Captain Wiley's body shook. "Wait, tell us who you are. What do you look like? Tell us...."
"Talking to you is quite difficult. We must form our thoughts so as to form word-patterns in your minds. You will be notified."
"Wait a minute!" called Captain Wiley.
No answer.
Captain Wiley straightened in an effort to maintain dignity.
They waited....
————
It was night.
The darkness was an impenetrable blanket, a solid thing, like thick black velvet glued over the ports. It was worse than the darkness of space.
Captain Wiley sat before the control panel, slowly beating his fists against the arms of his chair, a human metronome ticking off the slow seconds.