As the alarm bells went into action, radio beams leaped out, attempting contact with the ship. No reply was expected for any reply that came would be a meaningless jumble of sounds. No one knew what a deep-space tongue would sound like. But the attempt was a part of Plan A, and it was made.
With the jangle of the alarm, a sudden flurry of anticipation ran through the whole station. Deep in his heart every man here hoped that some day life might come in from across the void, ending the utter loneliness of the Solar System. Sol and his attendant planets might encompass a fairly large area of space, but this area was microscopically small in comparison to the vastness of the universe. The human race was hungry for contact with another life form.
In his quarters General Stanley hastily donned his jacket.
In his private suite of rooms Meyer Nuoy heard the alarm. Here, the jangle of the bells was a thin whisper of pleasant sound, suited to his sensitive ears. He stirred restlessly in the padded contour chair that had been specially made to fit his body. Irritation rose in him. He hadn't given permission for an alarm to be sounded. He picked up the private phone beside his chair.
"Stanley?" His voice was a growl.
"Why, yes, Mr. Nuoy," the general hastily answered.
"What's all this clatter about?"
"A ship is coming in, Mr. Nuoy."
"What of it? Ships land regularly, don't they? Is this any reason to disturb us with alarm bells?"
"But this ship is not coming in from Earth. It's coming in from deep space."