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    Unknown Alien Language
    Unknown Alien Language
    Unknown Alien Language
    Ebook93 pages1 hour

    Unknown Alien Language

    By R. Richard

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    The Admiral says, “As you know, the Grand Alliance is currently involved in a war with the Favellian Empire. The war isn't going well for the Grand Alliance and our resources are severely limited, at this time.”
    The admiral then leans forward and speaks in a low voice, “A patrol ship of the Grand Alliance, on a routine patrol of the outer edges of Grand Alliance controlled space, found a strange spacecraft that hadn't been observed during the last patrol of the area. What had been previously observed was a large piece of space rock, nestled among other space rocks. Apparently whatever had caused the strange ship to look like a space rock had ceased to function and the ship was now plainly visible to the patrol ship. The patrol ship crew did a very brief investigation of the just found ship. The matter was reported, as per orders, and then bucked up the Grand Alliance chain of command. The matter finally came to rest with me.”
    Commando says, “Since you're very interested, I presume that the strange ship is a warship.”
    The Admiral nods yes and says, “Subsequent, more thorough, investigation revealed that the unknown ship is apparently a warship. It's of at least Battlewagon class. The ship is of unknown manufacture.”
    Commando says, “Battlewagon class! A ship of that size and capability could turn the war in favor of the Grand Alliance, all by itself.”
    The Admiral nods yes and then continues, “Normally a strange ship of that size would have been promptly and thoroughly investigated by professionals. However, there are two problems. First, the strange ship is located near the edge of territory controlled by the Favellian Empire. Second, the Grand Alliance doesn't have a lot of spare ships or available personnel to do the investigation.
    Commando thinks, (My people are available personnel. If we can get to the strange ship, we might do very well, not only for the Grand Alliance, but also for Software Commandos. It's an opportunity, a dangerous opportunity, but it might be one well worth pursuing. I definitely need to consider pursuing the situation.)
    The Admiral continues, “I had an initial investigation team dispatched to find out what they could about the strange ship. Their initial findings are that the strange ship is apparently an ancient but fully operational warship. In addition to its own capability, the strange warship also carries tactical fighter craft. I'm told that your people do a lot of work with tactical fighter craft.”
    Commando says, “Tactical fighter craft are our specialty! If the strange warship has a tactical fighter craft aboard, then you definitely need the skills of Software Commandos.”
    The Admiral says, “Well, there are some definite possibilities here and the ancient warship appears to have an enormous capability. However, it was designed and manufactured by an unknown race. Unfortunately, all of the documentation in the ship is written in an unknown language. The probability of the strange ship being useful in the immediate future is quite low, but a ship of the apparent power of the strange ship could provide either information or fighting ability that might tip the balance of the war with the Favellian Empire in the favor of the Grand Alliance.”
    Commando replies, “It would appear to me that the investigation of the newly discovered ship is of primary importance to the Grand Alliance. I presume that, despite the danger, you'll take the risk of sending in skilled people to evaluate the find.”
    The Admiral says, “Yes, given the situation in which we of the Grand Alliance find ourselves, I have to take that risk. I'm going to send a volunteer force to investigate the strange warship. The ship that transports the investigation team out to the ship will also take the strange warship under tow and try to bring the big ship into Grand Alliance controlled space where a safer and more leisurely investigation can be done.”

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherR. Richard
    Release dateJun 24, 2018
    ISBN9780463070093
    Unknown Alien Language
    Author

    R. Richard

    I'm the co-author, with Sunset Thomas, of Anatomy of An Adult Film.I have 48 novels and over 299 short stories currently published.I spent my early years in the part of Los Angeles known as the South Central. I was known as Whi' Boy, which was sufficient to identify me in that place. I'm a skilled Kung Fu player, using a system that I learned from a Korean I knew only as 'Pak.' It would be easier to tell you the places that Pak wasn't wanted by the police, rather than the places where he was wanted by the police. Pak's Kung Fu system, augmented by some bits and pieces from some Chinese practitioners is quick and effective, or I wouldn't be alive today.My early education was mostly obtained by stealing books from the public library (I always returned them and the Librarian even began to provide me with reading lists.) I did go to high schools, but I never really learned anything there. I eventually graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles, UCLA, with a degree in mathematics.I work as a Systems Analyst and also make a part of my living as a professional gambler (legal in Nevada.) I write science fiction and erotica. My published novels are:Anatomy of An Adult Film (With Sunset Thomas)1. Second Chance: God Killer2. Second Chance: Sky Pirate3. Second Chance: Scroll Seeker4. Second Chance: King of The Islands5. Second Chance: King of Zaya6. Second Chance: Duke of Averon7. Second Chance: King of Golomon8. Second Chance: King Of The Sky9. Second Chance: Warlord of Ifrequeh10. Second Chance: King of Ariby11. Second Chance: King of Mesodania12. Second Chance: King of Avuls13. Second Chance: King of Kemet14. Second Chance: King of Zorran15. Second Chance: King of Two Worlds16. Second Chance: King of Averon17. Second Chance: King's Duties18. Second Chance: King of The New WorldAdventurer: Simulation ProblemAdventurer: Pannar ProblemA Programmer's GambitAmateur StripperBeach MurdersBondage HouseCorporate Sex SlavesFriday NightGo Naked In The SoftwareGrasshopper WinterInvoluntary NudeLayoffNot A HeroPirates of The KeysSummer of SexThe LakeThe Last Moon DanceThe Nude Adventures of Plain JaneThe Secret Life of Wanda WilsonTails of the Pussycat LoungeTo Keep A JobTopless RestaurantToy WhoresVix: The MarineWayward BoyShort Stories:A Christmas Visit

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      Book preview

      Unknown Alien Language - R. Richard

      Unknown Alien Language

      By R. Richard ©

      Published by R. Richard at Smashwords

      Copyright 2018 R. Richard

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      Unknown Alien Language

      By R. Richard © 2018

      Chapter 1: A Matter of Staffing

      Admiral Josephson checks in, at the front desk of the Software Commandos building. The Admiral is expected and he's immediately ushered into a meeting room. A secretary provides him with coffee and then tells him that there's been a little delay and his meeting will start in a few minutes.

      It's more like a minute later when a giant of a man walks into the meeting room. The man says, Admiral Josephson, let me apologize for not being available when you checked in. I had to handle yet another emergency phone call.

      The Admiral smiles at the big man and says, It seems like I get a lot of those kind of phone calls myself lately. We have got to somehow develop a strategy to prevent that sort of thing.

      The giant smiles back and says, Well, let me know if you come up with something useful in the way of a plan. In the meantime, what's a busy man like yourself doing visiting a software company?

      The Admiral says, Well, I'm not exactly sure. The military people I talked to say that you have the best heuristic programmers in the business. Commando, what in the hell is a heuristic programmer?

      The giant lectures, If you can well define a problem, then a PhD can develop a computer program to solve the problem, assuming that the problem is solvable by computer. If you can't even define the problem, then you need background, relevant experience and a lot of skill to first define the problem and then figure out an approach to solve the problem. That's what the Software Commandos do. I have the best heuristic programmers in the business, on staff here.

      The Admiral muses over what he has been told. He then asks, Why would you not be able to define a problem?

      The giant says, I went through a classic design exercise, before I designed the programming language that my company sells as Commando. I carefully figured everything a programmer would need to do real-time military programming and then provided ways, within the design, to meet the needs. I bounced the preliminary design off of knowledgeable people working in the field and got a list of additional needs. I discovered, as I suspected, that I hadn't completely defined the problem. Even the very experienced people that I consulted couldn't completely define the problem. I had to modify my language design and I continue to modify my language design as more programming needs surface. Despite the modifications, Commando is an integrated language design, where the features work with one another. That's programming heuristics.

      The Admiral thinks for a moment and then asks, Then, you are telling me PhDs couldn't do the same thing?

      Commando laughs, Admiral, if PhDs normally worked with military programming languages, then PhDs could do the same thing, only it would take years of deliberation before they could come to a decision. I can do the same thing in weeks, days, or even, sometimes, hours.

      The Admiral again thinks and then says, I need a computer related programming job done. I need it done quickly, but I also need it done well. I can't really define the programming job, the programmers will have to do that. However, the success of the programming job might well save the Grand Alliance.

      The giant looks at the Admiral. He says, Admiral, you have access to very good computer programming people here. Undoubtedly those who referred you to us told you that Software Commandos programmers are the best in the business, for what you need. We have developed a reputation for good, fast heuristic designs. If we take a job on, we finish it and deliver a quality product on time. However, there may be a problem if you need my people for a military assignment.

      The Admiral says, I got these suns on my collar, by solving problems. What's the problem you think we might have?

      The giant says, I have the best people in the business for the type of work we do. I got them because I know what kind of talent I need and where and how to find the talent. However, some of my people have had, ah ..., problems with the system, in the past. All of my people have low level military security clearances. In many cases, my best people can't qualify for the top levels of military security clearances. I'm presuming that we may need my best people and the top levels of military security clearances for an important assignment, such as what you seem to be talking about.

      The Admiral thinks for a moment and says, I can remember some of your efforts when you were with the 5th Commando. Your solutions to problems were often unorthodox. In fact they were often bizarre, bordering on insane. However, they did work. Exactly what sort of problems are you talking about here?

      The giant says, Valkyrie is one of my best programmers. Valkyrie grew up in circumstances where there would have had to be a lot more money around her house to qualify her family as dirt poor. Valkyrie felt somewhat disadvantaged by not having nice things and she wanted nice things. So, she shoplifted the nice things that she wanted. Of course, they caught her shoplifting. They threw her in juvenile prison and some of the other girls made fun of her because she's very tall and very strong for a woman. Valkyrie doesn't take abuse very well. She kicked butt on the other girls. Actually, it went a bit beyond just kicking butt.

      The Admiral muses, This Valkyrie sounds a lot like a textbook case that I read about in a psychology class. I believe they called the girl 'Hurricane Hannah.' As I recall, there were deaths, several deaths.

      The giant says, Well, there are some interpersonal problems in Valkyrie's past. The military security people hold her juvenile mistakes against her and, as a result, Valkyrie can't get a top level security clearance.

      The Admiral says, The military security people work for me. They'll give her a clearance if I tell them to do so. Does this Valkyrie still have any, ah ..., problems?

      Commando says, "Well, if any of the people on this project of yours try to make

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