That's just it, though: most of the speculation is fine and well, but the scout thing...
...What would be sufficiently absurd an analogy? Two guys seeing a third cross a street and making the effort of speculating whether the house of this total stranger is painted blue or green? Not sufficiently absurd, because we know people, and we may (think we) observe cues that tell us what kind of colors a man of certain looks and posture might prefer. Our heroes don't know anything comparable about the 32nd century. And the ship is just a generic arrowhead like at least two others in that collection.
Okay, let's try another one. A colorful circus parades through the town, and surprised people gasp: "Look, a lion!" "That man is walking on glass stilts!" ... and then "Oh, that clown must be named William. I wonder how much money he has in his pocket."
Timo Saloniemi