#89044-B's eyes flashed, casting a blue kyanite glow over the already blued plants. "Carbon based, of course, with an interesting selenium sub-signature. Reproduces by seeds and adapted for an arid climate. However, they show a strong correlation with similar grasses originating from the Iestoratio System, which..."
"...Is over seven hundred parsecs away. So how did it get here?" Da Xiora broke in.
The robot showed no signs of annoyance at being interrupted.
"Could be a case of parallel evolution?" Da Xiora speculated. "I've seen that before."
"I doubt that. Although a brief scan, the DNA shows too many correlations," #89044-B said.
The trio walked in silence for a while as they approached a low ridge in the blue-grey hills. Looking up, Da Xiora saw the distant white-edged hull of the Reliquias slide over the sky and dip out of sight behind the further hills.
Teofila Marilia spoke up, her voice quiet in this soft, blue world. "There was something unusual about the Iestoratio System, wasn't there? I've never been there but I recall..."
Da Xiora realised that the Quarto-Capitao had not enhanced her memory banks. Or had temporarily cleansed them. Either that or her personal links with the Reliquias's computers were temporarily off-line. She wasn't about to comment as the Quarto-Capitao was their leader.
That didn't stop #89044-B. His eyes flashed bright blue. "The Iestoratio system is best known for its vanished civilisation. There are ruined towers and skyscrapers that show the population reached a high degree of technological sophistication before simply vanishing."
"What happened? Do you know?" Teofila Marilia asked.
Da Xiora could have told her this but she too wanted to hear what the robot would say.
"Nobody knows. Judging from the building density, it was a heavily populated planet and the civilised life-form was undoubtedly hi-manoid. It is not known if they developed stellar transport as the natives did not seem to have developed an overly mechanistic or industrial base. However, what remains of their artwork was extremely beautiful."
"How would you know?" said Da Xiora. "You machine-men cannot appreciate beauty."
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