Deep space between Alpha Centauri and Sol.

Fast forward to Adam's time.

Comfortably sat in the large couch of his private quarters, the captain of the Centaurian scout mission, was patiently waiting for his meal to be served. He wondered why a full decade had elapsed between the signals they had observed. That the signal was meant for them was obvious: it was positioned right on their trajectory. They couldn't pass it without noticing, yet they haven't noticed it until they were half way through. It sounded like the aliens were able to react extremely quickly to their approaching move. On the opposite, a decade-long frequency indicated a very slow perception of the flow of time. Could it be that the aliens were long-lived or immortal? Or could it be that they were simply extremely intelligent and anticipated the mission before it even started?

He was thrown out of his thoughts by a knock on the door. He stood up quickly to open the door with a smile of anticipation. But his smile dropped when he opened to his second in command.

'Captain, the signal is incomplete. We have lost sight of one of the three farther beacons. We don't know what it means, nor whether it means anything.'

'I see,' answered the dubitative captain. 'Let's assume it is intentional. After all, they set up the beacons especially for us. So it must be a change of attitude.'

'Do you think, Captain, that we should adjust our thrust to pass in the middle of the last two? '

'Where would that lead us?'

'Hum. Actually, that would set us on a collision course with the orbit of one of the two gas giants depending on our speed. That can't be their home planet. It's too far from their sun. It doesn't make sense.'

'Or maybe it does... But not to us.' He frowned. 'It might be a test. They are obviously more intelligent than us since they anticipated our coming, and they positioned the beacons as if to create a tunnel to guide us. Maybe they want to test our reactions to prove we are also intelligent.'

The third in command which was, unknowingly to the captain, a spy of the Senate stepped through the door frame at that time: 'Captain, there is no proof yet that an inferior life form can be intelligent, and even less that it could be more intelligent than us. Our mission is to seize this solar system and bring back the prize to the Senate.'

'Grischka, you've been a pain in the ass since the beginning. And I can't help but to hope for an occasion to shut your mouth up. And finally I think I just found one.' Addressing his second in command, 'Igor, prepare to make contact...'

'What!... But, Sir, Grishka is the communication expert... Hum... Very well sir.' said the confused officer.

'Our mission is only to probe.' came back Grischka.

'To probe without being detected... Yes, I know the order.' he waved dismissively. 'But since then, we happened to have met in the middle of nowhere some big signposts saying: 'Come on in. This way please. You're expected.' I don't know how you feel about it, but it looks to me as we have already been detected!... So...' said the captain empathically, 'let's try to talk to them.'

'We should not negotiate, it might be a trap.' insisted the spy.

'I can't believe that my own communication officer refuses to make contact with a new alien civilisation. Oh my... Oh my... What have I done to deserve you', he pronounced with just right amount of disgust.

'Very well,' said the officer suddenly on the defensive. 'I will launch the standard procedure to attempt contact with alien life-forms. As our commanding officer, I trust that you are right, Sir!'

He stepped back and turned so promptly that the poor waiter couldn't avoid him and let the tray crashed on to the floor. The captain, seeing his food ruined, took a deep breath and managed to only make a very deep sigh.

On his way out, Grishka couldn't help but to add, 'It seems you take too much interest in your food, Sir. It's not good for your health.'