Aᵁᴰᴵᴼ

[ancestor]

...Hello?

Hello. I am not supposed to be here. I am supposed to be—

[ The voice that speaks is so quiet it's nearly a whisper; quiet and lilting in a way reminiscent of whale song. Her words are cut short by a wavering intake of breath. When she speaks again it's with the fervent confusion of a person who has recently experienced something very traumatic and can't quite comprehend it. ]

I'm supposed to be... I'm dead? I'm meant to be dead. I remember it. I remember— It hurt. I remember that. It—hurts. They were all screaming. Everyone was—

All of them—

[ A small, choked sob. ]

My people.

I'm supposed to be with them.

Comments

[ancestor]

...Yes.

They are better at listening.

[albatrossomen]

Tell me more about your dispenser of nonsense?

[ancestor]

Hyth?

He was my oldest friend. Would have celebrated twelve centuries of companionship this upcoming decade...had things gone differently.

[albatrossomen]

[Now that's a surprise.]

You are very long-lived indeed. What, if I may ask, resulted in your falling out with Hades?

[ancestor]

What? I've barely passed my adolescence.

A disagreement.

[albatrossomen]

In my experience most scantly reach one century, much less twelve.

I see. Unfortunate.

[ancestor]

...What? That's ridiculous—they'd barely finish the first of their primaries.

[albatrossomen]

Typically they are finished with their initial education roughly around the time they are eighteen rotations around their sun.

I think, it's been some time since I've paid close attention. Might be sooner now.

[ancestor]

That is an infant.

[albatrossomen]

That is very nearly fully mature for them.

I say nearly, they tend to think they're fully world-wise by then. Until a few years later when they are actually finished growing.

[ancestor]

...No.

[albatrossomen]

No?

[ancestor]

No.

That is bullshite.

[albatrossomen]

Oh, if only. I am afraid I am not quite creative enough to come up with something so outlandish on my own.

[ancestor]

It's hardly outlandish.

It's stupid.

[albatrossomen]

You are welcome to ask any number of them to verify. We have a few aboard the ship.

[ancestor]

'Them'?

[albatrossomen]

Mortals, humans specifically.

[ancestor]

No.

[albatrossomen]

Again?

[ancestor]

I am human.

[albatrossomen]

Mmm, perhaps I must be more specific.

I am speaking of those humans that hail from a world they have named Earth, that orbits a single yellow star they have creatively named "The Sun" or Sol. They currently recognize eight planets and one proto-planet within their own solar system.

I could name those as well but it feels superfluous to this conversation. Given the information thus far, I doubt you hail from the same world. Or, if you do, it is in a vastly different universe.

[Murmur's a nerd.]

[ancestor]

No... That's moronic.

[albatrossomen]

I'll be certain to pass your observation to...

Absolutely no one who will care at this juncture, I'm afraid.

[ancestor]

[ She scoffs, bitter and cynical. ]

Few have ever cared.

But anyone who disagrees that Earth is one of the most singularly insulting things to name their star is a mindless fool, and I've dealt with enough of those in my lifetime. I hardly need them in death as well.