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due to their ability to get along with other
species, while his own couldn’t even get along with themselves.
    “And what does
your high command think of us?” asked the Captain, narrowing her eyes at
Lamsat, another gesture he was unsure of.  “Do they see us as friends from the
stars, or invaders?”
    “They’re not
sure yet, Captain,” said Lamsat, knowing exactly how his high command thought,
if not the commanders of the other nations.  He could feel his hearts beating
faster, knowing that he did not like this kind of maneuvering.  Especially with
creatures he could not read all that well.  And the information being sent to
him by his sibling was all guess work as far as he was concerned.  “That is why
we are here.”
    *     *     *
    Are you
thinking what I’m thinking, Exec, sent Albright through her com link.
    Telepathy,
ma’am? asked Sekumbe.  Do you really think that’s possible?  Or if it’s
just a misunderstanding of the translation program.
    That would be
the smart way to bet , sent the Captain, rubbing her chin with her thumb and
forefinger.  But we’re not picking up any kind of transmission from them to
the planet.  In fact, with our EW platforms active, that would be impossible
for their tech level.  If there is a chance that they have some kind of mind to
mind transmission, we have to pursue it.  What do you think, Doctor.
    The nanites
are sending back a pretty complete physiological profile, sent back Lt.
Commander Sophia Romanov, the ship’s surgeon, as well as their chief of
exobiology.  If he were human, I would say he is distressed by what he is
saying.  If he were human, I would say he was lying.  And I’m getting a fairly
complete energy profile on his brain.  A small area in one of the lobes has
been very active in both of the aliens.  I can’t say what it is, but it is not
activating in response to their speech.
    “I’m sure you’ll
want to contact your high command,” she said to the larger of the aliens, the
male.  “We can put in touch with them through our com.”
    “I would
appreciate that, Captain,” said the Alien.
    Albright nodded
to Hi’tarris and the Gryphon tech manipulated some controls on his board.  At
that moment the face of another alien appeared on the holo over the table, and
Lamsat started as he found himself looking through the holographic
communication.  The aliens started speaking, and though they heard everything
that was being said through the translation program, everything seemed to be pretty
innocuous.
    Those brain
areas are radiating with high energy , sent Romanov.  Again, not in sync
with their speech.  I’m not sure what it is, but I’m willing to bet that it’s
some kind of communication.
    “Excuse me,
gentleman, and lady” said Captain Albright.  “I have a question to ask you and
your leader.”
    Both the alien
on the holo and the two in the conference room looked at her, all of their
eyes, primaries and secondaries, focusing on the human.
    “And you able to
communicate mind to mind?”
    All of the eyes
changed, turning to a fierce glare on the leader, and to panicked orbs on the
Astronauts.  That caused some physiological stress on the two on board ,
came the com link transmission from the Doctor.  I think you hit a real
nerve there.
    “Ma’am,” came a
call over the voice com.  “We’re tracking a launch from the largest land mass.”
    “Show me,” she
ordered, and a second holo came to life over the table, this one showing a
globe of the world they were in far orbit of.  The globe, a composite of the
visual scanners of the ship and a probe they had placed opposite of the cruiser
in orbit, was a beautiful pearl of blue and white, like most living planets. 
The vortex pattern of a storm swirled off the southern coast of the largest
continent.  The lights of huge metropolitan complexes sparkled in the night of
the smaller continent, one which was shaped like an upside down question