No one moved an inch.

They just stared at each other.

Watching. Waiting.

"Waiting, but for what?" thought Narson, probably sharing the thoughts of the entire crew.

"Were they waiting for someone to step forward and speak? Or for someone to make a wrong move and they could attack?"

"We come in peace!"

Narson drew in a sharp breath.

Admiral Solomon had spoken up and was now striding past him and the rest of the crew. Straight towards the settlers.

Narson could have literally slapped him for this downright rash move. Especially since his statement 'We come in peace!' seemed utterly ridiculous, while his right hand still hovered menacingly close over the colt of his handgun. He usually wore this on his suit belt, just like one of those old movie cowboys. And just like one of those, he never took it off.

The settlers had also recognised the threatening gesture.

Suddenly the foot soldiers stepped in front of their horsemen and built a tightly closed line. Their spear-like weapons flashed in the sun as they leveled them for defence. Some riders raised their long guns. Pointing them at Admiral Solomon and the other crew members.

„Back off!", hissed Captain Narson sharply.

"No, Captain. I can take them. On my signal, you and the rest run back to the hut, get our gear and get out of here. I'll join you when the job is done."

"Are you really as stupid as you look? There are far too many of them. Even for you. So back off!" now Moonwood interfered, earning him a sour and annoyed death glare from Solomon.

"Go ahead and insult me, but don't you dare question my fighting abilities. Besides, who gave you the authority to issue commands?"

Anger was beginning to rise in Captain Narson. These eternal arguments between the two were getting on his nerves.

"That's enough! Admiral, Doctor Moonwood only meant well. So far the settlers have not attacked. Now back off and take your hand off your weapon for gods' sake!"

Solomon did not move from the spot. Nor did he move any other muscle of his body. He only turned his head slowly to his Captain and looked at him grimly.

"Admiral, that was an order!" barked Narson.

Solomon turned his scowl back to the settlers, who all remained in the same attack position, staring at him with their weapons pointing at him.

He had to admit it, there really were a lot of them. He was probably dead as soon as he had broken through the first line. If it could make it that far at all, for he could not keep an eye on the gunmen and their rifles all the time.

He took one deep breath and exhaled again, his whole body relaxing as he did so, and slowly stepped backwards behind Captain Narson.

"You will do exactly as I say!"

Narson raised his hands and took a few uncertain steps forward.

"We are truly sorry for intruding here uninvited. We have no bad intentions!" as if to emphasise this statement Narson began to lay down his weapons and signalled his crew to do likewise.

Critical looks were exchanged among the crew but seeing the reaction of the settlers lowering their weapons, they decided to disarm themselves as well.

"We are travellers, explorers. Stranded on this planet here. We received a distress signal which we followed. It led us here."

For a few minutes, nothing happened.

But then one of the mounts made a loud, shrill noise. 

The crew's blood run cold. Shocked and unable to move, they simply waited to see what would happen to them in the next few minutes.

The rider of the animal that had made the noise earlier raised his hand. A high-pitched, barely audible whir sounded and the lines of attack dissolved.

He dismounted his animal and approached Captain Narson and stopped right in front of him, looking him straight into the eyes.

"SHROUCK T'CHA"

The uttered sounds reached his ears only with difficulty and were muffled by Narson's thick helmet, but they were so powerful that they echoed in his head for several seconds.

Another sound mingled with the settler's clicking speech sounds and not five seconds later bright signs lit up in front of Captain Narson's eyes. Only slowly did he recognise them as letters that his brain was gradually assembling into words.

LITE activated.

Further below, he read in smaller letters:

System could not find exact translation. Card index can be searched for similar dialects for platonic translation. Request verbal verification.

LITE or "Linguistic Intelligence To Enhance" was an ingenious language programme developed by Captain Narson's longest friend Cari and his equally ingenious husband, Doctor Shuni. Both had worked on it for years, recording every language, dialect and accent imaginable on earth and in the explored areas of the universe in both oral and written form.

At first, it was just a large collection of words used to translate alien scriptures. But as soon as artificial intelligence was also used in space travel and made accessible and mobile for every mission runner by integrating it into astro helmets, LITE was further developed.

LITE was now the artificial intelligence for language and translation and the key to communication for anyone travelling in space.

Narson confirmed with a quiet, almost whispered "Yes" and immediately several different signs and symbols flickered in turn, trying to analyse what was being said.

Again and again, individual syllables or words stopped, were translated or disappeared again when the system could not find a useful translation.

But it didn't take long before it had a result.

What do you want?