To Each His Own

An expedition from Venus arrives in a major Earth city and conducts careful, practiced procedures to evaluate the foreign environment while the surrounding streets remain eerily silent. Crew members perform instrument checks, send location data home, and deploy a robo-skimmer while a biochemist analyzes atmosphere and soil for habitability. The ambassador fumbles with a prepared speech as the team debates whether to meet potential humans behind protective screens or to expose themselves. Tension between scientific caution and diplomatic obligation shapes the action as the visitors weigh risk, communication difficulties, and uncertain human reactions.