"Acxa, what does THIS one mean?" Ezor pointed.
Acxa sighed.
"I really don't know this writing system well."
"Aw, please try! The picture is so good!"
Acxa snorted.
"Okay, okay…" She squinted at the image. "I… can… has….. cheezburger?"
"Is that really what that says?" Zethrid asked.
"Look, I told you I wasn't good with this language."
"What does 'cheezburger' mean?" Ezor said.
"Oh, gosh… it must be something you give to a cat," Acxa guessed.
"Hmm. Like a belly rub?"
Acxa shrugged.
"Well, where's Kova?" Ezor jumped up. "I bet that little rascal needs a cheezburger right NOW!"
She nearly walked into Narti on the way out.
"Narti! You have to see this!"
Ezor grabbed Kova and plopped him in front of the holoscreen.
"Show her the one with the box!"
Earth's internet was surprisingly fast in their quadrant. Probably because the demand out there was incredibly low.
The video came in clearly, a little orange Earth cat trying to climb a flimsy cubical structure.
Zethrid folded her arms.
"I still like Princess Monster Truck better."
"Oh, shush!" Ezor scoffed.
The Earth cat fell off the box, and the box landed over it.
"Here it comeeeeees," Ezor grinned.
The upturned box began to scoot along the floor.
There was a rather terrifying sound. But it wasn't the video.
Narti was laughing.
"I TOLD you you'd love this!" Ezor elbowed her. "You wouldn't BELIEVE how many of these videos they've made on this planet! It's AMAZING!"
"They'll be going extinct soon," Zethrid scoffed. "If THAT'S how they use their highest technology."
"Well then, we have to put some cat videos on this 'internet' before their planet goes under!" Ezor said. "Narti, I NEED to borrow Kova."
"Ezor, we have more important things to do," Acxa shook her head.
"Like give Kova his cheezburger?" Ezor said, flipping him over for a belly rub. "Come on, it'll hardly take any time at all. We just need a box. Or a laser pointer."
Acxa sighed.
"Make it quick."
Ezor grabbed Narti by the elbow and led her away.
"We'll have to show you Grumpy Cat, too. Because that's Acxa."
Zethrid burst out laughing.
"I mean NO offense by finding that funny," she said in response to Acxa's glaring.
"Zethrid, come on, help us find a box!" Ezor called.
"Acxa?" Zethrid asked.
Acxa rubbed her temples.
"Go."
It had taken Pidge a while to siphon in Earth's internet, but eventually they had a consistent signal.
And it was more than worth it.
It seemed they weren't the only intergalactic explorers to have accessed the internet. They had found something special. They didn't know who, but some alien out there had been uploading the best cat videos the web had ever seen.
Today's thumbnail showed a black and blue cat sitting on a disgruntled head.
"Guys, c'mere!" Pidge called. "There's a new 'Kova the Space Cat' video up!"
They all crowded around her laptop to watch the universe's favorite cat.