Message in a Bottle

As we expected, the interior of this 'solar sailer' is appropriately archaic. The bridge resembles the deck of an old planetbound sailing ship designed to sail on watery seas.

The deck plating appears to be metal, but most surfaces are covered with carved wood, a contrast to the glass-like substance on viewports and datascreens.

Powering up the ship's computers, we have found a datafile with an old-fashioned seafarers' song. According to our archaeologist, this melody was once known as a 'sea chanty' or 'space shanty.' We are attempting to transcribe the lyrics.

Immediately after we completed the restoration and reactivation of the datafiles, a thrumming musical cadence surged throughout the ship, accompanied by the auto-tuned voices of ancient mariners. Transcription follows:

'Come all you young spacefarers, listen to me!
I'll sing you a song of our fish from the sea!

And it's windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys
When the wind blows, then we're all together, boys
Blow ye winds fringeward, hey! Blow ye winds, blow!
Out to the galaxy, steady she goes.

Up come the solar winds
Taking us far
All through the space lanes
And out to the stars!

And it's windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys
When the wind blows, then we're all together, boys
Blow ye winds fringeward, hey! Blow ye winds, blow!
Out to the galaxy, steady she goes!

As we explored the ship, further attempts to power it up and recover its datafiles unlocked more stanzas of the ancient space shanty. The ship's holographic display vibrantly projected images of sailors and spacefarers singing and dancing in accompaniment:

'Up comes the Great Dragon
In search of our home
Through space to a place that's
Beneath waves and foam!

'And it's windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys
When the wind blows, then we're all together, boys
Blow ye winds fringeward, hey! Blow ye winds, blow!
Out to the galaxy, steady she goes.

'Up comes the Tiyanki
The king of deep space
Racing our ships
In a hyperspace chase!

(chorus repeats)

'Up comes Leviathan
Tentacles grasp
Choking our ship
As we shiver and gasp!

(chorus repeats)

Our archaeologists have unearthed of a stash of potent potables. Were the sailors consuming these foul fluids? We will not ingest these strange liquids. Our exploration of the ship is already sufficiently intoxicating!

'Up come the Lithoids
All hewn from their stone
These boulders are bolder
When they're not alone!

(chorus)

'Up come the Necroids
All fearsome and great
You can't kill them, mateys,
They'll reanimate!

(chorus)

'Up come swarms of robots
Get ready to run
Fight one, ten, a dozen,
1101!

(chorus)

Our exploration has revealed a glance of ancient history, displaying the zeal and courage of ancient explorers. Clearly the captain used this 'space shanty' to motivate and coordinate the crew. Perhaps they even sang along! Our archaeologists are suggesting this performance should be preserved in a museum installation.

As for the ancient melody, we've transcribed all the lyrics we could find and added them to our databanks. Our own 'sailors' now have a habit of singing versions of their own space shanties, which should improve their morale and efficiency.

'We rose from the ocean
And reached for the sky
We're building an empire
That never will die!

'And it's windy weather, boys, stormy weather, boys
When the wind blows, then we're all together, boys
Blow ye winds fringeward, hey! Blow ye winds, blow
Out to the galaxy, steady she goes!'

It's time to untether from this ancient vessel, 'casting off the hawser' as we set sail on solar winds. Steady as she goes!