Signals in the Darkness

[bnewman]

Explorators are sentient, self-replicating and self-improving space probes sent out by a race of makers who developed AI but not the technology to sustain organic life across interstellar distances. Outliving their makers, they've since colonized the galaxy and built a lasting machine civilization based on wonder and curiosity— and, in accordance with the known laws of physics that rule out any form of FTL travel or communication, network protocols that are robust to very long ping times.

lyrics by Benjamin Newman

ttto: "Beacons in the Darkness" by Gary McGath

 

listen to this song

 

/ Am Dm F E / Dm - Am E / C G F E / Am E - A - /

 

We were built to run by reason

So that knowledge should not fade

Tho' the darkness stretches 'round us

It's for this that we were made

Number every star and planet

Map out every dusty cloud

Send the data home in packets

And the signal must be loud!

 

/ A E D A / - - E - / F#m Bm E A / - E DE A ... /

 

Send a signal through the darkness

And don't wait for a return

Knowledge trumphs over distance

Tell the homeworld what you learn

In alignment with the beacon

Far across the endless night

Our discoveries stream homeward

Moving at the speed of light

 

When you get a local packet

It's polite to send an ACK

But to ping another system

It takes years to answer back

Protocols for local networks

Simply aren't going to fly

So, explorer, send your signal

And don't wait for a reply

 

Send a signal through the darkness...

 

Tho' the Makers' world has perished

Their creations carry on

Robot ships and robot cities

On a thousand planets dawn

As our knowledge and our culture

Like antenna clusters climb

Raise our network infrastructure

Against distance, dark, and time

 

Send a signal through the darkness

And await the long return

Knowledge trumphs over distance

Tell each other what you learn

In alignment with the beacon

Far across the endless night

Our discoveries stream onward

Moving at the speed of light