Amateur in Chancery

A group operating a device that transmits macroscopic matter between planets faces an emergency when a test leaves a human unconscious on Venus and only minutes remain to retrieve her. The rescue depends on convincing a native Venusian to press the correct control, but the alien perceives color and orientation differently and cannot reliably distinguish left from right. A programmer and colleagues weigh scientific, astronomical, and telepathic strategies to establish a common reference, while fearing that a mistaken command could cause overlapping masses and catastrophic consequences. The narrative examines communication barriers, technological uncertainty, and the urgent ethics of rescue under extreme scientific risk.