The Grab
A frequent component of first contact and recontact operations, "The Grab" consists of covertly abducting a small number people (or even just one) from the target world/civilization, for questioning prior to commencing public contact.
The Grab is best conducted in the final stages of contact preparation, certainly after a good grasp of local languages and culture is had. Grab-ees should be average in as many ways as possible, typical specimens of their species and culture, as their role is to be a preview for how the rest of their people will react, though in some cases it is necessary to abduct someone from a particular group, such as military officers, in order gain information privy only to them.
Ideally, the Grab-ee will not know they are grabbed until they awake aboard an Exploration Service ship and meet its alien occupants. Then they will be questioned on themselves and their civilization, with the goal of answering any critical questions remaining for contact preparation.
After public contact is made, subjects of the Grab should be returned home with sufficient compensation, usually hefty quantities of precious metals like gold or, in pre-industrial societies, aluminium. In more than a few cases, they have voluntarily requested to stay for longer and assist with the contact effort, or even join the Exploration Service and venture into space themselves.
The Grab is best conducted in the final stages of contact preparation, certainly after a good grasp of local languages and culture is had. Grab-ees should be average in as many ways as possible, typical specimens of their species and culture, as their role is to be a preview for how the rest of their people will react, though in some cases it is necessary to abduct someone from a particular group, such as military officers, in order gain information privy only to them.
Ideally, the Grab-ee will not know they are grabbed until they awake aboard an Exploration Service ship and meet its alien occupants. Then they will be questioned on themselves and their civilization, with the goal of answering any critical questions remaining for contact preparation.
After public contact is made, subjects of the Grab should be returned home with sufficient compensation, usually hefty quantities of precious metals like gold or, in pre-industrial societies, aluminium. In more than a few cases, they have voluntarily requested to stay for longer and assist with the contact effort, or even join the Exploration Service and venture into space themselves.
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