Note: Every spacefaring race ever has science fiction, of some form or another, among their cultural works. It is, after all, impossible to get into space without dreaming about it, and then writing those dreams so other people can dream them too.
Orange Hrathi: The lost civilization on the third planet never built anything more advanced than steam-driven electrical generators.
Orange Hrathi: They did not build this.
Orange Hrathi: The deep history group thinks it was built by an advanced race who snatched the young civilization up and carried them off.
Orange Hrathi: If I can power this device up, I can test that theory.
Blue Hrathi: What about the theory that the feathery lizard people departed their world aboard steam powered starships?
Orange Hrathi: I'm doing science, not science fiction.