The Adjutant buzzed as it awaited confirmation. Altair, who was sitting in the pilot's chair, had his face contorted, anxiety gripping every corner of his mind, as he rummaged for a first contact protocol.

  "Everything is so wrong." He muttered under the silent air. "I am not a scientist or a pioneer, so how can you expect me to do something like this?" He groaned at his situation.

  "Lieutenant, they are now a few dozen meters from the frontmost hull." The Adjutant said plainly. "What are your orders?"

  He tightly gripped the controls in frustration and gritted his teeth. "Damn it!" He angrily said, then continued after he momentarily closed his eyes to recover and focus. "Adjutant, run a database search across all fields of foreign sentient life, and tell me of their intent based on their bodily movements and actions."

  "Affirmative, Lieutenant." The Adjutant whirred as it sucked up computing power across all systems available.

  After running diagnostics and verifying facts, the Adjutant paused and then spoke again. "Lieutenant, based on all available research of humanity on foreign sentient life, their actions seem to denote curiosity, caution, and anxiety."

  As if struck by a train, intense relief washed over Altair.

  "Then that would mean they are non-threatening?" He said with caution. "What of their technological capacity? Could they harm the Ironside?"

  "That is a negative, Lieutenant." The Adjutant affirmed. "Though I am still a bit suspicious of the atmospheric particles present around us."

  "Elaborate, Adjutant," Altair further pursued.

  "The atmospheric particles present around us seem to carry inherent energy, Lieutenant." The Adjutant said with increasing interest. "If we are to harvest it, and study it, we could use it as an energy source."

  "Fascinating," Altair said, "but we are diving away from our main problem today. Do you have any suggestions we could do to interact with the sentient species outside, Adjutant?"

  The Adjutant buzzed. "Based on empirical data, and our current situation, I recommend that we let them pass, and not move." The Adjutant said monotonously.

  "Hm, that makes sense, but do elaborate more, Adjutant." He asked to continue further.

  "Based on their non-threatening movements, and curiosity, and the state of our Ironside, moving and attracting attention are not recommended." The Adjutant said, then continued, "We should at the very least wait for more repairs to be done; the nanobots are working their hardest currently, Lieutenant."

  "I see, so that would mean we are non-operational?" Altair raised his left eyebrow and raised his right index finger.

  The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "That is correct, Lieutenant." The Adjutant said with an intense tone, as if trying to give emphasis on emotion.

  "I understand, then let's as well just observe them for the meantime." Altair confirmed, then continued, "Can you intercept their sound, and start broadcasting it to my earpiece?"

  "That is a negative, Lieutenant," the Adjutant denied. "Your earpiece was destroyed on Terra, and I do not recommend using one, as you just restored your hearing."

  "I understand, then put it through our system speakers, but place it at a much lower volume." Altair ordered.

  "Affirmative, Lieutenant," the Adjutant replied plainly.

  The speakers reverberated as it fizzed with sound. Almost immediately, an unknown language started entering the cockpit, which Altair and the Adjutant closely analyzed.

  "It does not seem to be a steam knight," a male voice spoke, then continued further in an unknown language. "It is not... anything I have ever seen." He muttered as he moved closer.

  Altair stared intensely at the interface, closely scrutinizing each and every action of the mysterious group of sentient life in front of them.

  Then another man moved closer to the first man, and reached out for his axe, then muttered "We should leave hastily. Now." in an unknown language.

  Then, with fear present in the third sentient life, which had the manifestation and voice of a female, moved closer to the first man, her legs and arms shaking in fear.

  "W-we should report this to the guild immediately." She spoke in the unknown language.

  The first man responded angrily,

  "Then admit we crossed without proper authorization into unexplored territory of the Stygian Frontier?" The man with a distorted face reprimanded the woman. "Do you know what the nations pay for ancient relics?" he continued with greed forming within his face.

  "Lieutenant, based on statistical data, that first man might be a threat, his facial expression and bodily movements, as well as the radio waves from their sentient brains, expressed greed. We should eliminate it, to secure our position."

  However, Altair didn't mind it, and continued observing.

  The first man faced forward and moved closer.

  "Lieutenant, the target is moving ahead a few meters from us." The Adjutant said with increasing intensity. "Target has been locked, awaiting your confirmation."

  The woman screamed to the top of her lungs

  "K-Kaelen please don't"

  "Stand down, Adjutant." Altair commanded. "They are non-threateni—" He was not able to finish his words, as a bright crimson hue filled the interface.

  "Alert! Multiple biological signatures rapidly closing in." The Adjutant said with slight tone of worry. "They are approaching from our north a few hundred meters from us, Lieutenant."

  "What?!" Altair said, as his heart sank. "What of our current operational status?"

  Altair hovered and swiped his hands all over the interface as he repeatedly checked for the systems that were damaged.

  With frustration accumulating, along with increasing weariness, he finally gave the order.

  "Agh! Damn it! Reroute all power to our movement capacity, and fire up our weapons back online!" His voice was deep and commanding.

  "Affirmative, Lieutenant!" The Adjutant fizzed.

  Multiple interfaces started to light up, varying degrees of weapons coming online, as the ground below them shook with intense vibrations. The snapping of vines and vegetation could be heard through the speakers, and the desperate cries of the four sentient life echoed through the cockpit.

  Altair stared at the interface, half in pain, half gritting his teeth. He had not yet fully recovered, but alas, does he really have a choice?

  The sound of metals clashing against metal reverberated through the entire forest, as an old soldier rose from its grave.

  "Systems operational," the Adjutant said plainly, "awaiting your command, Lieutenant."

  The Ironside stood magnificently at the clearing, as the rays of sunlight bounced off its hull along the inscriptions that read "United Earth Defense Force."