Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Beyond Human Comprehension

In an old game of Traveller I ran back in the early 90's my group encountered an alien being (a Hiver) in a spaceport bar who wished to hire them. It proceeded to communicate its intentions through the use of a 'Universal Translator' type device around its neck. Finally, the creature explained that it wanted the adventurers to locate a "Beyond Human Comprehension", hidden in the wreckage of a downed spaceship.

The perplexed players looked at each other and then to me and said, "He wants us to find a what?

"A "Beyond Human Comprehension" !" went the mechanized voice issuing forth from the translating gizmo. The alien frantically motioned with its flipper/tentacles, drew a scribbled sketch on a napkin, waved its body parts around and all the while the highly advanced communication facilitator chirped, "Beyond Human Comprehension! Beyond Human Comprehension!"

Eventually it shook its head appendage and waddled off downtrodden.

This is how I feel when I try to explain what interests me to non-geeks. My only consulation is that like my alien friend, I know its because we fans are a far more advanced and enlightened species.

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Barking Alien


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