Corntact

[Brisky]

This is gonna look a bit silly, but I'd like to try.


You're a researcher working at an astronomical listening station. A radio signal has been received from an unknown source just outside the solar system, and the smart lads from radiography have constructed the following image from the signal.



Your job, and that of your potential collegues that may join later, is to look at this image, interpret what it is, what it's trying to say, and, if it turns out to be an attempt at communication from extraterrestrial life, serve as a translators and ambassadors on behalf of mankind by constructing appropriate replies to send out in response to this possible message.

The name of the game is simple. Communicate.

Find out what this means, who they are, what they want, and most importantly, what to say back.

[Nova Starpaws]

***Astronomical Listening Station (ALS)***

"Commander! Commander! I have a theory on the image! If I'm right, this could be proof of intelligent life outside our planet! Another theory, is that this is a parallel universe that has managed to make contact. What do you think? I should be able to come up with more theories, but you haven't given me full access!"


(Oh god, the short form of Astronomical Listening Station is awful. So sorry if I offend anyone.)

[Brisky]

Well, I'm glad that you seem excited about the subject, but this isn't really a roleplay. Or at least, not like that.

And, in any case, I'm not your commander. This isn't the military.

I'm your spokesperson to handle communication with the other departements of the site and other sites or instances elsewhere that are cooperating with us, and I'll keep you up to date on what's going on.

And, I'm sorry to say, but there aren't fancy networks or equipment here either. That's all handled elsewhere.
We have a big table, some ordinary personal computers and office appliances, everyday office supplies, and most importantly, a coffee machine.


And intelligent extraterrestrial or interdimensional life certainly is a theory, but if we want to come out with this you'll have to be more specific.

What makes you think that this is originating from extraterrestrial or interdimensional life, and do you have any idea which of the two it most likely is?



Now, obviously I'm not allowed to bring any influence on your speculations, but I will say that the smaller image with strange and crypting symbols with the drawing of the man and the woman is actually ours, just incase you didn't know.

That's the Pioneer plaque. It's a gold plaque that was put aboard the Pioneer 10 and 11 interstellar probes and contains pictorial information about us humans, our solar system, and the origin of the spacecrafts, in case the probes were to be intercepted by extraterrestrial life.

[Nova Starpaws]

I thought that was the gold disc put on the Voyager. But anyways, it's most likely extraterrestrial life. The swirl looks like a galaxy similar to ours, with the same spiral arm shape. Or it could mean a vortex. A portal you could say. But extraterrestrial life is the most likely choice.

[Brisky]

Well, there's a lot more on that piece of paper than the swirl, and there's some symbology around that too!

Assuming it was a direct attempt of communicating to us humans, can you bring up a theory on what it would be trying to say or ask?

[HellEye]

Okay, let me try.
I assume they clearly found our voyager plate thing.
I would guess they're trying to meet us, hence the lines between earth and their planet. The swirl could be the galaxy, they're maybe giving us their position? Or maybe some kind of portal we could use to visit them. I lean into the galaxy theory though since there are also some ships on there, maybe they're saying they have the technology to reach us.
Can't decipher their letters yet but maybe they're saying hello or something.
There's also a marking on the picture showing their ship flying to us, maybe time it'll take for them to arrive?

[Brisky]

Interesting!

So, what would you write / draw as a response to them?

[HellEye]

Not gonna draw it up yet, for now I am really trying to decipher the characters. (is there even any merit to that? They seem very familiar, but I can't quite find any fictional alphabet that would cover more than one or two of them).
As to the reply, I feel like the good starting point would be to establish some way of communicating with them.
Couple of ideas include:
Setting up a number system, so we can for example get their precise position (in relation to the center of galaxy, with degrees/whatever starting from andromeda galaxy. We can measure that very precisely, so another intelligent species should be able to do so as well)
Setting up a common language. Pictures aren't gonna cut it. Maybe ask them for their full alphabet, some simple words, send our alphabet their way as well with words like "hello", "human" and stuff. I guess english isn't the best language for that but it'll do for this scenario.

If any fellow scientist has any idea on even the most crude decryption of the alphabet I'd be very happy. If not, I'll go ahead and draw up a crude simple response to try and establish communication with letters and numbers, or maybe numbers and some common conceptual picture alphabet (chinese alphabet comes to mind but it's overly complicated so I think that won't do. And I don't know chinese. )

[ShadowWalker]

Well the first image looks like our world connecting (via satellite) with another planet that has some kind of liquid source to keep the people living on this planet alive.
The second image possibly is a map of where our two planets are located in relation to our own milky way.
The third image could possibly be how they see us from their technological resources which I have no doubt that their technology is far superior to ours.
The fourth image could possibly be what they plan on getting to us with (blueprints).
The final image is probably their conclusion to how they are going to connect with our planet.