The Bran struggled with complete shock and confusion. Fear ran rampant through their ranks as they spied quietly on the horrid predators from a distance. After the initial contact, subsequent chase and eventual first meeting, the creatures had retreated backwards towards their strange craft with their subordinate creature in tow.

After the creatures had left, the Bran had contacted the galactic assembly for immediate military assistance to deal with the hostile invader. The galactic assembly had been skeptical on the nature of the creatures, and their supposed aggression, but all reports of the creature's species index had come up negative.

They could have told them that. The entire galaxy would have been alerted long ago if a creature like this had appeared. First of all because of their nature as a predator species, that was almost unheard of across the galaxy and definitely unheard of in sentient life.

Examining them from a distance, a few thing became clear, the odd creatures had a definite hierarchy, the first creature contacted was definitely the subordinate member of the pack, and seemed to be receiving punishment for running off. Additionally, it seemed that they had a coordinated communication system, or, a language set. Immediate postulation marked the odd grunting, humming, clicking, and hissing as the source of their communication.

Representatives of the Galactic Assembly, and linguistic experts would be on site within the next hour, hopefully with a contingent of solders to take care of the problem. The Bran had always mistrusted creatures that could shrug off the effects of dihydrogen monoxide.

"I said I'm sorry." 2 Lieutenant Vir complained from where he sat on the asteroids rocky surface.

The rest of the landing team gathered around him with looks of anger and disapproval, "What the hell were you thinking, chasing after that thing by yourself. You could have been killed, or worse, eaten alive."

He went to open his mouth, but Captain Kelly cut him off, "Never mind that, first." She turned away engaging the com on her helmet, "Alpha 1 to Enterprise, Enterprise do you copy, over."

"Copy Alpha 1, this is Enterprise, over."

"W.... We have contact.... Sentient life.... We have made contact..." She trailed off in disbelief

"Say again Alpha 1."

"ALIENS."

Static, "I.... I hear you Alpha 1, readying contact teams."

"Sent the linguist down, will you, we may need her."

Lieutenant Vir sighed in frustrated annoyance turning to look out at the vastness of space, it was, intoxicating. He was going to have to get used to it.

He blinked, and all of a sudden his eyes widened, "Captain!"

"Alpha 1.....

There was a long pause of awe, "I see it." As the massive – silver ship glided towards them.

The landing team came in quick and fast surrounding the small landing craft and the group of towering creatures. Plasma weapons were readied, and countermeasures were made as the small group of predators huddled themselves together in a tight circle.

They hummed and clicked at each other in that frantic way they had.

"Are those exoskeletons." One solider whispered to another

The creature frowned, "What else could it be....?"

"Spacesuit?"

"I suppose." He responded skeptically. The circle of predators shifted, and the entire circle stepped aggressively forward determined to show their power and dominate this new, unknown species.

More clicking and hissing followed, and then one of the creatures lowered its weapon. Two white and green orbs glowed from behind anterior faceplate. The other creatures turned to hiss at it, but the creature kept going, dropping the weapon slowly to the ground then raising its hands into the air.

"What is it doing?"

"I don't know, trying to intimidate us?"

The creature stepped forward. Weapons immediately clicked into position, the predator stopped for a long moment before slowly lowering itself towards the ground dropping its hands and lowering its head. It shuffled forward from there on all four appendages awkwardly, as if it wasn't meant to move in such a fashion.

It was getting closer.

The group stiffened, more hissing and clicking.

"F*ck, Lieutenant, what are you doing. Get back here."

"Just, give me a second. If you stop pointing your guns at them maybe they'd be less inclined to shoot us."

Hard rock and dust plumed up from the asteroids surface covering his space suit in a fine layer of black-purple dust.

He was close now, he could see the individual patterns on the creature's skin.... Suits, and the barrels of their weapons pointing down at his face. At least, that's what he assumed they were. Was he being stupid..... Probably.

Was he about to get vaporized, likely?

They were growing more agitated.

"Well whatever you planned on doing, you better do it quick."

"Like you have any better ideas." He barked back at them, agitating the creatures even more, "How do you tell another species you don't intend to hurt them?"

"I don't F**king know, lay on your back or something. Show them your belly."

"That's a stupid ass idea." Another called

"They're going to shoot."

Lieutenant Vir hissed in fear and anger, "F**k it." Dropping to his side and rolling slowly onto his back. He felt like a dog who had just been caught eating the couch cushions. He closed his eyes tight, waiting for the plasma, gun, or other fire to rip him apart. When nothing happened he cracked open an eye.

His finger was on the trigger, he was slowly beginning to squeeze, but then the creature rolled onto its back flat on the ground. It was an exceptionally vulnerable position. From there it couldn't reach its weapons, it couldn't stand up quickly, and "Most likely" It's vital organs were all there exposed for them to reach.

"Stop." He ordered feeling the group around him back off.

"What is it?"

"I.... I think it's surrendering."

"How do you know that?'

"I don't know, It just.... Seems most likely."

He looked down to find the creature peering up at him.... If those were its eyes, than one was closed and the other opened, the black at the center of its eye was dilated wide. Then slowly, it lifted one of its odd, thin limbs and reached upwards hand outward, spidery digits extended. Looking into it's eyes, he sensed.... No malice, but... curiosity.

In a leap of ether stupidity or faith, he reached out and touched the creature's extended claws.

Their fingers came into contact slowly at first hesitant and twitching. Vir allowed the creature to grow used to him before moving slowly to his knees. Their hands were clasped lightly together now, almost like a handshake.

He looked up at the creature's face, oddly beaklike, "We.... Come in peace?"

He stood increment by increment, very slowly before standing toe to toe with the creature. He was a good foot taller than they were on average, but he tried not to be intimidating as he examined the creature. He held out his hand again, and the creature obliged allowing him to examine it, the writs, and the odd stubby fingers.

For a predators, they were rather curious creatures. Once the first one had made his offering of peace, the rest of his pack had calmed themselves dropping their weapons, and slowly approaching on foot to mingle with the uneasy soldiers.

He wasn't sure how he should feel with the way they examined him, almost as if they were sizing him up to eat, but so far, the green eyed one hadn't showed any overt signs of aggression. He had simply wanted to examine him and members of his species, as if trying to figure out how they worked.

When the main landing ship had come to a stop, the creatures, had gone tense, all accept for that green eyed one who approached the ship with the same measure of curiosity, wandering up the boarding ramp to a chorus of hissing form his companions. He had greeted their commander with the same gesture as before holding out one of his limbs.

The commander was smart, and reliable, and quick to pick up on an atmosphere, so he took the extended hand in his own though his movements were halting.

The first thing they did was establish the correct enviornment for this creature. Turns out about 79% nitrogen 20% oxygen and at least .05% carbon was required. It was actually a very common compound atmosphere, and coaxing the creatures aboard their ship, they had increased the levels within liable range.

Once they did that, something amazing happened. The green eyed creature, engaged what must have been a release sequence on, what turned out to be a space suit. Some of the other species scampered away as if the creature was shedding its skin peeling it off bit by bit before pulling the helmet from its head taking a deep breath. It was still pretty large with a massive, long legs and a patch of fur a top it's head. It had the forward facing eyes of a predator and sharp teeth inside a large mouth.

The other creatures hesitantly followed its lead, stripping off their space suits.

It was up to them now to establish the linguistic base that would hold for the universal translators in the future. However, getting the green eyed creature to pay attention long enough to start working turned out to be a challenge, and they were eventually forced to turn to the other creatures.

One in particular had long, dark fur tied up on top of its head. Unlike its counterpart, it was smaller and the lines that made up its body were distinctly more rounded.

It seemed to pay attention.

And that was the moment, the moment that humans joined the galactic community. They began as predators, dangerous but ever curious eager to teach and to learn from their strange new companions. Despite the fear they would eventually spread through the galactic community, the humans had maintained a surprisingly peaceful first contact.

And all because a young human learned to roll over and play dead.