" 'Relatives'?" Clarkson wondered aloud. "Think about that a minute, Captain. I know that it was suggested in our briefings that we might find evidence of these beings, but what are the odds we would find them here, when we don't even know where here is? And if they are as advanced as they give every indication of being, why haven't we had contact with them before now?"
"Who says we haven't?" Walker shot back. "None of us, regardless of our individual security clearances, has access to all of Sector Seven's secrets. For all we know there's another entire government agency responsible for doing nothing but corresponding with alien intelligences. Also, need I remind you that there are one or two other governments besides ours that possess a certain degree of technological sophistication, and that we have no idea what their equivalent, covert agencies may be up to? There is one thing I do know for certain, though." He shot a look back at his crew, all of whom were intent on their respective stations.