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[Chiefwaffles]

It's clear that your current strategy isn't going to work. You first check the estimated time until their ship impacts yours - about two minutes. While not that much time, it still leaves you enough to try something new communications-wise.

You set Communications to transmit the first ten prime numbers in binary. You ultimately decide the best way to accomplish this is basically through transmission bursts - where the data is based only on time and frequency of the bursts. Hopefully they should at least be able to pick up on that. Over the next two minutes, you start sending additional signals as was planned.

You're left not knowing whether this works or not because two minutes later you receive no response and the ship "collision" is imminent. You nervously peer out the cockpit at the ship approaching yours. The ship itself is a bit bigger than yours. The design of the ship is certainly strange, but it's not anything mind-boggling or awe-inspiring. It looks like it was designed to be able to fly in-atmosphere, and as it turns out, aerodynamics is always something people tend to consider when designing aircraft.

The collision doesn't happen. At least, not in the way you were expecting it. You don't hear the expected "thunk" and instead hear a much more graceful ...something. Their ship has matched velocity with yours and-
SECURITY ALERT. AIRLOCK #01 PROXMITY ALERT TRIGGERED.

So they're docking, apparently. You hear another beep and turn your gaze towards the Communications interface. It's the series of prime numbers you left out in your transmissions.
What now? You have no weapons available to you and the airlock won't open without your authorization. Though if they wanted to break it down, they probably could anyways. Emergency Ships apparently weren't designed for boarding action.

2 systems away from next Waypoint.

Spoiler: You (click to show/hide)

Wearing: Vacuum Suit & Mothership Engineer Uniform

Spoiler: Cargo (click to show/hide)

- Radiation Protection Suit

[Carefulrogue]

All in favor of "fuck it," say "aye."

[x2yzh9]

All in favor of "fuck it," say "aye."

Agreed. Walk up to the airlock and transmit through the intercom a friendly tone(not words, but just tone) transmitted from the computer, and open the airlock.

[S34N1C]

All in favor of "fuck it," say "aye."

Agreed. Walk up to the airlock and transmit through the intercom a friendly tone(not words, but just tone) transmitted from the computer, and open the airlock.

You still didn't say aye.

AYE, AYE CAPTAIN

[Dustan Hache]

We arn't a captain though. Still seems like our best bet to get some help.

[Chiefwaffles]

Knowing that you can't communicate with them via audio just yet, you choose the most friendly-sounding tone you're able to find. You set it to play over the intercom at a reasonable volume and double-check the translation system.
The translation software installed in this ship is probably the most advanced mechanism ever developed for this voyage. It uses complicated sensor equipment and programming that was designed by the top scientists with the top equipment, and has been tested enough that it should hopefully be able to be of use to you.  It should be able to translate anything as long as its a message received via communications or a file or if the being is in the ship.

You double-check your person as you walk over to the airlocks, making sure to brush off any tiny bits of debris gathered on you from the evacuation. You take a deep breath, and open the airlock. Behind the door is a party of three surprisingly ...human-like, aliens. They have some minute yet jarring differences to your own kind, but their visible anatomy is remarkably similar to your own, past the point of coincidence. But this is a question for another time, you think as you try to quickly examine the group.

One of them off to the side appears to be holding some kind of weapon, but you think he(?) isn't pointing it at you. Another is present at the other side of the apparent leader, and holds nothing with his hands at his side. At the front you see a very formal-looking woman(?). All three of them are wearing variations of the same uniform, with the leader seemingly having a few more baubles on theirs. They step forward onto your ship and begin speaking in a strange language. The unarmed one holds up some kind of tool or handheld computer and is carefully gazing at it while the leader stops talking and appears to prompt you to talk.

You look at a nearby status monitor that you set to display translation status. The text on the screen assures you that all is going well, and translation will begin shortly. Unable to think of anything else to do, you try introducing yourself and explaining your situation. They definitely don't understand but the tool-holding person holds up some part of their device closer to your mouth. The leader once again begins speaking, but this time a computerized voice comes in through the intercom replacing hers. All three of them look in a mildly startled fashion at the nearest intercom, but the leader continues talking.

"[Why] ... location here[?] Who [are] you[?]"

The translation software obviously has a long way to go, but it's making progress. You know now that it seems to have gained a basic understanding of their language, it should be able to translate your speech into their language also over the intercom. What now?

2 systems away from next Waypoint.

Spoiler: You (click to show/hide)

Wearing: Vacuum Suit & Mothership Engineer Uniform

Spoiler: Cargo (click to show/hide)

- Radiation Protection Suit

Spoiler: GM Note (click to show/hide)

Sorry for the delay in updates. Today's flimsy excuse is "I got distracted by the bbcode bug in a different FG."

[Kashyyk]

Now that is some pretty neat tech. I was worried  we'd have to do the translation ourselves :p

I'm also guessing they've got a similar version by the looks of the device they're carrying. Either that or a dictaphone anyway.

I'd recommend telling them everything. Odds are they won't understand half of it, but we need them to help us otherwise we're screwed.

[S34N1C]

Now that is some pretty neat tech. I was worried  we'd have to do the translation ourselves :p

I'm also guessing they've got a similar version by the looks of the device they're carrying. Either that or a dictaphone anyway.

I'd recommend telling them everything. Odds are they won't understand half of it, but we need them to help us otherwise we're screwed.

+1

[Carefulrogue]

Now that is some pretty neat tech. I was worried  we'd have to do the translation ourselves :p

I'm also guessing they've got a similar version by the looks of the device they're carrying. Either that or a dictaphone anyway.

I'd recommend telling them everything. Odds are they won't understand half of it, but we need them to help us otherwise we're screwed.

+1

+1

Might as well.

[Chiefwaffles]

You glance at the translation status screen and make sure that you'll be translated. You will be, so you immediately start talking. You explain what happened with your mothership, what you saw when you arrived, why you can't leave, and more. You end up spending some amount of time explaining the Teardrive and the basic principles behind its operation, but you think they get it in the end. As you finish explaining everything to them, you look again at the translation status screen. Supposedly, it's already learned a great deal from just passive analysis and response to various words, but you decide you'll make your conclusion when you hear them talk again.

The leader moves in closer with the device-holding one and they talk with each other for a brief moment. The leader glances at the screen of the device along with the operator as they whisper in a volume too low for the translation system to pick up. Once they're done with this, the leader walks back to her original standing position and starts talking to you.

"The [reactor] utilizes [gravity]  to create power."

The leader actually talks a lot more than the translation system, but another glance at the status screen assures you that it's getting the gist of it. Once done speaking, the leader holds a finger up to an earpiece and whispers into it, appearing to have some kind of conversation. She looks at you again and continues speaking.

"We have 15 [people] here. Can you take us to our home?"

2 systems away from next Waypoint.

Spoiler: You (click to show/hide)

Wearing: Vacuum Suit & Mothership Engineer Uniform

Spoiler: Cargo (click to show/hide)

- Radiation Protection Suit

[Carefulrogue]

Sure.  What could possibly go wrong?

[VoidSlayer]

Ask if they were survivors of the combat in the area and what the hell that rift weapon was.

Ask which world is their home world and if they use a lot of the gravity power generators.

We may have found the source of the disturbance and also why these people never developed a tear drive system.

Can we hold this many people for a short trip?

[Carefulrogue]

Fair points.  I think it's reasonable to assume their ship works, they just need guidance.  Tear drives could be a test of engineering, so they might have not pushed the envelope of math, science, and technology that far yet.  They might even have taken a different path entirely.

Ask if their ship is still working.  Escort them home.

[Chiefwaffles]

You take a moment to consider your ship. While life support would certainly fail in a rather short period with 15 human-like people, it should hold long enough without any kind of damage occurred to it for the voyage. As for space, the ship would be very crowded but you'd still have enough space to do what you need to. Satisfied with this conclusion, you turn your attention back to the party standing in front of you.
First, you ask them if their ship is still functional.
"We lack any method to [enter FTL] and a voyage to [Planet #4003] would take months that we do not hold. [Rescue] can not arrive in time."
You note that "Planet #4003" is Navigation's designation for one of the habitable planets. You ask them about the battle you saw.
"Our [reactor] was unstable due to damage incurred from the battle. We evacuated our vessel before [meltdown] occurred."
Then you asked them about their home world and the nature of their gravity power generators.
"All of our military [installations] and ships utilize these [reactors]."

You look around you at the Emergency Ship as you try to suppress a miniscule fear that the whole thing will collapse with such a large amount of people on board. You tell them that they can come on board. The leader motions to the device-holding one who scurries back into their ship and shortly returns with 12 other people. Curiously, none of them seem to be holding weapons and most of their uniforms match the one present on the alien holding the device. Once they're all situated in your ship, you head to the cockpit. You check Navigation and determine what Planet #4003 was referring to. The "less-cold" planet that you saw earlier on the sensors. You set a course to it and activate the Teardrive.

About an hour later, you make an announcement for your passengers to brace for arrival and with a large (and slightly worrying) sudden groan, the ship emerges out of the partial tear and into the orbit of the so-called "Planet #4003". According to your sensors, it's actually much colder than you thought it was earlier. Certainly not as cold as the ice planet, but colder nonetheless. You chalk it up to some kind of minor sensor anomaly and move on. Communications alerts you to yet another transmission matching the ones you encountered earlier. As this happens, the leader knocks on the door to the cockpit. You let her in and one of her other crewmembers that you haven't seen before walks in behind her.

"One of our engineers, [NAME], can work with you to configure your systems to work with our own communication systems. Be quick or you may be blown out of the sky."

You motion over for the engineer as you realize how much the translation software's understanding of their language has improved. A couple of minutes later, you both finish up and you switch Communications back online just as the leader once again walks in.

"repeat: State your affiliation and reasoning to be here or you will be destroyed."
Knowing what the leader intends to do, you toggle the microphone and gesture to it.
"This is [NAME], [second-in-command] of the [SHIP DESIGNATION], and I am currently willingly on board an alien's ship along with 14 other surviving crew members. We require docking and a meeting with [leader]."
"...Hold for a moment."
Roughly two uncomfortable minutes later, the incoming message signal lights up again as you hear the same voice again.
"You are clear for docking. We will transmit the docking [coordinates] to you."
The leader makes some kind of strange expression and walks out along with the engineer and you start flying the ship towards the landing coordinates.

Eventually you start approaching the ground. As you near closer to your designated landing spot, you gaze at the cities you fly by. The architechture is both completely alien and strange yet has a recognizable and familiar feel to it. As you get closer and closer, the dense alien skyline starts to give way to gardens and more ornate buildings. You find your landing spot - a piece of what looks like pavement surrounded by a garden. A fairly large party of aliens wait on the pavement leading away from the landing spot and to a nearby building. You land with ease and exit the cockpit. The leader makes a motion beckoning you to her and begins speaking.

"I need you to walk with me. If I'm right, we - or you - should be heading to a meeting with our [leader]."

You quickly consider your situation before making a decision. You realize that with the translation system's inability to translate names of people, ranks, ships, and more, you can substitute in your own names for things if you wish. You have a Wristcomp that you can take with you that can have the data gathered from the translation systems uploaded to it. You already checked the atmosphere and conditions on this planet and while it may not be extremely comfortable you'll be perfectly fine for the most part. All that you need to do is leave the ship with a plan.

2 systems away from next Waypoint.

Spoiler: You (click to show/hide)

Wearing: Vacuum Suit & Mothership Engineer Uniform

Spoiler: Ship (click to show/hide)

- Alien Communications-compatible

Spoiler: Cargo (click to show/hide)

- Radiation Protection Suit

Spoiler: GM Note (click to show/hide)

I did lots of 'skipping ahead' this update to avoid dull decisions. I figured that people wouldn't suddenly say to run away instead of communicating with the planet's authorities, and so on.
Please tell me (either via PM or post) if you don't appreciate this kind of assumption.

[Carefulrogue]

@Chiefwaffles  It was perfectly fine.  It can be really boring to attempt to process every single event, and it's not something we need to be consulted on for every decision.  Only critique, would be the communication calibration/translation took place after we had jumped.  Something I think we would have done first, cause ya know, I like all my bits intact, especially the tin can. 

Something we need to know:
During the transport of the aliens, did we or them, take off helmets or otherwise breath the same air?  Contamination, and potential foreign diseases could be troublesome, and it wouldn't be great to accidentally infect the world's superpower's leader with the common cold.  It's quite possibly though, that the diseases and biology between isolated ecosystems are remarkably similar, but I consider that a remote possibility.  Better safe than sorry. 

If we did take off our helmet, or what not, put it on when stepping off the ship.  I assume the visor can toggle between shading (to screen from solar radiation,) and two-way see through.  Or it's clear and a mute point. 

If we didn't, leave it (helmet) on.  I cite the above logic.