There may not be much of a difference left then between machines and biologicals. Generations would alternate like a jellyfish does between polyp and medusa. No need for generation ships.
Another point I like to make is that the craft we observe, assuming we do, definitely do not need to be the actual interstellar craft, why would they be. We wouldn’t do
it like that, why would they. Instead they could be local probes dispatched from another craft, or even local probes manufactured by the master probe.
Lastly, let’s assume we see mach 50
speeds on the craft, that’s still not a significant fraction of the speed of light.
Another point I like to make is that the craft we observe, assuming we do, definitely do not need to be the actual interstellar craft, why would they be. We wouldn’t do it like that, why would they. Instead they could be local probes dispatched from another craft, or even local probes manufactured by the master probe.
Lastly, let’s assume we see mach 50 speeds on the craft, that’s still not a significant fraction of the speed of light.