Fractal art created by the author, Deeann D. Mathews
A very famous exclamation went out of style in the early 23rd century, and I was on the scene when it happened. I was a lowly ensign working the night crew science station on my first starship tour of duty, and for whatever reason, old Captain MacDonald couldn't sleep and decided to come back on duty.
I will forever remember him frowning at the nebula we had just gotten on screen as we approached it slowly and carefully.
“Why does that look familiar?” he said. “Computer, increase magnification.”
The thing had an obvious “face” ...
Fractal art created by the author, Deeann D. Mathews
… and then once you looked back at the whole thing, it also appeared to have four “legs" … it was like looking at clouds in the sky and the mind trying to make a shape out of it.
A nebula, of course, is just a cloud of space dust .. the Crab Nebula is a well-known example of mankind doing the same kind of cloud-minding when considering the observable galaxy.
But then again, actual nebulae do not make a sound, greeting you.
“Captain,” I said, “there is a signal coming from the nebula.”
“Put it through, Ensign.”
“Yes, sir … modulating subharmonic output for human auditory frequencies … .”
And, onto the bridge came the most noble, rich sound … as if one of the greatest of operatic basses had come on stage to sing …
“OINK.”
Captain MacDonald jumped about two feet in the air.
“Ensign, what? Are you sure you did that right?”
“Re-calibrating, sir ... and ... ”
“OINK.”
Captain MacDonald shook his gray head, sat down in his captain's chair for a long moment to think, and then said to himself: “I said I'd retire when pigs fly – well, old MacDonald, E I, E I, O.”
The discovery of the Porcine Pseudo-Nebulaic lifeform -- called the Porky Nebula for short -- single-handedly hemmed up a lot of people that year.
Captain MacDonald retired at the end of that run, bought himself a farm, and lived happily ever after.