Explorer Ship Scientiae-II
Property of Deminutian Empire
Ryukyuan Space – 500,000 kilometers from Gaishia
[@ClocktowerEchos]

Inside the little ship it was pandemonium; the control surfaces ceased function as it was drawn back into the larger ship behind it. The officers and packages of cargo all went flying.
“Report, report!” shouted Illani, trying to catch the crates of medical supplies. “Sound off roll-call!”
“Never mind that, secure the cargo before it kills everyone!” Cnaeus shouted over the hubbub, rolling and barely missing being impaled by a kitchen knife. “Why are all the knives out, anyway?”
“I was just trying to fix dinner and then you called me; I thought I’d only be a moment or two!” Illani cried.

Suddenly the shaking and jerking stopped, and then all the control panels went dark. Everything was still working, but none of the machines were getting any signal.
“Aenara help me.” Regylis muttered, slapping one of his radar screens with a webbed hand. “The radar and everything is unresponsive.”
“Those big ships, one of them must have swallowed us.” Alena whispered. “Let’s make sure that the colonists are okay, and then we’ll go see what just ate us.”

Regylis looked at her in disbelief. “Of all the ideas I’ve heard from you, that’s got to be the most idiotic. Go see what kind of ship just swallowed up our own, when they just pulled us in like a fish on a line?”
“Well, I can’t be smart all the time.” Alena snapped.
“Just shut up, you two!” Cnaeus shouted. “We put on our helmets and tanks, because we don’t know what kind of air is out there. And then we do what Allie says, because she’s not led us wrong before.”

“Well, it’s obviously another sentient species; shouldn’t we bring gifts?” Alena suggested, a little timidly.
“What do we have onboard this ship that could be gifts?”
“And what makes you think they won’t just eat us?” Regylis asked. The others ignored him.
“Uhm… Fruit? Clothing?”
“If they’re big enough to haul our ship in like it’s a fish, they won’t want our clothing.”
“Well, then. Fruit and… Hmm, we don’t really have all that much else to work with. Maybe a bit of tech. We’ll figure something out.”
“If they don’t eat us.” Regylis muttered; as always the others ignored him.
“Shut it, Reggie. Let’s go put our masks on and go see what’s going on.”

They strapped each other into their miniature hydrogen tanks and put on their helmets. Illani and Alena stuffed the pockets of their uniforms with freeze-dried fruit. Thumbs-ups were exchanged and Cnaeus, being the only one tall enough to hit the button, opened the cargo bay, allowing the four Deminutians to step out into whatever unknown environment there was.
[hr]
The Lake
The Grounds of the Imperial Palace
Planet Aurae of the Deminutian Empire
[@HounderHowl]

Aelia stared speechless as the box propelled itself to the shore. “Follow me please.” It said. IT SPOKE?!

“Um. Excuse me, I know it’s terribly rude of me to question you, but who are you, why have you come here, and how do you know our language?” she asked, hovering just above the enormous object. In the distance she saw the rest of the royal family and a goodly delegation of ambassadors take to the air, headed towards the large box and the trio of Aurae hovering over it.