Kaz and Agozi rushed into the hangar area, followed closely by a team of engineers and support staff. Without breaking his stride, Kaz issued a sharp command into his communicator.

“Move it inside, quickly!”

They stopped near the particle barrier, the boundary between the ship and outer space, and waited with growing anxiety for the craft to enter.

The anticipated moment soon unfolded.

Gently, Minboa's gravitational beams secured the craft, easing it towards the hangar. As the shuttle inched through, the particle shield resonated with a low hum-buzz.

Kaz’s whiskers twitched in surprise as he observed the shuttle's diminutive size, not much larger than a small cargo transport.

“This envoy is smaller than anticipated.”

“Well, it's a stroke of luck it's not bigger,” Agozi said without looking at him, her eyes never leaving the advancing craft. “Our hangar might not have coped with any grandiose arrivals. It's not exactly cut out for showmanship.”

Despite its top-tier status and unparalleled design in its class, the Minboa was not designed as a carrier or a vessel for diplomacy. Meetings with new civilizations typically took place planet-side, a process initiated after preliminary conversations with local representatives. Lacking facilities for diplomatic engagements, Minboa's hangar prioritized vital equipment over space for envoys.

“This implies they know more than we assumed,” Kaz said, his whiskers giving a brief twitch. “A small shuttle isn't a random choice; it's a sign of advanced technological insight, making calculated decisions like this.”

“All the same, sending an envoy straight away seems a bit rushed.” She maintained her gaze on the shuttle's approach. “Wouldn't it have been more prudent to establish communications first?”

Kaz paused briefly to contemplate her observation.

“Perhaps this is simply their standard protocol?”

Agozi's voice adopted a subtly mocking tone.

“So it turns out we've met our match in rudeness,” she said, a playful twitch of her nose betraying her amusement. “The Langa and Pretenti are going to have a field day with this news.”

The lack of amusement in Kaz's demeanor was evident, as his unyielding snout revealed a touch of concern.

“It's uncommon for a Mevik to appear so unexpectedly, more so for a crucial matter like this.” A subtle curl of his lip exposed a few teeth. He opened his mouth just a fraction, as though to speak, but then closed it without saying anything.

The gaze of everyone present tracked the craft, as the beam guided it steadily and cautiously deeper into the hangar. When it settled in the center, the beams shut off, and the shuttle landed softly, its contact with the steel floor producing a slight clank.

The craft remained unresponsive, displaying no signs of activity.

The extended period of idleness led to an increasing expression of concerns among the onlookers.

With a puzzled expression, Agozi turned towards Kaz.

“What are they up to?” she asked, a fleeting flicker of her whiskers betraying her perplexity. “What's holding them back?”

“A slower pace might be normal for them,” Kaz replied. “We should remain patient.”

While discontented by the sluggish progression, Agozi chose not to engage in an argument with Kaz.

Hours went by, yet there was still no sign of any activity.

Agozi sat on the chilly hangar floor, her eyes staring listlessly at the ground. Kaz, on the other hand, was attentively monitoring the alien craft for any activity.

Yet another hour went by.

Agozi got up from the floor, her frustration evident in her manner and tone.

“How much longer are they going to keep us waiting?!”

Kaz’s gaze turned towards the craft, his snout bearing a stern expression.

“This inactivity is unusual and concerning.” He shifted his attention to Master-Engineer Kesto, who was nearby. “Have we evaluated the craft's structural condition?”

“Scanned multiple times,” Kesto replied. “No damage.”

Intently, they watched the spacecraft, their unease deepening with every moment of thought.

*****

Andreas experienced a rare surge of fear in his stomach. He moved closer to the one-way window of his cockpit, surveying the scene with his eyes.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

Despite their humanoid looks, the figures outside were unmistakably non-human.

Speculations about aliens had persisted among scientists for generations, but definitive proof had remained elusive. Now, it appeared they had it.

Fear coursed through Andreas as he observed the aliens approaching his craft.

“My gun, where did I leave it?!” Andreas exclaimed in a rare burst of panic, frantically searching for his handgun. Realizing he might have left it in the cargo hold, he quickly refocused his attention, albeit anxiously, on the three approaching aliens.

Two of the aliens, dressed in blue jumpsuits, looked remarkably like cats, and the third seemed to be a figment of a mole's imagination. These cat-like creatures, one black as midnight and the other a sharp yellow, stood significantly shorter than himself.

Leading the group, the tallest of the cat-like aliens came to a stop in front of the spacecraft, the other two following suit.

Andreas scrutinized their behavior intently. The taller alien seemed to be conveying a message to its companions. Alien as they were, Andreas could tell from their body language that there was a problem.

They look hesitant, he thought.

The taller cat humanoid, the one with the black fur, engaged the smaller mole-esque alien in conversation before progressing towards the shuttle entry.

Cold sweat appeared on Andreas's brow. He noticed the aliens were weaponless, yet he kept his alertness. He switched on the shuttle's cameras, carefully scanning the surroundings for any danger.

The trio of aliens had taken their places near the shuttle entrance. The hangar itself housed a diverse array of creatures, quite a few exhibiting similarities to the cat-like humanoids outside his ship. All of them appeared diminutive compared to him, with a good number not even matching half his height. However, this did little to ease his mind, for his movie knowledge suggested that the smallest aliens usually had the deadliest weapons.

Andreas paused to consider his choices. He quickly deduced that barring the aliens' entry to the shuttle was pointless. Furthermore, remaining in the shuttle was not a sustainable option, especially with insufficient supplies and an inoperable navigational computer.

Additionally, the general’s chilling cautionary words lingered in his thoughts. Andreas remembered them well. Retreat was not an option. He needed to decide, and quickly.

Remaining here only extends the inevitable. Feeling resigned, Andreas exited the cockpit and walked to the airlock. His hand paused above the control panel, poised to open the shuttle's door and confront the unknown.

The aliens by the entrance jerked back in surprise when the airlock emitted a sharp depressurization noise and began to open gradually.

Andreas stepped out of the shuttle with decisive steps, presenting a commanding figure. Concealing his inner apprehension, he adopted a poised stance, arms tucked, and fists clenched for self-control. Towering above even his human peers, he stood prominently over everyone in the hangar, dwarfing even the black-furred, cat-like alien.

Andreas had made a strategic decision. Conscious of the risks in showing weakness to possible foes, he suppressed any sign of emotion in his gaze, wary of the aliens’ motives. He would have to play his hand cautiously if he wanted to prevent disaster in an already disastrous situation.

*****

Agozi subtly edged toward Kaz, maintaining a discreet demeanor.

“Is it just me, or is there something off about that?” she whispered before casting a doubtful glance at their guest.

“Specify what you mean,” Kaz replied, his tone indicating a lack of clarity about Agozi's statement.

Agozi’s voice took on a mocking edge, though it couldn't mask her nervousness.

“Notice how it’s fixating on us…” Her whiskers flickered with a mix of apprehension and bemusement as she alternated her gaze between the alien and Kaz. “Ever seen a gaze that intense? Or a stance so rigid?” Her expression turned into a blend of worry and dry humor as she met Kaz’s eyes. “Really sets the mood, doesn’t it?”

Agozi's wariness made sense, seeing how strangely the alien acted. Despite cultural differences, key non-verbal signals, especially in facial and hand gestures, were common across species.

But the alien’s posture and motions were anything but typical or friendly. Immobile as if caught in a temporal freeze, its small eyes, set deep in its face, fixed them with a cold, menacing look. Its expression seemed to accuse them of a grave insult, but no provocation warranted such an alarmingly icy attitude, verging on the deranged. The alien's large size made the scene even more ominous.

Kaz cast another brief look at the alien.

“It would seem its posture reflects some displeasure.”

“Really now?” Agozi’s response dripped with sarcasm, her whiskers quivering. “Could’ve missed that one…”

The alien stood still, maintaining its posture.

A moment of stillness lingered.

“It’s really taking its time for the opening move, huh?” She looked at Kaz. “That is typically how it goes, right?”

“Ordinarily,” Kaz replied. “Still, there are precedents for variation. Perhaps it expects a gesture from us.”

“What’s our move, then?” Agozi asked. “Do we step up or keep fiddling with our whiskers?”

*****

Andreas couldn’t understand their speech, though the aliens at least appeared to communicate verbally like humans.

At least they’re not barfing up some incomprehensible gibberish. he mused irately. This was of scant help; their speech was as foreign as any other unknown language.

Fortunately, he possessed an alternative means of understanding intentions: by carefully observing the nuances in speech inflection and modulation, he could infer the speaker's emotional state and likely motives.

In a past encounter, Andreas had skillfully engaged in negotiations with a rival gang leader, a situation that ended unfavorably for the latter. His keen ability to interpret the subtleties in tone, coupled with his cultural insight, allowed him to understand their intentions, despite the language difference, ensuring his safety.

Yet, these were not gang affiliates, and he was unarmed. Should aggression arise, his options were limited.

Currently, the cat-like aliens were the only ones engaged in communication, speaking in an alien tongue that eerily resembled human speech, yet carried a more refined tone. The variance in pitch hinted that the smaller, yellow alien might be female, while the larger one possessed a voice lower in pitch than expected, not quite fitting a masculine profile.

While Andreas considered how to interact, a group of diminutive, mole-like aliens appeared from a sliding steel door in the area's upper-right corner.

One alien clutched an object, the details of which were unclear to Andreas. It moved toward the larger cat-like creature and offered the item.

After the black, feline-like creature was handed the device, it rotated to face Andreas with a focused stare.

Andreas was left to guess the device's function, though its initial look didn't imply weaponry.

Abruptly, the black feline-like alien moved closer.

Startled for a moment by its movement towards him, Andreas nonetheless kept a cool exterior.

The cat-like alien advanced deliberately, stopping just a few feet from him. It extended its right hand in a straightforward manner, offering him the device.

“Place this in your ear and mouth to facilitate communication,” the black feline-like creature suggested in unaccented English.

Andreas’s previously composed exterior collapsed utterly.

“You speak my language?!”