An alien race makes a chilling first impression in this story that "evokes difficult moral issues" from the Hugo and Nebula Award – winning author ( SF Site ).

A corporate ship's complicated business venture involves the experimental use of new technology to scoop a sample from the core of a neutron star. The discovery of a dead civilization on a nearby solar system serves as a fascinating distraction. The same can't be said for the alien spaceship circling around them. Becoming the first expedition from Earth to encounter extraterrestrial life is not on the agenda—and the crewmembers find themselves out of their depth.

Treading a fine line between diplomacy and danger, the chief executive officer of the mission—a man of Sioux ancestry—decides to open up lines of communication with the aliens. And though they may be more advanced than humanity, the aliens' account of past actions calls to mind a dark age in human history, one that the CEO will make sure is never repeated. Not on his watch . . .

"With this story, Silverberg proves he knows his science and is willing to do a story grounded in hard sf." — MarzAat

Praise for Robert Silverberg and his short stories

"When Silverberg is at the top of his form, no one is better." —George R. R. Martin, #1 New York Times–bestselling author

"Silverberg's creative story premises are matched by a remarkable ability to make his characters sympathetic, whether human or not." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Decades after being originally published, most of these stories are still just as entertaining and powerful as they were when first released. A singularly unique collection." — Kirkus Reviews