"Captain," the First Navigator called on the radio.

"Yes Mister Mikasa?"

"Sir, I think we have company."

"Load missiles one through ten, spin up the CWIS, and power up the rail guns."

"Yes sir."

"Also, send a recon drone out at full thrust. I want to know what we're dealing with."

"Roger  that, Captain."

"I don't suppose anyone has studied the Kree language database."

"Yes sir," Kira Stanley, the communications officer, said, "I think I have a basic grasp of it."

"Good. Start sending out messages in Kree and English that we are peaceful scientists."

"Aye Captain."

The ten foot long missile-like probe shot towards the electromagnetic signal that it had been pointed at. It's chemical thrusters sped it forwards at several times the speed of sound as it's suite of sensors searched for information. It collected information not only on the anomaly, but also on the space through which it passed, relaying information on radiation, light, gasses, and any nearby objects back to the Wandering Star.

Traveling at nearly 4Km/sec, it sounded fast, but in astronomical terms it was more a snail's pace. It would take another twelve hours at this pace before it would reach it's target. But as it flew past 'Old Dusty', it managed to locate several artificial satellites that had been previously undiscovered.

While it traveled through the intervening space, it also broadcast greeting messages in every known language (except Kree) in an attempt to relay it's peaceful purpose. After all, it could easily be mistaken for a military missile, and that would be contrary to it's mission.

So Snoopy, as the crew has named it, hummed along complacently, ready to greet any exciting new aliens that it happened to encounter.

"Sir, we're receiving a signal from the anomaly," Kira reported just over an hour later.

"On speaker please."

The speakers crackled to life, emitting a groaning, gurgling noise that sounded more like a backed up toilet then a radio message.

"Apply the translator," Jacks ordered.

"Applying filters, sir."

"...science vessel Broognan. Call off your missile please."

The captain cleared his throat, "Science vessel Broognan, this is the Earth Ship Wandering Star. The missile heading towards you is not a weapon; it is a scientific probe."

It took a minute for the translator to encode and send the message, and then decode to return message. When it did, it made quite an impact.

"Earth ship Wandering Star. We are here on a peaceful Amook research mission."

"Broognan, we are doing research as well."

"Wandering Star, please recall your probe."

"Recalling it now, Broognan."

"Captain," Kira said, "their transmissions are including a lot more data that just audio."

"Computer virus?"

"I don't think so, sir. It's more like there's another dimension to their communications than just audio; something that we aren't equipped to hear."

"Broognan, we would like to invite your captain and science officer over to our ship so that we can trade cultural information."

This time it took a few minutes longer for the reply. "Captain Broognan accepts your invitation. We shall move our ship closer to make transfer more convenient. Broognan out."

"Uh, welcome aboard the Wandering Star," the captain barely managed to get out.

The crew had watched in awe as the enormous ship approached. It was two large spheres connected together, with four struts sticking out near the rear of the ship that supported what could only be engine pods. Four smaller orbs were equally spaced around the center of the ship touching both main spheres.

The shuttlecraft that had disembarked from the rear of the massive ship was ball-shaped as well, though with only one engine apparently built into the rear of the craft. It moved with precision and speed, covering the distance between the two ships in minutes. 

As the shuttle drew nearer, it appeared that it was constructed from a variety of different materials and colors, though there was an overall pattern to it, a rather complex pattern. They accepted instructions for docking from Dockmaster Gustav Herschel, landing gently in the Wandering Star's shuttle bay with a hiss of released gasses.

Once the craft had landed and the docking bay door closed, the captain and his department heads, dressed in their finest dress uniforms entered the bay to greet their guests. There was much discussion between them as to what the aliens would look like. None of them could have guessed what they were about to encounter.

A section of the shuttle's hull detached, swiveling down to create a ramp from the airlock. The hatch opened and several blobs emerged. They were about five feet tall and nearly as wide, with uneven gray skin. They walked on four short stubs of legs, and had four stumpy arms, two on either side. They wore outfits that, like their ship, seemed to be made of varying fabrics.

As soon as the group of four blobs made it to the deck, they took a moment to study their hosts. Then the one in front actually changed shape, growing a little taller and thinner, retracting one pair of arms and a pair of legs until they were vaguely humanoid in shape. But they looked more like a rough clay rendering of a human.

Thus the awkwardness of the captain's greeting.

"Thank you for your pleasant greeting," the front one croaked, the translators that the crew were wearing provided the English version.

"I am Captain Samuel Jacks," he said, extending a hand in greeting.

The alien seemed to consider the gesture, then mirrored it saying, "I am Captain Broognan."

It's hand was merely extended, not touching Jacks', so he took the proffered hand and shook it in Earth fashion. "We are so excited to meet other sentient beings."

"Your race has not had relations with other races?" it seemed genuinely puzzled and surprised.

"No. You are the first."

"Then we are extremely honored to be the first race you have contacted. What are you called?"

"We are called Humans, and we are from the planet Earth."

"We are the Amook from the planet Mook."

"This is my First Officer, Quinn Parsons, and this is my Executive Officer, Phillip Howell."

This time Captain Broognan actually took their hands and shook them like Jacks had done. Then it turned to indicate one of the four Amook behind it.

"This is Engineer Prime Groon. And this is Sculptor Prime Breeken."

Jacks shook each of their 'hands' in turn, wondering what other strangeness was about to ensue.