Leading two sound men, a gaffer, and the camera, Hinkel was making his way toward Cleve. Now that the actual contact was completed the telecaster apparently felt perfectly at ease cutting in on the heretofore forbidden frequency.
He panted breathlessly, and needlessly, since his suit’s self-regulating respiratory apparatus would not permit him to get out of breath. It sounded quite dramatic.
Halting in front of Cleve, he made an indecipherable gesture, in place of having a microphone to wave under the commander’s helmet.
“Commander Zachary S. Cleve, we are now both on intersystem hookup. Three billion humans are awaiting your first words at this historic moment. The presidents of all nations as well as the entire membership of the Council are awaiting the first results of mankind’s initial face-to-face meeting with another intelligent race!”
Cleve finished the scroll and rolled it up. He looked absently at Hinkel. Then, very much to the surprise of the ship’s officers in the party, he grinned a dis-armingly boyish grin.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “As far as it has gone, the first contact with the race that call themselves the Murrin has been successful. They express then- hopes for long-term friendly association between species to our mutual benefit. Details will be ex-
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WITH FRIENDS LIKE TH^SE . ,.
plained in a second meeting which will take place in about two hours. In addition, a common basis for understanding has been transmitted.” He started to turn toward the Rey.
“Commander,” said Hinkel. “We all saw that the Murrin sent only a single representative to meet your party. Is this their accepted procedure?”