[ WP ] An aliens perspective as it attempts to decode the golden record

It had taken a long, long time. Since finding the gold disc, there had been so many questions. What was it? Where did it come from? What did it mean? 
 
 Those in charge had been all at once curious and fearful. Many had tried to lose it, to return it back out into the wilderness. Let the unknown remain unknown, for this could only bring bad tidings. 
 
 Eventually, however, curiosity had won over. Progress had been slow- the smartest of the species had toiled relentlessly, day, night and vardak, trying to make sense of the scribblings on it. Generations came and passed, as work continued fervently to try and understand just what this thing was. 
 
 The breakthrough came when they finally realised it may have been some kind of storage device. It was an absurd suggestion, akin to suggesting Grzyx did n't jrdnkl every Fonxyd. But it was the moment of realisation- the moment that this thing was not from nature, but that it had been created. Something- someone- had deliberately made this thing. And if they put themselves into this stranger's shoes, they would want to provide as much information as they could. 
 
 But as a storage device, it was unlike anything they'd seen before, unlike anything ever envisaged- unlike anything they had technology to access. From scientific minds, the focus switched to technological ones, and further generations rose and fell. It became a test, to see what progress on understanding could be made in a lifetime, until finally, finally, the leaders declared it was ready. The machine created looked nothing like the record players back on Earth, but they were n't to know that- there was no frame of reference. But put an Earthling in front of the contraption they'd built, and a human mind would be just as lost. 
 
 There was no screen, because they had n't entertained the idea that this could possibly contain anything visual. But there was a kind of conical amplifier, and a rudimentary reader, to enable any kind of output. They knew not what to expect, and the mixture of curiosity and fear returned as Vyxpx gave the machine life. All of this time, all of these efforts, leading to this one moment. 
 
 For a second, silence. Then, the riff of a guitar ripped through the sky, sending them scattering in terror. 
 
 **'' Vyxpx! What IS that? `` **, Grzyx asked earnestly, closing his auditory glands as quickly as he could. 
 
 The wailing riff was quickly joined by keyboards and lyrics sung in an alien tongue, the elders panicking as they attempted to disarm the record, with no idea what to make of this cacophony of noise. 
 
 *'' Deep down in Louisiana, down in New Orleans, way back up in the woods, among the evergreens...'' * 
 
 **'' I do n't know, Grzyx... ** came Vyxpx's reply, looking around at the youngers in the group, who seemed not to be frightened, but actually thrilled by this strange experience, opening their own auditory glands wider- **'' But your kids appear to love it! `` **
