January 15, 3:00 PM.
Three hours had passed since the Fire Thief released the alien individual.
Three hours can be short, about the time it takes to watch a long movie.
But three hours can also be long, long enough for the contact delegation to complete its first contact with the alien individual.
After paying the price of twelve lives, the delegation on-site had reached several conclusions:
1. The alien individual can communicate, but it must be provided with food.
2. Humans can serve as food.
3. Although not yet verified, the amount of food required may vary depending on the question.
4. After a question is asked, the alien individual will begin to search for food on its own, rather than waiting for the questioner to provide it.
5. The alien individual does not seem to treat the "questioner" as food.
Some felt these conclusions were worth the dozen or so lives sacrificed, while others found it absurd.
