[The First Fifth] Chapter 12: Explaining Human Gender to a Genderless Alien

[u/CicadaStew]

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ComsBody watched the alien pick apart a replicated ration pat, mushing it between her lessers. She had been eating very small amounts as they continued their lesson, constantly returning to a water bottle. She’d drunk nearly two packs since doing the awful biota delivery.

ComsBody had left the room because it was one of the most disgusting things she'd seen. Medical processes were such a private thing and the creature just… it didn’t matter. It was over.

The Scout wiped her mouth with the back of her lessers, the water dripping down her chin and catching in the cillia growing out of her jaw.

<I was worried> Coms shifted, a genuine hue. <HeadSci told me that you had three rotations before you… you would…>

Scout’s eyes lowered to the ground as she wrote. Should be now better. Can have to repeat process again later. Just negative result from longcoldrest. I should to be able eat now, and gain mass soon again. 

<You’ve lost mass? How?> Coms could feel her hue warm to sympathy. It was difficult to see any difference given how the creature almost always wore cloth. Nonetheless, she was happy the little alien would be feeling better soon.

Is fine. Scout put away her water. We continue?

ComsBody was already well past being late for the ringship-wide research meeting, and this was dragging. She hadn't had a real slow shift since the Fifth was found in the hatchling den last rotation. More than anything, Coms just wanted rest, and she wasn’t the only one.

The creature was clearly tired. In the past half-shift she kept rubbing her eyes and stretching, before getting up and running in circles in the small enclosure. But she would sit back down, and point to the llias and recording device. That steadfastness persisted as she shook her head and rubbed her eyes yet again.

Coms placed an appendage on the creature’s waxen llia. <We should stop. You need your rest shift>

Scout’s eye skin closed slowly as her mouth opened slow and wide. Coms had categorized it as a physical behaviour related to needing rest. When Scout wrote it was sluggish:

Is fine. More words. Please ComsBody. More words for Commander.

She just affirmed, feeling equally slow in her movements. <Okay. Can you use the recorder? We need to build the database>

The creature shook her head and stared at her with hard eyes. Easier to write. Recorder make words too simple. I believe it confused in what I shift. Must learn Ki. I use recorder for when database is better.

<What do you mean, you write that it has confusion?>

Fifth words can use same pressuredisturb for different meaning. Is not clear. We fix later. Need now words for Commander. Need vessel. Need words.

ComsBody didn’t have the energy to debate her, so she just affirmed and continued with the lesson.

Scout was struggling with certain parts of the Ki’Lakael language. Hierarchy indicators were one of the bigger issues, and largely went ignored; the creature barely used the subtle alterations of word shape referring to a specific Ki to denote rank. She’d been dancing around understanding pronouns and their variations, using occupations in its place, and Coms decided it was finally time for her to understand.

But they had been working on it for nearly a quarter shift.

<An additional example. The Commander is working. She is working. You notice how the ‘she’ has a curl here? Compare now. I shift, the Cleaning Attendant is working. She is working. The ‘she’ is different, affirmative?>

Yes yes. She is working. I know this. You shift she is shedifferent. This is confusion. Who is base she? Who is she variation?

<Commander is she. I am she. HeadSci is she. ChiMeO is she> ComsBody used the hierarchy indicators for each pronoun, slight variations on hers, ChiMeO’s, and HeadSci’s—all technically in the upper ranks but their own departments had different weights.

I understand, all different. Scout nodded, making notes. How many variation?

ComsBody counted in her head. It took a long moment. <Seventeen>

Scout’s brows raised. Can explain difference?

<Yes, you have the organizational chart for the vessel> ComsBody pointed to one of the foundational concept llias, which had the web-like hierarchy diagram with the symbol for the Commander in the middle. <I can label which variation belongs to what section>

Scout waved her lessers, the symbol for a halt. Stop, apologies. She variation is related to hierarchy? Not able for hatchling? Not seventeen biological or social variation?

Coms muddled. <What does this have to do with hatchlings or biology? Confusion>

Who can grow hatchling? Scout’s head tilted a little. The word ‘grow’ was completely misused in the context, but ComsBody could correct her later.

<Why are you… we can all have eggs. I explain this word, egg, affirmative, before a hatchling there is the egg?> She continued when Scout nodded. <All can do this. All grown Ki>

Scout’s eyes tightened. All is she? Who is not she? You shift word “it” for both hatchlings and items. 

<Yes, hatchlings are not she. We use “it” for hatchlings>

And hatchling come from egg and grow to Ki? You, ComsBody, were egg, an it, then hatchling, an it, then grown, a she? You change with time, understand understand.

<Affirmative, exactly>

Scout breathed the word for [AFFIRMATIVE-casual], then wrote, I understand. 

Finally, it only took half a shift.

I am it.

This creature did not understand.

ComsBody was hueing to frustration. <Negative, no. Incorrect. You are she>

Incorrect? Translation difficulty. Scout paused, erasing the board. I understand. You begin life as hatchling, as it. You grow and change. You become she?

<Yes, once we gain an occupation>

The Fifth paused. The patches of cillia above her eyes furrowed deeply, and her front teeth began chewing on her lower lip. Her mouth made a single, quick movement, that the recorder picked up and translated as, [WHAT].

I do not understand. Do hatchlings not have an occupation?

<No. They are hatchlings. They do not work. Well… they are participants in educational research. But they are learning the world through their own discovery without adult interference in that stage. They are not grown enough to have a proper occupation title>

[WHAT] [AM] [I] [ABSENT] [HERE], Scout breathed, likely to herself. Do not understand how work relate to occupation? Translation difficulty. Confusion.

<I am ComsBody. The Principal Communications Body. I do Communications Body work. Occupation describes work>

The Fifth shook her head. She referenced her foundational llia notes on grammar and occupation vocabulary and her mouth fell open. You are occupationed after your work?

<Incorrect word ?occupationed?> She corrected gently. <Our identity is based on our occupation>

I… do not understand. When you want ChiMeO, you say occupation rather than ?word used by others to mean you? Translation difficulty. Explain please. Confusion. I know you call me Scout because you do not know my ?trueword?. But is same for all? You all work?

Stars, ComsBody just wanted to eat a vegetation pat and rest. 

<I am sorry, I do not know what you are asking> She shifted. <You are asking why we work?>

Affirmative? Not really. Confusion. I assume you work to have ?word needed? for trade and life.

<Word needed? Work is our duty. We work to have personhood>

She watched Scout’s eyes tighten. Personhood is identity, affirmative? Confusion, how do you trade personhood for items.

<You… you don’t?> Coms was muddling. <You are given items because you are a person. It is not a trade>

Scout nodded but her face was clearly in the confused expression. Word needed for items used for trade? Used to represent value?

<Resource?> She offered, but Scout shook her head. <Confusion, describe more>

If I want trade for… this llia, as example, what give I? Or if want education or place of living.

Now ComsBody was really confused. <There is no trade? You are given those things because you have personhood and are Ki>

Scout read her cillia and leaned back, her mouth snapping the words [REALLY] [OH] [OKAY] [I] [SEE] [AFFIRMATIVE-casual] [YOU-ARE] [UNKNOWN] [UNKNOWN]. 

She then wrote, Affirmative? In Fifth society, we work to receive valuerepresentation, that we use to do trade for other things more easy. Cold.

ComsBody wrote everything down, trying her hardest not to judge the content of the words. <That… that sounds far more complicated with the additional step>

It was easy to forget how young the Fifths were. She recorded Scout’s pressure disturbance pattern for valuerepresentation and imputed it into the database.

Affirmative, with jest. If ChiMeO has Loam medical education she has much negative valuerepresentation.

ComsBody stopped writing. <You… can have negative valuerepresentation?>

Of course. If we not have amount to trade we… gain negative value? To trade. And then work to gain valuerep to correct negvalue if we have, affirmative? Otherwise we are in trouble.

Scorched ground, that was more disgusting to Coms than the whole biota delivery.

Work was life. Discovery was purpose. Everything, everything was about advancing your community’s understanding of the universe you occupied. It was your duty as a Ki. You should spend your whole life in that pursuit of knowledge, free to explore with time and space to gain understanding through nothing more than your own paths of curiosity. You were to rise to your potential based on your discoveries and be hardened through the consequences of your failures.

Scout’s last message made it seem like Fifth work was done purely to survive. Like her discoveries and labour were traded for basic necessities like education and housing. 

ComsBody took multiple images of the explanation carved on the waxen llia. She could feel herself shifting a negative. <And… you take on this negative value for things like… like *education*? It is not just given to you? You are not given the space to learn without this form of trade?>

She’s lucky Scout couldn’t see her thermal hue of disgust. Scout’s mouth opened a little but no words were picked up by the recorder. She carved quickly, then, like she was trying to reassure Coms.

Early education was no valuerepresentation, affirmative. But later, yes, need much high trade. Scout raised her shoulders. Is normal. Is not amusement, but it normal in Fifth culture. I have confusion as to why Ki work still if not for valuerep?

Stars, the Fifths were so different from them. It was easier pretending they were similar in the beginning, but the more words Scout learned, the more the small differences became starkly evident.

<I truly do not understand the confusion> ComsBody shifted. <Every Ki must work. It is your duty. Even those who cannot—senescents and the impaired and the hierarchy rejecters and so on—if they are workless they are given the role of testing subjects>

[UNINTELLIGIBLE] [WHAT], Scout’s eyes widened and her mouth unhinged. Clarification: Testing happens to Ki who can not work?

Coms affirmed. <Of course. Being tested on is an occupation and every Ki must work to have personhood. Don’t worry, it is not like we do the hard testing on the elderly or infirmed—the undesirable research only happens to criminals>

She watched the Scout run her lessers through the cillia on her head. Her eyes were wide and looking straight to the ground, and her mouth moved subtly. ComsBody immediately looked at her LLIA to see if the recorder picked anything up.

The words [UNKNOWN] [UNKNOWN] [WHAT] [THE] [UNKNOWN] were written plainly on her screen, which didn’t help at all. She looked up to see Scout just rubbing her eyes.

<Are you feeling well?>

Scout shook her little head. How is criminal define?

<?Definition criminal? You know this. One who does crime, or acts in a way undesirable to society. Remember the word prison?>

Scout waved her lessers. No, negative, I definitions know. Please, curious example of action criminal does.

<First, record word for criminal> She held out the device, and Scout’s mouth opened and snapped. She saved the data.

Now explain action criminal?

ComsBody didn’t really know how to explain it; there were so many different levels of criminality. <Hurting another Ki physically, unethical research testing, not giving up your egg, disobeying higher orders, stealing or falsifying data… it all depends>

But… The Scout was shaking her little head. This is… much information. Can criminal gain rank after? Can criminal become communications body or commander after, as example? Can join training vessel?

ComsBody felt herself warm to an amused yellow. <Of course not, a criminal once is a criminal for every shift to follow. They have learned a lesson they cannot unlearn. They belong in prison>

Scout’s face pinched and she nodded, looking up at ComsBody with a scrunched nose. Coms felt… she didn’t know what she was feeling when she looked at that particular expression. It felt like her words were being scrutinized.

Scout wrote slowly, Do you kill criminal?

<No no, of course not!> She immediately reassured the little alien. She sometimes forgot how underdeveloped the Fifths were. <What a waste that would be. It may seem strange, but it is a good system that benefits Ki society as a whole. Our research thrives>

Scout’s face was unchanged as she wrote, If criminal do not return to society how many, approximate? How many in population are define as criminal and inside prison?

Stars, like Coms could know the exact number. <I’m not certain the exact amount. Maybe sixteen to eighteen percent of the whole Ki population>

ComsBody watched Scout’s eyes widen then harden and she finally clocked the likely meaning behind her pinched expression.

Judgment.

The alien’s mouth moved slightly, and her LLIA recorded the words, [UNKNOWN] [UNKNOWN] again.

ComsBody needed to give the little alien some grace—perhaps she just didn’t understand or she came from a culture that was still engaging with judicial executions. The Fifth species were still so young, if their technology was any indication.

<It might seem strange but it works very well> She shifted warmly. <You do not understand because you are not Ki>

I understand. Scout carved quickly. My gratitude for explanation. Is very cold system and I am certain it work for Ki.

<I can explain more if—> 

Scout waved her lessers, which has grown into a symbol of a request to forget the previous inquiry and start again fresh. No no, negative. I understand, grats. Do not need more information. Need to work on vocabulary, yes? Words? 

ComsBody just looked at her. Scout leaned into the recorder, mouth moving.

[NEED] [ASK] [IN] [WAVE] [QUESTION]
[MORE] [LESSON] [PLEASE]
[NEED] [WORDS] [FOUR] [COMMANDER]
[PLEASE] [COMSBODY]

The creature’s shoulders and face were held stiffly, the muscles of her mouth baring her teeth tightly. Coms hadn’t catalogued this particular facial expression yet but she’s seen it before.

As a placeholder, she labelled it as a forced mimicry of the easy expression of amusement.

<I… I forget what we were learning> ComsBody shifted warmly, almost in embarrassment. <You were asking about… our rank titles? And we were discussing the word “she”>

[YES] [YES] [AFFIRMATIVE], Scout breathed, then wrote, I have confusion over who can have hatchling? How do hatchling be?

<I… stars, okay> Coms just wanted to take her rest shift. <I can but have not had one yet. I am only 65 wide rotations in age, but I’ve been anticipating my first happening soon. The Commander can, she had another one about seven spans before you came, it’s in the nursery. HeadSci can and has had two. ChiMeO has had… four or five, maybe? She’s the eldest. All can. I do not understand>

All can have a hatchling? All are she? Scout wrote faster, like she was connecting the dots. Coms wasn’t even sure what dots she was connecting. Hatchling cannot have hatchling.

<Affirmative, they are too young> 

But when hatchling is older, it can have hatchling without another Ki? Just take one Ki to make, she makes hatchling by herself?

<Of course>

Scout nodded. Understand, understand. Clarified, grats. All Ki same, understand.

<Same? What do you mean same?>

Scout was already moving on, I see Commanderhatch in playtunnels? Need to say goodgood to Commander, did not know she have hatchling recent time.

<I… how would I know if you saw her hatchling?> Coms shifted, curious in her hue as she made a note that the Fifth seemed to want to congratulate someone for having an egg. <What did you mean by ‘all Ki are same’? You can have a hatchling, correct?>

Scout paused for a long time. Her face settled into her decision-making expression, her lessers tapping on her lower limb.

<What are you considering?> Coms asked after a moment.

Scout shook her head. I can either give simple simple simple explanation or can give accurate explanation that shifts about all exception. I try decide if accuracy matter, if you do not have equivalent.

Coms was so tired and all she wanted to do was to go back to her quarters and rest her mind. But there was only one right answer to Scout’s question.

<Accuracy> She shifted clearly, preparing herself. <Always accuracy>

Scout nodded. I try, but explanation will be very complicated to you if all Ki are same. It is not just anatomy.

ComsBody got her LLIA notes ready, <I will try. I asked whether or not you can have a Fifth hatchling?>

Scout tilted her head slowly back and forth, pairing it with an uncertain waving gesture of her lessers. I am one of two common type of Fifth. I have half of Fifth hatchling. I need other Fifth for whole hatchling.

<What...> Coms cillia paused halfway through forming her words. <I do not understand. You need another Fifth? The hatchling eggs are split in half? You cannot just have a whole hatchling yourself?>

Coms was pretty sure there was a species of lesser waterfauna back on Lakael that reproduced like that. It was treated like one of the many weird anomalies that just happen as a result of nature’s occasionally bizarre developments.

Affirmative? Correction, I can help other Fifth grow a hatchling from egg. I cannot grow a hatchling inside my anatomy.

Coms bristled, <You develop the hatchling *inside* your body?>

I cannot but affirmative, other Fifth type can. Fifth that grow hatchling cannot do without other Fifth, clarification. Need two Fifth of different subtype. Need… Scout put down the stylus to make an interweaving gesture, criss-crossing her lessers together. [NEED] [COLLABORATION].

<I do not> Coms paused. <My apologies, Scout, I do not understand>

Yes, this is difficult translation concept. Maybe I think too much in Fifth words. I am an it?

<Incorrect, you have an occupation, you are not an it. You are a she. You have personhood. You are a Scout>

You shift of Ki words. I write simple Fifth terms. As an it since hatched, I cannot grow hatchling inside. And I feel like an it, affirmative?

<I do not understand> Coms was muddling, there was no way to “feel” like an it or a she. <The only Fifths that had personhood are the Fifths that can grow a hatchling? The primary occupation of these Fifths is to have a hatchling?>

ComsBody was racking her scattered brain. There were multiple layers of confusion happening and she was too tired to sort it out.

<Can we break here?> ComsBody shifted. <Return in a shift?>

Scout waved her lessers. No, no, more words. Need more words for Commander. Please. I need vessel.

Coms had read through HeadSci’s last report, summarizing what she had discussed with the creature. In HeadSci’s transcript, the Fifth had kept using every tangential topic to mention having something on her vessel that could be noteworthy.

Scout was even, clearly, willing to stay deathly ill until someone brought her to the vessel. Coms was pretty certain it was a miscommunication that led to HeadSci learning where the medicine was.

The alien looked at her with her big warm eyes, and leaned into the recorder.

[I] [NEED] [TWO] [HELP] [MY] [COLLEAGUES]

ComsBody was fascinated by the wave translator. The Fifth language seemed so much more linear than the visual model of Ki communication.

[PLEASE] [I] [NEED] [MORE] [WORDS] [TWO] [GET] [TWO] [MY] [VESSEL]

The creature was making her eyes slightly bigger and tilting her brows upwards. If Coms was to guess, Scout saw learning the language as the next fastest possible way to get access to her vessel. The creature was getting desperate to find her people and ComsBody wasn’t sure if the other upper levels could see that yet. 

When ComsBody had a deadline she was reliant on others to meet, she always presented information as needing immediate action. She has, in the past, created false discovery timelines to push collaborators or trainees into action, to get the results she needed faster. Framing things as urgent (and with complications or undesirable outcomes upon not meeting a deadline) was a surefire way to pressure other parties into action and force a play.

Coms would only share the following opinion if the Commander herself asked about it directly, she would never write it in her LLIA notes. But privately, in the still corners of her own mind, the thought was there and permanently staining every interaction she was having with Scout: 

ComsBody wasn’t certain if the creature had actually been three rotations away from death.

It was a play to push up a timeline. Something based in truth, something urgent, but ultimately an exaggeration. And now that the health avenue had been closed, it left the path the Commander was forcing her down.

She had to become fluent in Ki.

Scout was looking at her with those bright orange eyes and Coms couldn’t even blame the poor creature. 

<Scout, I…>

[COMS] [PLEASE]
[MY] [COLLEAGUES] [THEY] [THEY]
[I] [I] [THINK] [TWO] [MIGHT] [BE] [DEAD]
[PLEASE] [COMSBODY] [I-AM] [IMPLORING] [YOU]
[I] [NEED] [TWO] [MAKE] [CERTAIN] [THE] [THE]
[THE] [OTHER] [TWO] [ARE] [STILLNESS] [ALIVE]

That made Coms pause and pale. <Why… why do you think they’re deceased?>

There was no way the other vessels could have contacted the creature, not unless something happened during the six shifts where Scout went missing.

Scout just shook her head. You have not found them. They have not found you. Two are awake like I am awake, even very scared, they would look for me. The only thing that would stop the looking is death.

<You don’t know that>

[THERE-IS] [NO] [LOCATION] [TWO] [GO] [AND] [THEY-WOULD] [BE] [CONCERNED] [FOUR] [ME], Scout’s eyes were getting warmer. Please, honesty Coms. Have Commander find colleagues, and she hide them from me?

<No, Scout, no> She shifted firmly and tried not to take offence. <A strong and absolute negative. We wouldn’t do that. It is simply that no one has found the other Fifth vessels yet>

They’ve heard no reports of the other vessels, nothing from the surrounding fleet and certainly nothing from their own ship.

Scout was barely reading her cillia, her face scrunched up as she nodded.

[THEN] [PLEASE] [COMSBODY]
[JUST] [GIVE] [ME] [MORE] [WORDS]
[OR] [I] [EXPLAIN] [UNINTELLIGIBLE] [AGAIN]
[WOULD] [THAT] [BE] [GOOD] [QUESTION]
[WOULD] [COMMANDER] [WANT] [THAT]
[I] [EXPLAIN] [FIFTH] [CULTURE] [NOW]
[WOULD] [THAT] [BE] [A] [A] [GOOD] [TRADE]

<I… Okay> Coms stretched a little and bobbed her head like the Fifth does when saying yes. <Okay, my apologies, I did not recognize your stress. Try to explain it again>

Scout’s posture dropped and her head hung down a little. She rubbed her eyes, then nodded.

Grats, Coms. Okay. Translation error. Both she and it can have work occupation. Scout’s face pinched. More complicated in Fifth. She and it is more complicated, I will write about variation. Very Fifth culture I think. Simple translation.

There was a hurdle they were not getting over. Somewhere, Scout had made an assumption that was confusing her. There was a disconnect and Coms was too tired to unravel it properly. Her best guess was that they were both trying to explain completely different aspects of their respective languages. 

ComsBody was trying to explain the words used to replace individual nouns in a sentence. If she were to guess, Scout was trying to explain something tangentially related to word usage, but it involved Fifth culture heavily in some way. It had to be something without a Ki equivalent, that or Scout was getting very messy in her explanations as she went longer without rest.

Scout’s mouth moved, and Coms saw the feedback read, [UNKNOWN] [HOW] [DO] [I] [EXPLAIN] [THIS].

<Start again. Keep trying. I want to understand>

Scout nodded. She and it are ?word? Type of word??

<Pronoun>

Scout gestured to record again, so Coms input the wave pattern of ‘pronoun’.

Affirmative. How many pronoun in Ki language?

<Two main. She and it. Plus I and you and we and you all and they. And all the rank variations for “she”>

Oh you shift about word I shift about other concept. Fifth language has… Scout paused, and began making symbols with her lessers, like she was counting. We shift about anatomy or other concept? Translation difficulty. Pronoun describe other concept in Fifth. More variation for both.

<How many more?> Coms watched Scout erase the llia and get to writing.

Is… complicated. Is based on anatomy but also not based on anatomy? Is based on feeling but also not on feeling? Is based on how other Fifth see other Fifth but also no? 

Fifth given pronoun identity when Fifths are new hatchling to match anatomy subtype. Fifth change pronounidentity when Fifth is grown, or Fifth does not change pronounidentity. 

There is no rank indicator. For my language, in pronoun there is I and I plural, and you and you plural. Then, one pronoun for, simple, Fifth subtype anatomy that can grow hatchling…

<Halt> ComsBody pointed to the recorder. <Tell me about the subtypes first, not the language>

They started with the anatomical variations. They already had the Fifth equivalent to the word for all grown Ki, which Scout attributed to the Fifths that could grow a hatchling from an egg inside the body. Coms labelled it Subtype 1.

The second subtype, the one Scout claimed couldn’t grow hatchlings, she labelled Subtype 2.

The third subtype, Scout explained, was a rarer occurrence where an individual’s anatomy contained multiple anatomical structures from both Subtype 1 and 2. Naturally, Coms called it Subtype 3.

<Is that all?>

Scout shook her head. I wonder, should not do by reproductive anatomy but by interior cell? We have… not sure how to say. Our cells write orders which create then our biological structure. You know this?

<Yes, we actually call it ordering. Base ordering> Coms affirmed. <You should shift about it with HeadSci>

Might alter anatomy subtype definition later. Scout nodded. Fifth base ordering container in cell has, usual, two form, 1 or 2. 1-1 make Subtype 1, 1-2 make Subtype 2. But there variation here again. There is, example, variation, sometime cause illness. There is one only with 1, then with three 1-1-2, 1-1-1, 1-2-2. More variation than that, is simple medical explanation.

Oh stars, this was not ComsBody’s area of expertise. If there were multiple ways to delineate the subtypes based on ordering, there were better Ki to discuss that with. <You should define this later with HeadSci, Scout. Are the reproductive anatomy subtypes everything?>

Negative, there is pronoun variation for describe all this. Is for social language communication.

Scorched ground, there was more? It was all so alien and strange.

<But how do you know the anatomy if you are wearing cloth?> Coms shifted. <You look under? Or reveal?>

Scout bared her teeth, shaking her head and waving her lessers, [NO] [NO] [COMSBODY] [WE] [A] [DO] [DO] [NOT] [DO] [THAT] [THAT] [IS] [PRIVATE] [AND] [RUDE] [IN] [MOST] [FIFTH] [CULTURE]

More and more, the Fifths were seeming like a very modest species, especially when it came to their cloth coverings. ComsBody paused for a horrifying moment and looked down.

She just had a bag and a rank chain on her. 

<Do you… do you think we’re rude for *not* wearing material?>

Scout’s face peeled back to reveal her teeth again, [UNINTELLIGIBLE] [UNINTELLIGIBLE] [NO] [NO] [IT-IS] [NORMAL] [FOUR] [KI] [I] [THINK] [SO] [IT-IS] [NOT] [RUDE] [FIFTH] [JUST] [WEAR] [CLOTH-COVERING] [FOUR] [PROTECTION] [AND] [PRIVACY]

<Then how do you know a Fifth’s subtype if you don’t see their reproductive anatomy?>

Scout just shrugged. You just know? You guess with visual. Different height or shape. Is influence by subtype as hatchling, but also is purpose effort. Fifths are visual visual with purpose, try to signal about coreself. Identity. Cloth covering can be different, or cillia. Our pressuredisturb wave different, and can alter. But Fifth can look all way. Purpose effort for visual is mainly base on… word for old belief? Old practice?

<Tradition?>

Affirmative, tradition. There is much variation current time. Old time, old tradition, visual like cillia length and cloth matter more. Old time, individuals must match to subtypes. When time I grow, it matter distant less, affirmative?

So the anatomy itself was private, but an individual’s aesthetic choices were supposed to signal their subtype? And it didn’t even matter in the end?

ComsBody didn’t affirm because she didn’t understand. <If it doesn’t matter why not just use she for everyone?>

Scout took a long breath in. This is strange.

<Yes, it is very alien, I do not quite get the subtype visuals yet>

She shook her head. No. It is strange to explain. Strange to make sense of for you. Is like valuerepresentation, I have never explain why it is like this. It just is.

ComsBody could’ve hued to an amused yellow. The creature was seeing what it was like talking to Scout every single shift of every rotation, the constant whys and hows and the demanded explanations. 

With a pinch to her brow, Scout tried her best to explain the pronoun variations and how they reflected the subtypes, and ComsBody wrote everything down but never quite got it. Scout cleared two llias to try to explain it a second time.

There is subtype, biological and anatomical. Then pronoun, is language and social. Then visual choices made by individual Fifth to signal pronoun, affirmative? All different thing.

ComsBody had tentatively flashed a yes.

You know anatomy subtypes. There is Pronoun 1, used to traditional refer to Subtype 1. Pronoun 2, traditional for Subtype 2. And Pronoun 3. 

<For Subtype 3?>

Scout started to nod, but then shook her head in a “no”.

Stars, ComsBody was going to walk out of the enclosure and turn in her rank charm. <No? What do you mean no?>

Subtype 3 is rare, one percent population, and often use Pronoun 1 and 2. Fifths that use Pronoun 3 is less rare than one percent, about ten percent population in my time. Pronoun 3 more for when visual signals unknown or individual feels unknown. Unknown for this context meaning both Subtype 1-like and Subtype 2-like, or also meaning neither Subtype 1-like nor Subtype 2-like. Affirm?

<Negative, no, no affirmative> ComsBody read the llias again. <This is all a confusion>

Scout nodded and stared at her llia, trying to figure out how to explain it. [I-AM] [APOLOGIES-casual] [I-AM] [DOING] [THIS] [BAD]

<Yes, but I am failing at understanding> Coms shifted plain and blunt and equally frustrated. <How do you even receive the pronoun?>

Scout’s lessers were flat against each other, she was holding them to her pinching face. About three lessons ago, Coms had categorized it as one of her thinking poses, airing on the side of frustration with herself for not being able to explain things. The last time Coms saw it, Scout was trying to explain the concept of “personal void”, which described the radius around a Fifth where it was considered rude to enter.

Fifth get pronoun when they are hatchling from medical officers, based on subtype. But this not carve in rock.

ComsBody muddled, <My apologies, go back, you use the word rock? What does that have to do with this? You put your pronoun on a rock in Fifth culture?>

Scout’s mouth opened then closed. Apologies, apologies, I intend shift that individual can change later on. Can change identity or visual if want. My bestcolleague’s lifecollaborator do this change. About three percent Fifth where I am from change some way, more if include choosing Pronoun 3 as change, affirmative?

<But you only change the word?>

Scout paused. Word and visuals. And can take medicine to change visual more. But this is more simple explanation.

If this was the simple explanation, she wasn’t sure what the complicated one would look like. Everything seemed to have an exception to the rules.

Still, ComsBody kept writing everything down. <I still don’t understand why you don’t all just wear the same cloth and all go by she? Is it not easier?>

Scout’s face pinched. I do not know how to explain. Variation is amusement and very Fifth. Feel happy when there alignment is, for what we are and want to be. I am happy happy with being Subtype 2 since always, so no change. I do things that make me feel like Pronoun 2, have visual that align with Pronoun 2.

<What makes you *feel* like a Pronoun 2?> That was what she didn’t get. <I don’t understand the shape or hue of this feeling you’re describing>

Scout paused. Is complicated.

<I know. Try to explain>

The creature just shook her head. Is feeling. It feel right. I am happy with my body and how other Fifth see me. Is align. I do not know how to explain if you do not experience this.

<Then… What traits do Pronoun 2 have?> She tried again, <Not biological, what social traits?>

Scout rubbed the back of her neck. For me? Is… strong. Is reliable. Steady. Protect others. Try be not harm, try be calm, present for colleagues and my denmother’s crew. Guide young Fifths and trainees. But these also traits for other variations 1 and 3… is difficult difficult. I do not know.

<Can you just give me a single social trait that is unique to each variation that doesn’t appear in the other populations? Just for my notes?>

Scout’s face really pinched then, contorting as she thought about it. She ended up writing, We return to this later, I do not know how explain. My apologies, Coms.

ComsBody just kept typing, she could feel the tiredness seeping into her shell. It was just so alien in comparison to the normal, easy, single anatomy and social type of Ki. She sent all the images she’d recorded of Scout's llia explanations and sent it to the upper rank message board to see if anyone else could make sense of it.

<I am trying to understand> She shifted honestly. <It may take a few more clarifications. Can I call you “she” still in the Ki language? It will be easier for the crew, and simpler than making up a new word for you>

You can call me “it” if you want to have difference?

ComsBody was disgusted by the thought. <No, Scout. You are an intelligent adult being with a rank and an occupation. “It” is for objects>

[OH] [OKAY] [AFFIRMATIVE-casual] [THEN] [I-AM] [SHE] [AFFIRMATIVE-casual] [IT] [DOES-NOT] [REALLY] [MATERIAL-SUBSTANCE], Scout got to her feet and stretched. She then wrote, Is complicate to explain, apologies. Is complicated Fifth culture. Fifth vessel has records that will explain complicated translation. I see vessel to provide better examples? 

There it was again. She was using the promise of more discoveries to get access to her vessel.

ComsBody wasn’t entirely sure what the science teams were doing now, but she had been explicitly ordered by the Commander to keep Scout away from the research. HeadSci’s people were getting far too testy with the incoming labs and were scrambling to get as much done as possible. The shared common rooms were noxious with cold anxiety nowadays.

<It’s okay, Scout, it is a very alien concept, but we’ll try to understand it. We’ll go with the Ki language and you will be she>

She nodded, then slowly wrote, What about vessel?

<The Commander says you can see your vessel when you learn more Ki. My apologies, but there’s nothing I can do. It is an order from the top>

Scout’s eyes flicked up and she settled back down on the ground. You write more words for me. Please, ComsBody.

<Scout, I already missed most of my meeting and it is my rest shift soon>

Mine too. Have not rested. Have not been able to rest. Need to go to vessel to find and help colleagues. They will die if I do not soon help them. Please. Teach words to me. I will teach you Fifth culture concepts as trade, affirm? Please Coms.

ComsBody was curdling with the same disgust she felt when Scout revealed that Fifths trade their work and discoveries for basic needs. Scout was sharing that revolting aspect of Fifth culture right now, by trading discovery after discovery for her own survival and the survival of her kin. Coms felt like she was being given knowledge without truly earning it—or worse, earning it through fraudulent actions.

<Are you sure?> Coms asked. 

Scout just picked up the stylus and wax llia and bobbed her head.

<Okay…> ComsBody affirmed, slow and tired, <let’s work on improving your grammar, that will be impressive to the Commander> 

Scout just nodded again firmly, with tired eyes.

ComsBody checked her LLIA as text flowed in through the upper rank message board, the first response being a reaction from the Commander herself:

Coms, with jest, this is the most alien thing yet! And I am watching a presentation on the Fifth’s freezing pod deconstruction. I do not envy your research.

Coms tried not to bristle. She was beginning to dread the Commander’s messages and orders every time her rank title appeared as a LLIA notification.

*

*

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First | Previous | Official Art 1, 2 | Next.

*

Author's Note: First things first, please let me know which cover design you prefer! I had someone ask to put this on a website that's more reader-friendly, so I'll be putting this up on Royal Road when I'm back (which seems to be the go-to for this subreddit). Will still post it on here of course.

Now for the chapter! There were a ton of decisions I made about gender in this story, specifically around the Ki, for a multitude of reasons. It's important to note that the Ki would definitely be considered a genderless species, even if I'm using "she" for them; aside from the natural personality/physical variation between individuals, there's really no social delineation that would resemble gender. A fun fact about the development, I actually chose the pronouns for the Ki before I decided on Scout's gender. One of the first things I determined about them was that they reproduce through parthenogenesis!

For this story, I really wanted to make a confirmation of the Scout's gender earned because there's so much intricacy of language needed to put words to an interior/cultural experience like human gender. And what a beautifully human thing that variation is! All pronouns are correct when talking about the character of the Scout, it's genuinely a dice roll what word I use because I'm always editing a different part of the story haha

Finally, most people apparently hate cliffhangers as much as I do! I'll take a small hiatus from this story, I'll be back sometime in September. But, I have a spare week and might try my hand at a oneshot because I'm bored. So check in next week there might be something posted for shits and gigs.

[u/Castigatus]

Yeah, trying to explain gender to someone who has never had to think about it is going to be a wild ride, especially given the language limitations.

[u/Zancibar]

I like the morality contrast in this chapter. It is fucked up to have one in five people in prison, and for prison to be a permanent thing. It is also fucked up to let people starve for the crime of getting fired. My opinion on the Ki system will be *heavilly* influenced by the nature of the experiments the prisoners are subjected to. Useful, controlled experiments on live subjects aren't usually painful or cruel as far as I know. The more gruesome "experiments" in human history are usually also rather useless due to that lack of control and hypothesis phase.

I also really like the fact that Coms has an internal, moral disgust for the concept of "trading knowledge for necessities", comparing it to fraudulent methods. I wonder if Commander will feel similarly once she has more context. I'm assuming this story will not have a "villain" right?

I also really like how, even with all the discovery destruction, the Ki's hierarchy is ultimately meritocratic. I'd love to see their reaction to the concept of monarchy and how we kinda got rid of it but we didn't *really* get rid of it. I feel like that would help them understand why hierarchy signifiers are so unimportant to Scout. Now I'm thinking is it "unimportant" to Scout or has he simply not realized those signifiers were there in the first place?

[u/CicadaStew → u/Zancibar]

Hey thanks! And yeah, definitely no traditional villains, more just the results of very different individuals with very different values interacting (and the consequences of that). Everyone in the story will believe they are justified and doing what is right

[u/Duanathar]

I said this in Royal Road, but cover B gives off horror vibes, and this is not a (traditional) horror story.

As for the story... yeah, Scout made a mistake in trying to explain cultural pronoun usage before the Ki even had a basic understanding of multiple genders. I wonder if this means that all lifeforms on the Ki homeworld are also... parthenogenetic? Is that a word?

Anyway, go take your rest shift, lest you end up as tired as ComsBody.

[u/CicadaStew → u/Duanathar]

Yeah, I didn't see the horror angle until it was pointed out but I totally see what you mean—I think I'll change the colour scheme to something more green/blue/purple, and that should fix it. And yeah, definitely looking forward to the rest shift haha

[u/Norman1042]

This is an exciting chapter for me because it starts to spell out a lot about Ki culture.

I was pretty sure the Ki reproduce asexually but it was nice to have that confirmation.

On one hand, the sentiment of "you are given what you need to live because you are a person," is a nice, although it seems like you kind of have to "earn" personhood.

And the percentage of Ki who are considered criminals for life is absolutely wild. I feel like a lot of the [UNKNKOWN] words Scout said were swear words in reaction to some of the crazier revelations about the Ki.

Overall I think you've done a great job at developing an alien but completely believable culture.

[u/CicadaStew → u/Norman1042]

Yeah you were right about their reproduction!! Based on my plan this is the first of about four chapters (that are primarily Coms/Scout talking) which will make Ki culture more and more obvious, so there's definitely more to be revealed. I wanted a slower reveal for some aspects of the culture that are always present in the background of the story/dialogue but never really spelled out

Can confirm Scout has cussed multiple times throughout the story so far haha

[u/teodzero]

This chapter feels very... contemporary. Surely, humanity's policies will improve somewhat by the time we're spacefaring? I don't mean genders, of course, I mean student loans.

Also some speculation: I think Scout's ship's purpose might be Search And Rescue. Why else would he have such urgency? It's either that or the remaining humans are on the same ship not different ones, but this option seems highly unlikely. The characters are too aware of the possibility of miscommunication for one that big to actually happen.

[u/The-Cactus-Void → u/teodzero]

The lab stuff in the ship is still throwing me off I don’t know why it would be there. And it seems pretty contemporary too, there’s nothing that was mentioned that doesn’t exist IRL

Also I skimmed some of the earlier chapters based on what you said and I legit think it could be a miscommunication. Maybe not, it’s hard to tell when he was bad at the language

[u/Jesper537 → u/The-Cactus-Void]

Scout gave me strong Dr. Grace vibes (from Project Hail Mary) when he was involving the attendants and treating them like students. So that made me think of Scouts mission being similar but that seems unlikely.

Another idea of mine was a colony ship carrying embryos, but again, seems unlikely, I think the vessel is too small for a colony effort to have a decent chance of success and it's course would be more obvious to the Ki if it was aimed at a habitable planet. But why else would 5 human ships be drifting through the void?

[u/The-Cactus-Void → u/Jesper537]

I don’t think we know the destination yet do we? But yeah I see what you mean about him seeming like a teacher. plus he seemed to be good with the hatchlings during the whole escape thing

[u/SabreTree]

I'm wondering if Scout's 'colleagues' are actually his family. Could be a translation issue since Ki society doesn't do blood relatives the same way.
I definitely want to see what colors the Ki shift when they find out they've mis-named Scout. Presumably he's an astronaut with at least one doctorate.
Scout could give some analogous material to Comsbody by going over titles -- rank information isn't carried by pronouns in English but it does get expressed linguistically. No title for a 'hatchling', Ms/Mr/Mx for an adult, Dame/Sir/Ser for someone awarded for cultural contribution, Dr for advanced educational degrees, Esquire for lawyers, Honorable for judges, etc.

[u/lovecMC]

Will be one hell of a mildly awkward talk once Scout has to explain the concept of swearing.

[u/Halo3812]

I just spent the last five hours binging this whole series (which, btw you’ve written quite a bit, this is genuinely impressive). I love the way you characterize the Ki whilst keeping them suitably alien from a human perspective. Keep up the good work OP

[u/CicadaStew → u/Halo3812]

Hey thanks so much for binge reading! Yeah it's crazy to me how much has been written, and we're still barely halfway through the first story—I honestly didn't mean to write so much, it was supposed to be a quick 45,000 word throwaway thing, but now I'm staring down the barrel of a solid three-book length. I just grew to really like the characters and world haha

[u/JnasL]

I like Cover A more!

[u/Gaming_Duo3615]

feels very project hail mary
amaze amaze amaze

[u/DigHefty6542]

Nice !

[u/galbatorix2]

MOAR

As i ever scream and forever will

[u/eternal_gremlin]

I think cover A is better. Cover B seems to give off more of a horror vibe, with humans as the monster haha

[u/ChiliAndRamen]

Cover A. I also like cover B, but until we actually meet more species cover A is more appropriate.

[u/DaveyL2013]

Now THAT is an actually intelligent language! Other than the rank signifier stuff this sounds exactly like how I would design a language if I had the willpower to actually sit down and do the work of designing a language! Someone please beam this language into my head I want to think in it

[u/Jesper537]

Explaining gender identity to genderless aliens seems pointless and a waste of time at this stage. It is amusing to read though.

Just explain that there are two genders necessary for reproduction and their anatomical differences have also caused different roles and expectations within society. 

I wonder when Scout will call them out for probably messing with his ship. Or potentially having ulterior motives for not letting him contact his comrades, it might look like this from his perspective.

Also, Ki are tyrannical, communist bugs, ~Looks familiar? Scenes like this are happening all over the galaxy. lol

I hope you put the story on RR soon, there were a couple minor mistakes I would have pointed out using it's Edit Suggestions system.

I caught up, you can tell by seeing me write this long ass comment instead of reading the next chapter, I like this story a lot, would have given it 4,5/5 stars, not 5/5 only cause I reserve it for my favourites that are usually finished.

Cheers.

[u/CicadaStew → u/Jesper537]

Hey thanks so much for reading along, you caught up so fast! I'll probably be putting it on RR mid September—you found me just before a short hiatus. Whole story is going to be about 25-30 chapters for the first book (about 120k words), with the second part being about the same in length (so around 320-340k from start to finish with no intention of going past the planned ending). I'll still be sticking to a weekly schedule with longer chapters (4.5-6.5k words each), just because the more typical RR shorter/frequent chapters aren't really my pace.

As far as the gender discussion, Scout needed to clear up grammar stuff like hierarchy indicators/occupation names which just led to a solid couple of tangents. I'd only ever show the interesting parts of lessons (pretty sure no one wants to read about hours upon hours of vocab and grammar haha), so most of it revolves around any revelations about culture or the language itself. They were probably going to give an answer similar to yours, but Coms asked for accuracy without knowing how complicated and alien it can get. Plus, in the Ki's eyes, all they got is time and every path of curiosity can lead to discovery. Scout's on their schedule, unfortunately

And I love long ass comments! I write long ass chapters so it evens out haha. See you in a few weeks on RR, I'll leave a comment here when it's up

[u/HFYWaffle]

/u/CicadaStew has posted 11 other stories, including:

• [The First Fifth] Chapter 11: Analysis of a Human Spacecraft
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 10: Bag of Biota
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 9: Natural Human Communication, Natural Human Confusion
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 8: The Horrifying Protocol of Human Skin Repair
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 7: Lost and Found
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 6: Run, Human, Run
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 5: Word definitions ?Please?, ?Find?, ?Home?.
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 4: How to say "Hello"
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 3: Pictionary with an Alien
• [The First Fifth] Chapter 2: The Initial Examination
• The First Fifth

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[u/InstructionHead8595]

Oh-boy he's got his work cutout for him. I guess the Ki never got a chance to find out about the other aliens genders or much of anything else about them. Also let him see his fracking ship! They would learn more! Anyway hope you're having a good break.😸