New to Space Traveler Fargone? Start at the beginning.
Em and I just stared.
“Does our appearance disturb you?” Flow asked.
“It is a little unnerving. Where we come from, everyone looks different. It is strange to see duplicates of ourselves,” I replied.
“Ah, I can adjust that.”
Flow and everyone else suddenly transformed and had new faces and different body sizes. They were all different but similar.
“We thought you would be more comfortable seeing us in your form. I have made variations by combining your features together and randomizing them.”
“Eww,” Em said.
I laughed. “Look, Em. Our children are all grown up.”
“That’s not funny.”
“I do not understand,” Flow remarked.
I explained. “We are Humans. Organic life forms who reproduce in pairs, combining the features of both parents to create similar but unique offspring. You produced the same result visually.”
“Interesting,” Flow replied.
“What are you?” Em asked, not very tactfully.
“We are Metallums. Inorganic lifeforms. As you may know, consciousness is not an organic state. It can exist within many forms or by itself. We are fluid and can take whatever shape we desire or need and possess any part of that shape. This zone is nothing more than Metallum in a form that matches the other zones on this vessel. No consciousness currently inhabits it, allowing it to stay stationary. It is quite boring to be in a space station body.”
“So you can become anything you need. Like a weapon?” I asked.
Flow smiled. “We have no need for weapons. We cannot be destroyed. We simply change shape.”
“What about the warning you sent us?”
“That is meant to scare off unknown vessels. We have no weapons of any kind, although other species on the station have some terrifying ones.”
“What is the station called?” Em asked.
“This is Space Station Manifold. There are over four thousand unique species that inhabit the station. We joined together and constructed this station to learn about each other and prevent conflicts.”
“Does it work?”
“It does. There have been no conflicts since the station was constructed. And it serves as a deterrent to other species who would invade any of the station species worlds.”
“Excellent. Humans could learn a few lessons here,” Em said.
“Excuse me for asking, but if you are inorganic, why did you want the donut coupon?”
“We will use it as a gift for one of the organic species on the station. Farismitron donuts are craved across the Universe.”
“No doubt. They are incredible.”
“So, do you have a planet, also?” Em asked.
“We do. But it is not like most planets. It is made completely of Metallum.”
“It can change shape?”
“Well, it does. But only on the surface. That is where the consciousnesses live and take shape.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Are there any other inorganic life forms on Manifold?” I asked.
“Yes. There are the Stoniums, a species of rock. And there are the Vaporzenes, a species of liquid clouds.”
“Cool.”
“The Vaporzenes are difficult to communicate with. But we could visit the Stoniums if you like.”
“That would be monumental,” Em said.
“What is monumental?” Flow asked.
“It’s slang for good,” I replied.
“What is slang?”
“It is giving a new meaning to a word.”
“An interesting concept. To what purpose?”
“There is no logical explanation. It is a Human quirk.”
“Very well, follow me.”
We walked toward a wall, and it suddenly transformed into a passageway.
“A corridor runs the entire length of the station, allowing access to every zone,” Flow said as we walked.
“How do you get to far-away zones? Is there some kind of transportation system in the corridor?” Em asked.
“There is. I will show you when we reach the end of our zone.”
We walked for a while and came to a stylized map on a wall. It was a long rectangle divided into small color-coded rectangles. Each rectangle was labeled in the viewer’s native language and represented one of the zones on the ship.
“I will touch the Stonium zone on the map, and we will be transported to their zone. I must warn you first. It can be a disorienting experience your first time. Are you ready?”
We both said yes.
Flow touched the map, and the floor of the corridor lowered us to another level. We entered into a windowless transport vessel, and the door closed. The vessel filled with some sort of pressure that prevented us from moving. It felt like being stuck in mud. We heard a faint swooshing sound for a few moments, and then it stopped. The pressure released, and the vessel door opened. We walked onto a platform and were lifted to the original corridor.
We walked about 50 meters and came to a door. There was a panel next to the door. Flow touched it, and a biped creature appeared on the panel. It seemed to be made of orange rock.
“What’s up, mate? I didn’t recognize ya at first,” the creature said.
“I have taken the shape of my guests.”
“Well, come on in. You know I love company.”
The door opened, and we entered a space that appeared very similar to the desert in the western United States on Earth. Sand covered the floor, and what appeared to be vegetation was growing from the sand. Two stone creatures approached us.
Flow made the introductions.
“Fargone and Em, may I present Mick.”
“Pleased to meet ya,” Mick said.
“Me too,” Em said.
“My pleasure,” I replied.
“And you must be Keith,” I said to the other rock creature.
“Oy, how did ya know my name?” The creature asked. “Have we met?”
My eyes got big. “Just a lucky guess.”
“Brilliant. Come on, then. Let me show ya around.”