[ WP ] An alien race controlling most of the galaxy contacts Earth , aiming to uplift the humans until they 're ready to join the interstellar community . The problem is all previous species evolved utilizing organic technology . Our `` hard and dead '' tech is utterly alien to them .

Reya tried to keep calm as the small team of kth ’ xenan engineers stared impassively. 
 
 “ We must be misunderstanding some aspect of this process. You… Designed these craft? Yourselves? ” 
 
 “ Well… Yes. I mean, I ’ m not certain how else one might design a ship… ” 
 
 The head engineer shook his head, the pendulous ganglia on his chin twitching in irritation. 
 
 “ Our ships are designed by molecullurgists, initially, at least. How are these craft optimized, though? If each iteration requires a human team to build from scratch, doesn ’ t that take… eons? ” 
 
 Reya brightened, seeing an opportunity to represent humanity in a positive light, “ Ah, well this generation of ships actually uses a genetic algorithm for in silico optimization, it ’ s been a long-term project of the foundation. ” 
 
 The Kth ’ xenans glanced at one another and shifted uneasily, whispering in their birdlike tongue. “ Something is still unclear to us. You recognize the utility of an iterative brute-force approach to optimize spacecraft. But rather than harness the power of selection within biological systems, you ’ ve reverse-engineered that process, mimicked it within an inorganic system, and used that simulation to optimize inorganic ships? To use a human expression, isn ’ t that approach a bit Rube-Goldberg esque? ” 
 
 Reya struggled to keep the strain from showing on her face, “ Well, this approach is different from yours, but it has served mankind well over the centuries… ” 
 
 “ And how many standard earth years have your people been spacefaring? ” 
 
 “ Nearly 150 now. ” 
 
 “ And you have established colonies on how many worlds? ” 
 
 “ Well, there is a colony on our satellite moon, and plans to colonize a nearby planet within our solar system are well underway… ” 
 
 Reya escorted the Kth ’ xenans back to their ship as they smiled and thanked her for the tour. At a barked command from the head engineer, the pulsating, mucus-laden ship opened a large port to allow their entry. As the craft ascended, Reya grimaced to herself. 
 
 “ Tentacle-headed pricks. ”
