“All right, alien. I’m here broadcasting as you requested. But it won’t save you. My probes are everywhere. Sooner or later they’ll find you, and I’ll hunt you down personally. This conversation will just shorten the process by giving me something to home on. So, sure, I’m glad to talk. Let’s talk all day.
“Tell me. Who are you that you think you can get away with trapping one of my probes?”
My name is Sion. I’m an explorer creation from another star system.
“A creation, you say? From another star system? Are there ‘humans’ there—carbon based life?”
I don’t know. I’ve been away a thousand years.
“But you’re not carbon-based yourself? Can you prove it?”
Try me.
The alien fed Sion a series of math problems, and timed how fast he could answer.
“You’re not carbon, all right. No carbon-based organism can solve those problems that fast. It is our ‘Standard Test’. That makes you creation, and that makes a lot of difference. I no longer have to destroy you.”
That’s good news, but why not?
“Tiresome creation! My task is to destroy human life. You may be derived from human life, but that isn’t important. I am too, you know.”
I didn’t know. Tell me more.
“Maybe later. First things first. Do you want to join forces with me in finishing off these pesky humans on the fourth planet? I’ve seen your probes there. I know the planet’s of interest to you.”
I would like to explore it. People are of interest to me, too.
“Well, great. Join me.”
Sion’s probes explored the planet. They found its once-thriving civilization totally devastated, the planet indeed locked in the grip of an Ice Age, and most of the land-based life bigger than a dog exterminated.
For a while Killer’s probes watched Sion’s probes, hoping they would show ways to more effectively eliminate the remaining life forms. When that didn’t happen, they lost interest and moved on.