“Hello” was the first concept we figured. The Cuboids – what else? – have transparent spaceships. Three days ago, they appeared, matching orbit with the International Space Station. All the world inundated the ISS astronauts with suggestions. We trashed them: Stock market predictions? DNA samples? Movie rights?

I won the toss to jet to the Cuboid craft. Watching them move around, I counted five figures as I slowly closed. I would make out facial features. The lower cube head was all mouth, looks like teeth, and a tongue licking lips. All are carrying small tools. Wait, is that a knife and fork?