- Yeah, and our story ended so badly. - Victor pulled his shoulder.
- Did he? On the contrary, quite successfully. We did what we were sent for, we studied someone else's ship, and we also met with the living aliens and found out that they were quite friendly.
- You're still the one who's sure they're friendly," Willis said. - What if it was "the last warning"? Or something else?
Floyd shook his shoulders:
- I think it's going to be set up by those who go out and make contacts. And we're running out...
- Class A activity was detected," Floyd's voice was interrupted by the on-board computer. - An unidentified Class A object was found...
"A" means Alien.
Aliens.
- Chandra, wake the others. Doc, with me," Willis jumped smoothly. - I told you... - He mumbled to the side.
- We're the only politicians here, Doc, so we're going to have to pretend to be some kind of messengers," he said as he moved to the exoframes bay. - Especially since the captain, when he comes to his senses, will surely try to stop us from doing so - but it's not the first time we've taken a risk, is it, Doc?
Floyd had to agree.
They climbed into the exoframes - they weren't held in the ship's enclosure, they were held outside in the weekend compartment, and they had to climb through the long intestine of the junction, but it wasn't difficult to do so weightlessly - and got out. Chandra retransmitted the information for them all the time from object A, and so far it was the same: "hanging in a couple of hundred meters, silent, does not show any activity.
- They're waiting for us, Doc," Willis joked hoarsely. - We should have shaved, damn it. Okay, they'll tolerate us and the like. Buckle up, Doc, and fly.
- Let's go," Floyd said on the machine. - Gagarin said, "Let's go.
- Yes, what are we not Gagarin? - then Willis' answer was jammed by the exoframe Floyd's accelerators that had worked.
Their shells flew towards someone else's ship, unwinding the safety ropes. The alien ship was hanging in front of them, silent and silent.
It was twice as big as the Universal. And the closer the astronauts flew, the more it seemed.
- And where is his entrance? We'll have to go back," Willis thought out loud. - We'll find his dick ourselves.
It was as if we'd listened to him, and it was hard to understand if the hatch had opened in the air or on the roof.
Willis was headed there...
- Wait. - Floyd frowned. - So we're going to step into their territory? Without an official invitation? And we will have to obey their laws.
- Doc, is that where you got this from? - Victor also stopped at halfway point.
- From historical experience.
- Ah, I didn't catch it. It turns out that this is so.
- I do not like it.
- I already do, too... Wait, what the hell?!
Floyd saw for himself how smoothly and unstoppably they were dragged to the open mouth of someone else's lock.
Willis was trying to fight, but even when the accelerators were turned at full throttle, they couldn't slow down the fall into someone else's ship.
That's right, it was like a fall. It was as if they were attracted to some massive body.
But Floyd wasn't allowed to get distracted. I had to break with my feet on the metal floor of the airlock.
A second later, the airlock closed, cutting their safety ropes and jamming the radio link to the Universe.
- On arrival, Doc, - Willis joked nervously. - Now we'll see if you or I were right about them.
- What the hell are you doing here, Victor?
- Sticking a tiger with a stick in the gums, of course," Victor squinted, which looked hilarious on the mini-display. - I don't like to sit in defense. The best defense is an attack.
- So we got caught... Trapped by tigers.
- We must somehow show these green men that we are diplomats.
- Shall we raise our hands?
Exoframes slowly and smoothly lifted up the manipulators.
- Shall we start the conversation?
- With whom? I doubt these guys are inclined to talk.
One of these guys put the gun down and came up to them, typing something on the holographic keyboard of the handcuff.
- Here comes their negotiator. Run contact programs, Doc.
Floyd and the alien quickly built bridges, clarifying the dictionaries of physics, chemistry, and mathematics - what is equal to 2 +1, what does a molecule of water look like and what is the speed of light in a vacuum. Moved on to more complex concepts, discussed and them.
- Identify yourself.
- I am Heywood Floyd, and this is Victor Willis, we are representatives of the Earth Federation. Who are we talking to?
- Seldin Bau, representative of the Salarian Union and the Citadel Council. I am pleased to welcome you to the Citadel Council. - The creature spoke quickly and abruptly.