I realize you can just answer, “mysterious aliens beyond our understanding,” but why would a space probe have a mandate of either talk to a whale for 30 seconds or destroy Earth and disable everything in its path on the way to Earth?
Why? What does that achieve?
I have warmed up to it over the years, but I admit I have always thought of it more as “Comedy Star Trek” than “Star Trek with Comedy.” But now we have Lower Decks, so…