The first encounter of T’reka and her people with Big Bird (or any of the Muppets, really, because why wouldn’t they still be around?)
(#00572 - A197)
Still relatively impaired by her injured leg, T'reka stared in amused confusion at the screen.
It was a program meant for juvenile entertainment and/or education (it was hard to tell, with humans. It may be both and something else), she could tell by the puppets. And it was a locally-produced show, because she recognised some of the people teaching children the human alphabet.
Some of the creatures made into puppets were impossible. The stylised talking frog, for example, had to be a figment of someone’s imagination. Likewise, the giant yellow bird.
And it was a sign that the humans desired Numidid interaction that they included a remarkably accurate puppet Numidid into their show.
They called the imaginary bird Kipkip and aped her -and her fellow scientist’s- curiosity about everything human with unnerving accuracy.
This was art imitating life, to teach their young about the world and the people who shared it.
On one hand, it showed a marked goal of sharing information that could be cast in a positive light. On the other hand, it showed scientific curiosity as completely normal.
She was going to catch hell from Kal'rike when Administrator Ser saw this…
“You’re awake early,” murmured Siriki. “…or I’m late.”
T'reka checked the wall chronometer. “I’m awake early, be at ease.” She asked, “Do you see the same thing on the screen as I do?”
Siriki looked. “Oh dear. Administrator Ser isn’t going to like that…”
T'reka slumped into her nesting. “And here I was, hoping it was a hallucination.”
“It could pass as one,” said Siriki helpfully.
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