Or an immature Vibranty who had only developed the ability to make tools. So after talks between members of the Star council the vote was to keep teaching Cloudy, but move him to the community core in which Member races of the Star council have a higher presence and influence rather than in the outer frontiers.

While scanning the system even more thoroughly, we found the remnants of an egg in the gas giant. Were we first encountered Cloudy, and it was big, and made of an undiscovered organic metal alloy. When we talked with Cloudy about moving him. He said yes but he wants more cloudy places. The council discussed his request and they voted yes and that Cloudy was to be placed in a nebula near a planet owned by Union of Aqua, it's inside the star cluster capital system.

Cloudy was excited, once he understood what a star cluster was, and what a nebula was and he understood it as a big cloudy place; Cloudy? Are you ready?

I, Elder Niyal, was inside a personal craft I've made to get closer with Cloudy. We were behind the only star in the system and Cloudy was glowing a brilliant blue on his many receptive tentacles, and a line on his body and long tail. 

Go! A strong radio wave came from the station to our side as we both heard Navigator Samantha's voice. In seconds I was moving using vibrations to run the organic impulse engine within my craft, a speed above 500 million miles a second.

Half as fast as a first generation human hyperdrive. It took me seconds to reach the middle ring of the system, another few before I reached the outer ring in front of the gas giant where Cloudy was currently feeding on.

NC.Samantha. . . I contacted the human using a human device, attached to my translator. He is ready, we should prepare the equipment and move him.

Yes Elder, I'll get everyone ready Sigh. . . finally we can go home. She sounded relieved, it wasn't that long honestly. but I guess 10 years of the human's time is still considered long for them.

I looked at Cloudy as he cleared miles of cloud in each breath, the glow he had, fading. As his childish whale song echoed; I win, I win, I win Grandma. Aunty Sammy would give me juice! I . . . What an innocent creature, I worry for his future. It's been so long yet we haven't found any traces of his race, I wonder where they are.

Act 2 Moving the whale

Log date 126 Galactic year. 2315 Aqua year. By NC Samantha Pravateer of the CFE Wrangler

Are you sure about this Engineer Han Xiao? Yes ma'am, I already ran a simulation with 2BI and with that race just now I'm confident that the Star Whale Armor Mark 1. can take hyperspeeds. . . but to be on the safe side we should limit our speed to Hyperdrive 1. I have known Han since he was a trainee, and I trust him when it comes to engineering but that just looks ridiculous on Cloudy.

I was looking at an Azula Star Bayleen, which was now Cloudy's species name, but I still think Abyss Orca sounded cooler, but I know how the people back home would react if we brought home something that was named that. . . damn, those HR guys really have strong pull in the Star Council Science Department. . . I would honestly respect them more if they stop fucking each other every chance they got.

Anyways I was looking at a 3D projection of Cloudy wearing a 24th century spacesuit. . . the one looking like that Morvel movie hero Reactor Heart. And are those fangs? And where would his. . . I felt a slight tremor as the lights flickered on and off. Captain! Captain! My receiver sounded alerts, I answered them quickly.

Lieutenant Researcher, report! I waited for his response. And it came in. Captain! It's an emergency, Cloudy turned into an egg! Huh? I looked confused as a new projection replaced the one I was seeing, now it was a live video feed of a black egg towering over mountains on a barren planet that used to be a regular gas giant. . . oh, that's not good.

0 0 0 0 0

In a meeting a hall, built to accommodate more than human life, stood a table of the highest rank members in the 3 science vessels inside the Cloudy system.

Can we just move Cloudy as is? A yukianna spoke, the Lieutenant Bio Researcher of the CFE Lilly. She was hairless, glistening light gray skin and beautiful emerald eyes. She towers over me but her graceful slimness would never make her feel like a threat.

Well, I already scanned the shell material, and it's actually stronger than what Cloudy had for his natural armor. Han Xiao spoke, giving his silent approval to the idea. That kid, I told him to not speak too much at the adult table.

With that, like a starting bell. arguments, debates and general discussion spread into the table. Me and the other 2 captains and the elder race advisors, sitting on the table, kept relatively silent, us captains mostly made sure the table was kept civil. While the elder races gave their advice, when they were asked.

Alright, alright everyone that's enough. Have we come to our conclusions? The one who spoke was the captain of the CFE Lilly. He was an older Human man, maybe in his 80s but looking like he was in his early 60s on old earth, he had a walrus mustache and a strong imposing build.

Everyone quieted down at his proclamation. Then a roaring laughter echoed within the meeting hall as an amused symbinoblesse laughed but for me he looked like a roaring bear analog. Especially as he wore the skin that looked like one.

He was the Captain of the CFE Soft-Fur and a legend in his own right, as a being of a younger race, that had been part of the formation of the star council. Something my great grandad keeps boasting about.

I apologize for my outburst, but we already spent enough time on this matter. I vote for us to move Cloudy as planned. . . But I want the humans to make an extra shell just in case something unforeseen appears. He was smiling down at us shorter races, and I was 6.5ft. as he kept standing and sneakily, took a look up and saw some of the elder races present, giving him an appraising nod.

That's one vote, I thought. Little sand on the beaches? I heard a voice inside my thoughts. Elder Etersky? Yes it is me child I felt great anxiety within you. Is there something wrong? You do not need to participate in this table if you don't want to, abstaining is an option.

I looked to my left and my eyes trained on the 8 meter high alien tortoise, seated on a gigantic cushioned, pet nesting bed. His eyes closed, a small trunked, tall tree turned walking staff laid on his shell.

He was the elder that advised the CFE Lilly, an Oogwaian, a very spiritual and ancient race like the Vibranty except they have spiritualism, unlike Vibranties who only believe in the material. They have mastered their minds so much that they can project themselves into the minds of others, and empathize and understand other races more than any other. . .there one of the main reasons we even have a Star council.

But they are very patronizing, like the other 2 Elder races. I am Fine elder, please, leave my thoughts for My ship was the one who re-discovered him, it is my duty to see this through. A final vote was cast and everyone in this hall came to agree on what to do next.

Act 3 New home, new life.

Log date 126 Year of harmony. Season of birth. By Elder teacher Song of Harmony. Priest of the Marigold star cluster.

Within the orbit of a yellow star, laid a void construction of living wood. A forest clump together, earth supported the wood, as a river of water flowed around the roots. The stem of the leaves upon the trees glowed the same color of the star it orbits.

This was a habitat station of the Oogwaians, and called by the humans as an Oogwaian sanctuary. . . the other younger races among the Council agreed with the name, so they called it the same thing in their own languages, universal translator or not.

Within this sacred grove a child of humanity played and ran around it, scaring animals with his presence, bending grass with small feet, eating the fruits that fell from the trees with his small mouth and straight teeth. . . disturbing the peace.

Hmm? A child of humanity. A large hill in the middle of the sanctuary stirred, as an Oogawaian 15 meters tall awakened and sat down after laying in meditation. A small patch of grass and earth fell off his shell.

The child made his way to the Oogwaian, a handful of fruit gathered on his arms. He was naked, his eyes were like that of a pair of galaxies, they were intense, his hair as blue as a burning star. but his smile and the aura he gave was as peaceful and friendly as the best human diplomats I've ever met.

Big! Turtle! Then he started running and then climbing on me while still holding his prize, but then I felt him tired, and layed on a patch of grass in front of me eating fruits. Ha ha ha! I laughed at this as he offered me food. Eat! I ate the fruit he offered by using a claw.

Human, what is your name? Cloudy! But not human! Oh? You're not human? Yes! I'm an Abyss Orca! Abyss orca?. . . This confused me, so I checked this young one's mind.

And as I touched his psychic aura, I felt immense pressure, so large I almost bared my claws against this child, but my mind is stronger than my flesh and I bared the pain and finally broke through the thick and heavy aura of the child, and found he was nothing but a projection, a solid one but still a projection. . .

You're the Tàikōng jīngyú talked about by humanity and the younger races. . . why are you here? As I opened my eyes, awakening from meditative use of my mind and asked the space whale. but I saw that he was sleeping.

Did he over use his new body? Doesn't matter, now, I need help understanding this phenomena. . . But I can't call the council or else the younger races would rage when they learned their generation's greatest discovery became a human.

I closed my eyes again, and focused on a memory, one of a vibranty. she was the first I have ever met and it had been seasons ago since I've seen her. Hello? 10,000 Elder mother of Birth planet Mango juice. Song of Harmony? Old friend, it's been a time. How are you? I am well ten thousand. Ha ha ha, I go by Driachy now, the humans are good name givers. 

Ha ha ha they are, many of my brethren have been given new names because of them. I need help old friend. Of course, anything for those that had protected our young. What is it? This. I gave my memories to my friend as she finds it better to understand things via memory rather than dialog.

Oh? Is projection this strong, possible with your race Harmony? I don't know, the oldest of my race can project themselves, but not to this extent, I was rather disturbed at not knowing it was a projection, the first time I saw him Driachy.

What do you want help with Harmony? Do you want to hide him? Or do you want me to come to you and help study him? I. . . I'm unsure, I just don't want war in a season of birth. I. .Understand Harmony I'll see what I can do, I'll send some trustworthy humans and a child of mine. Thank you. . .Don't mention it. Song of Harmony.