I do," jon said, looking at casper, who nodded.

Doc went on, obviously enjoying a lecturing mode. "Biologists have always been divided on the subject of whether or not we will ever find humanoid bipedal life-forms such as ourselves. As we know, it took astrographers long enough to admit that there just could be far more m-type planets with a proper atmospheric mix and carbon-based than earlier stargazers suspected. However, on the subject of what life-forms could emerge from the same sort of primordial stew, biologists remain in violent disagreement.

One group insists that the percentage against encountering humanoids like yourselves is too high. The sentient, or perhaps I should say, sapient life-forms on other planets will be very alien. The aerial monsters that attacked your settlement, captain svangel, might be considered sentient, since they purposefully kept attacking you.

But sapience indicates wisdom. And the avians showed little of that. However, back to the point, one group of biologists insisted that humanoid life-forms couldn't happen.

"The other, equally vocal and determined group, the panspermians , who postulated that once life originates anywhere., that accident or design could cause that basic pattern to spread out through a galaxy. An excellent example of this is the evidence of life found in a meteorite that originated on mars. And later confirmed in the initial mars probes and landings." jon grinned at Nimisha, who smiled, remembering history lessons of humankind's earliest explorations of its own solar system before the first diaspora.

"Am I boring you?" doc asked.

"No, no, please continue, doc," Nimisha said courteously.

The doc cleared its throat in a very human fashion. "Many eminent biologists were willing to recognize that a hardy life-form, like some bacteria, might be able to survive such a journey through space-" "arrhenius' theory," Nimisha interrupted, cocking her finger at jon, who grinned.

Doc went on as if there had been no interruption ... ... lasting decades, hundred or thousands of years, and thus plant the seeds for biologically compatible life on another similarly hospitable world.

If they check out, that theory is validated." "Oh." Nimisha smirked with anticipation.

"The very fact that the stunner disabled them," doc continued, indicates that they have a central nervous system that can be stunned. They also have a hemoglobin blood similar to ours." then he chuckled. "I have been busy during my narrative," he added. "Let's add to a nervous system an amazing circulatory arrangement and a heart-type pump and the bellows they use for lungs. Neatly packaged between their shoulder blades.

Which adds more proof of being a humanoid type. Ah, one difference! They can withdraw their genitals into their bodies for safe keeping.

A wise precaution, but there may be more than two sexes. I'd need to check other specimens. One does have a prod withdrawn in its body, but it also has an egg sac. A blood filter, a waste compartment for liquid and solids. There are some odd fissures in the hind end that probably open for evacuation. Muscle tissue, strong skeletal frame, articulated joints, but we saw them at work, didn't we?

definitely humanoid. I'm just getting to the brain but ... hmmm." doc broke off. "That's odd.

"What?" "Different structure, though I can discern divisions that might be comparable to human lobes. Very dense brain matter. just how high on the scale their intelligence is will have to be estimated by their reaction to other stimuli. I'm willing to call them not only sentient but sapient."

"Aggressive, too," casper remarked, "so they have a territorial imperative. However, except for their size, we haven't established if these little folk are the descendants of those on that ship." "Why else were they determined to protect it and drive us away?" Nimisha asked.

"I'll tell you one thing-I don't think they are indigenous to this planet," doc said. "They have residual accretions of minerals in their muscles and systems that they haven't been able to either use or evacuate. Once the organ is full up, I suspect it causes them a lot of problems, up to and including early demise." "Are they capable of speech?" "They've demonstrated that they can make sounds. Whether these sounds form a consistent language we have yet to see. Certainly they have tongues, so they can vary the sounds they make.

They also have teeth ... omnivorous variety. Not as many as humans, but the type of dental equipment suggests they can be omnivorous." "We didn't do them any harm restraining them, did we?" Nimisha asked.

"Flesh is dense, dark in color. I cannot detect any contusions on their extremities. Remarkably tough creatures. It would take a lot to pierce their hides or break their bones. Possibly why they survived the crash of their space vehicle so well." "Good point," Nimisha said with a laugh. "I don't think many humans would have survived that crash." "Or that these did," jon added, gesturing to the limp bodies in the medical unit.

"I've done what I can. They no longer have intestinal parasites, and I was able to laser the accretions out of their organs. Could be some sort of gall bladder. But they didn't need that foreign matter filling it up." "When will they wake?" syrona asked.

"And what do we do with them when they do?" Nimisha asked.

"Feed them?" casper's expression was amused.

"Any ideas on what they eat, doc?" Nimisha asked. "Meat certainly turned that one off." "Stomach contents have been analyzed and they have recently eaten grain products and a protein I cannot identify with what few biological entities of this planet this ship has been asked to examine. I can see no reason why what is nutritious for us may not be equally edible for them, given that we may have descended from the same type of primordial pond scum." "The burger was protein, not scum," syrona said.

"But not in a recognizable form or with a familiar smell," doc replied.

"You've been living here longer. And you made bread," Nimisha said, turning to jon. "That's grain. Fish is protein-i--did we scan enough of the area around the wreck to know if there is a body of water in the vicinity that would supply fish?" I can provide fish for them, and greens," cater replied.

"Helm sent me an update of what you have been eating, captain." "Thanks, helm. As efficient and forethoughtful as ever," Nimisha murmured.

"Only doing my job, ma'am," was helms response. They all chuckled.

"We'll take fish--cooked, I think," Nimisha said, looking at the three for confirmation. "And greens, plus some sort of bread, coarse grained, but a finer quality than what jon made." she shot him a teasing glance. "And water in clear glass." the requested items were available within minutes.

"They're waking up," doc advised them.

"Let's move the table closer to the med unit so they can see the food. You don't generally offer edibles to an enemy," jon said.

"We hope," Nimisha said as she took one end of the table nearest her to help jon move it. Casper and syrona, with timmy's help, set the food on the table. "Tim, you're small. Stand in front and offer them food. Take a piece of each and show them you're willing to eat it." "Sure, only I wish it was burger instead of fish," timmy said, promptly taking his position.

"If we are seated," Nimisha went on, "we may not look as threatening." "You took the course, too?" jon asked her, pulling chairs to form a row well behind the set table.

"No, it just seems sensible, she replied, and he nodded approval.

"I'm opening up," doc said.

"talk to them as soon as they start moving, timmy," jon said.

"it doesn't matter what you say." "But what will I say?" timmy asked, anxiously turning to his mother.

"Tell them who you are, who we are, that we didn't mean to scare them, and are they hungry?" "When do I eat?" "Drink first and offer it to them," doc said. "They'll likely be thirsty after what I've done to them." everyone watched as the alien creatures began to stir.

The more violent captive of the two roused first. They could tell by the sudden tautness in its body.

"Hi, I'm timmy. I'll bet you're thirsty," the boy said, pausing to take a drink of water before offering the glass.

The alien hissed, but its now-open black optical slits were obviously focused on the glass as it watched timmy drink. If it drew back from his extended hand, the action was more in an automatic defense.

"Move slowly, timmy," syrona said. "Maybe place the glass beside it in the unit?"

Timmy did so, taking the three steps slowly, glass still in his outstretched hand. Some of the water slopped in his hurry to put it down and the alien backed away, crowding into its fellow, who was just beginning to stir.

"Try it. Good clean water," timmy said, taking the second glass and again drinking from it. "And we got good food. You can have what you want to eat." he picked up one of the bread slices and moved to place it beside the glass.

"Eat a bite, timmy," jon murmured softly.

"Oh, yeah, I forgot." his next words were muffled around the slice as he bit into it before placing it beside the glass. "See? I'm eating it. And drinking the water, too. Try it. Won't hurt you.

Please?" the alien sniffed at the wet spill that had become drops on the nonabsorbent covering of the medical unit. It put one of its two fingers on a drop and watched it run away from the touch. It sniffed the glass and then, slowly rising to a seated position, lifted the glass in both hands and took a tentative sip. Its fellow had now roused and was watching, turning its head just enough to take in what was happening.

Having had a quick sip, the first one made a short soft sound to its companion, who also pulled itself up into a sitting position and reached for the offered glass. It took one sip and then another before handing the glass back.

"Would that mean ay is dominant over bee?" syrona asked.

"Ay was awake before bee," Nimisha said, smothering a chuckle.

"Give bee its own glass, and the greens, timmy," jon said. "Eat some before you put them down where they can reach them." timmy, obviously enjoying his role, did so, taking a bite of the green leaf with exaggerated eagerness before adding it to the offerings . He got a second piece of bread, breaking off a piece and eating that before giving the slice to bee.

Ay took the bread and sniffed it, licked it, and bit into it, chewing quickly and then nibbling more enthusiastically. Bee took the leaf, sniffed, licked and then crumbled the whole thing into its mouth, swallowing almost instantly.

"You're supposed to chew your food, not swallow it whole," timmy said, frowning.

"They caught that facial change fast, didn't they?" Nimisha said as both aliens stopped eating, their bodies tense.

"Smile, tim," jon said.

"I didn't scare them, did I?" "I don't think so. They're eating again." "They must be starved," timmy said. His offerings were all gone and the water drained from the glasses. "What do I do now?

Fill the glasses?" "Hold out your hand and then gesture to the table, showing them they can leave the medic unit," jon said. "Smile." "They're not smiling back," timmy said, but he was urgently pantomiming what he wanted them to do.

There was a low-voiced exchange of sounds before ay pushed itself forward and slid off the unit, landing lightly on its feet with knees bent, ready to move.

"No, it's all right, come along. It's much easier for you to take what you want," timmy said with expansive and explanatory gestures.

"He's good at this," Nimisha said in a low voice to syrona.

"We used to do play acting at nights or during long storms," casper said. "Passed time, and it was amazing how much dialogue we could remember from plays we'd seen a long time ago." "In bits and pieces," jon added, also keeping his voice low.

Slowly, and with timmy encouraging them every step, the aliens made their way to the table, clutching their glasses against their squarish torsos. Timmy pointed at the glasses, patted the table and picked up the pitcher.

"You put 'em down and I'll pour. We might spill otherwise.

Ever used a pitcher before? Yes, that's right, put the glass down, ay. You're ay, and you're bee. I'm tee." and timmy started to giggle at his wit. Both aliens reacted, taking two quick backward steps before they realized timmy's unusual noise was not harmful.

"I'm pouring, I'm pouring you water," he said, hastily putting action to words. Then he stepped back and glanced over at the adults watching him. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't've laughed like that, should i as the aliens were far more needful of water than concerned about his odd noises, they were quick to take possession of and drain both glasses quickly. They replaced the glasses on the table and turned meaningfully toward him.

"I get the message," he said, cutting off another giggle as he refilled. "What about some more of this nice bread?" he asked, passing the plate from one to the other.

As daintily as if they were at a proper tea in lady Rezalla's salon they used one finger and the opposing thumb to lift a slice from the plate.

"We got some fish, too," timmy said. Then regarded his mother.

"I can eat it with my fingers this time?" when she nodded, he pinched a portion of the cooked white flesh and, tipping his head, dropped the morsel down his throat.

Ay and bee watched, their jaws dropping slightly open. Their eyes glittered. Then they relaxed and continued eating bread. Ay approached the fish, and its sniffing was quite audible, the vents of the vertical slit visibly fluttering. So quick was its pincer-like motion that the piece of fish was in its mouth before the humans caught the transfer. Then it turned slightly toward bee and pointed to the fish. They both set about snatching pieces, alternating bites of fish, bread, and greens until they cleared all that had been set out for them.

"'you were hungry and thirsty, weren't you?" timmy said.

Syrona covered her mouth, her eyes twinkling with amusement.

"You've said that a time or two, I guess," Nimisha commented to syrona.

"A time or two." having fed themselves, ay and bee now regarded timmy. The observers could see that they were no longer as tense as they had been. They were, she thought, seeing the almost imperceptible movements of their head, and the flick of their digits, assessing their current surroundings and the inhabitants.

"Now what do we do?" timmy asked the adults, raising his hands, palms upward in query.

Immediately the aliens assumed a similar position.

"Good question, timmy. Why don't you sit down on the floor and see what happens?" jon suggested quietly.

The aliens' heads moved slightly, indicating they knew where the voice came from.

"So." timmy crossed his legs and sat down.

The aliens leaned slightly forward and turned to each other; ay made a sound and bee lifted one shoulder, but both settled down cross-legged, too.

"Their knees are funny," timmy said, but he kept his expression bland.

"Now, tim, point to yourself and say your name." "Timmy or tee?" I told you that boy's a born comedian," casper murmured.

"He's the best one at charades, certainly," syrona replied in the same careful tone.

"Timmy! Tee!" said the boy and then, without a cue from jon, he pointed to ay and cocked his head, eyebrows set at an inquiring level. When there was no immediate response, he leaned toward them, cupping a hand behind his ear.

"They don't seem to have ears, timmy. That gesture may not be understood.," "tee! Timmy," he repeated, pointing to himself and then at each of the aliens in turn.

Ay said a sound.

Bee said a sound.

Timmy shook his head.

"Any ideas, helm?" Nimisha asked softly.

"A liquid noise, neither vowel nor diphthong," helm replied. I have not heard sufficient of their sounds to replicate them." "Tee. Timmy!" "Ttt," ay said, stuttering out the consonant but unable to complete the "ee" sound.

"Hey, that's great!" timmy said, clapping his hands. This starts tied the two, who reared back away from him. "Ooops!" he said in dismay, hunching his shoulders and clapping fingers to his mouth.

"Oooo!" repeated both aliens at once, turning to each other as if both pleased with his word and their repetition.

"Try more vowels, timmy." "Vowels?" timmy turned for an explanation.

"A, e, i, o, u," his mother replied.

"Ay is what we named him." "Aaaa," ay echoed politely.

"Bee?" timmy said, pointing to bee.

Teee," bee said.

"We're going to have to change their names," timmy suggested.

-try ay, ...

The vowels were easier for the aliens to manage and they went through the five.

"Open your mouth enough, timmy," jon suggested, "so they can see how you make the tee sound." timmy did so, grimacing and showing his teeth, his lips peeled back as far as possible. The boy kept on, and the aliens seemed to be trying to enunciate what they heard.