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Sorry, I completely forgot there was an original round going and I never voted. At least I can still leave a comment.
I like the idea here. A few minor editing issues. It's a bit rushed, and it feels like it skips two important steps. First, this astronaut learning to communicate with the natives. It just happens instantaneously, and possibly the nanomachines can essentially instantly learn his language and translate, but they why'd it take so long for her to teach them how to write it? And why are they so sympathetic to help her carve her message when it never occurred to them to do it on their own behalf? My first guess is that this is the entirety of their civilization, so there's nobody to warn, but they already acknowledged the risk to other races, so why not try to warn them as well? And second, that this is such a personal message. I had mixed feelings about that. I do understand her desire to write it, but she didn't expect her daughter would be the one coming to search for her, so it'd be indirect. I also assume they have FTL available or she was never going to see her daughter again anyway (and would have ample time to write the message—for that matter, won't she have to keep maintaining it so it doesn't erode away before they see it?). Good use of the prompt and handling of the mood.
I like the idea here. A few minor editing issues. It's a bit rushed, and it feels like it skips two important steps. First, this astronaut learning to communicate with the natives. It just happens instantaneously, and possibly the nanomachines can essentially instantly learn his language and translate, but they why'd it take so long for her to teach them how to write it? And why are they so sympathetic to help her carve her message when it never occurred to them to do it on their own behalf? My first guess is that this is the entirety of their civilization, so there's nobody to warn, but they already acknowledged the risk to other races, so why not try to warn them as well? And second, that this is such a personal message. I had mixed feelings about that. I do understand her desire to write it, but she didn't expect her daughter would be the one coming to search for her, so it'd be indirect. I also assume they have FTL available or she was never going to see her daughter again anyway (and would have ample time to write the message—for that matter, won't she have to keep maintaining it so it doesn't erode away before they see it?). Good use of the prompt and handling of the mood.
And I guess the rules changed so that you can use your own picture if it's the only possibility?