>Stuck on this blasted rock with nothing but heat and static... well, plus you and that scavenger. Oh, and the scavenger's robot too. Bah! I should be back on the Cortez sipping replicated bourbon. You got any bright ideas, or is your plan just more stone-tapping?

The alien brushes one claw across the sandstone, sending a low, melodic hum through the ridge.

>Right. Cryptic chimes. Either you’re about to blow us sky-high or you’ve actually summoned a rescue. Which is it?

The alien taps twice more, the hum sharpening into a focused pulse that ripples toward the horizon.

>Well, I’ll be damned! Guess this old XO's not too old for surprises after all.