Pahk Tschapp

Pahk Tschapp was the leader of the Fofogo expedition to meet with Earthlings at the mid-point between the two species' home planets (about 65 light years from Fofogo). His selection was after a long and rigorous competition and he was as tasty a specimen of his species as you could find.

Eventually Tschapp and his party were placed in cryogenic hibernation and launched to meet with the humans. Because existing starship technology allowed for travel at only well below light speed, the trip took a long time and the populations of both planets forgot about it until the time of the summit approached. A space station for the first meeting was constructed by robots between the two starships and the day of first physical contact came. Automated shuttles were launched and live video was being broadcast to both planets.

The atmosphere on the space station was breathable for both species and while Tschapp felt cooler than comfortable while his counterpart Louise Donner warmer, both could tolerate it without special equipment. The envoys met and shook hands and then touched palms Fofogo-style. Tschapp spoke first, greeting Donner in perfect Mandarin Spanglish and Donner replied in Fofogo. He noticed Donner seemed distracted and asked her, still in Mandarin Spanglish, why she was picking up a chair. Much good his linguistic skills did him.