a dog? a fucking dog?

STOP-

We're quarantining you.

Look, no hard feelings but we will shoot down every vessel you launch until we can be sure they're not carrying plastic-eating bacteria.

I'll cut right to it. If the whole "milk" thing comes out? It'll be a federal scandal. Really, really freaky, you guys.

Like at first we were pretty impressed, a whole anatomical feature that processes excess nutrients you've acquired into a bioavailable form for other members of your species? Incredible pro-social adaptation.

But only half of you?

And only for nourishing progeny?

You'll be pleased to know that the envoy is renowned for their skill at growing extremely palatable nodules, and has been cultivating a fine selection on their krannok, ripe for the picking when they land.

Oh, right, we should clarify. The krannok is a structure located between the third and fifth limb where they can store excess nutrients in detachable nodules. I'm sure you know where we're going with this? The flavor might be unusual for your species but you know the basic etiquette here, obviously.

Right, our analysis of what those muscular movements communicate is indicating that the visual data we provided is activating a response usually reserved for hazardous objects, which you are incapable of metabolizing? For clarity, we have made every effort to ensure metabolic compatibility, and-

Ah. Okay. Right. So what you are expressing here, questioning the suitability of the nodules for consumption, it's very good that this happened here and not during first contact. It's a HUGE faux pas to dispute the quality of someone's nodules. Wooh. Okay, interstellar war averted. This is why we have these talks. I take it you are not preparing to send an envoy famed for milk-production ability, then?

No?

The mere suggestion is a faux pas in your culture?

"Bizarre 'kink' premise?" Huh. Okay.