Centaurian capital town. 3 weeks later.

On the alien world, staring down at the Sun, the debate among the senators was opening.

'My dear colleagues, the preliminary results of the fast probes sent onto the anomaly have just been analysed. First, the position of the planet is indeed outside what we thought so far would the ideal distance to sustain life from a star of this nature. So we may have to reassess that range or more drastically rethink the entire definition of what we are calling life.'

'Just a simple question,' interrupted a senator: 'what is the temperature on that planet?'

'The average temperature on the surface is believed to be below freezing point of the sulphur, though we cannot exclude a telluric activity that would allow more generous temperature. There is an atmosphere which prevents scrutiny at this long range.'

'And the composition?' asked another.

'The composition of the planet has yet to be confirmed but the density definitely makes it a metallic planet, though lighter than ours. As for the atmosphere it seems it is made of mostly nitrogen and also oxygen.'

'Do we have any clue yet about the white spectrum? Is it really true?' asked a nervous younger senator.

'That is definitely an anomaly, so we are certain of observing some kind of life related phenomenon. But the spectrogram nevertheless shows some hints of two preeminent chemical links which are oxygen-hydrogen and carbon-hydrogen.'

The eldest senator then quietly stood up and waited to have everyone's attention to speak softly. 'My dear senator, you've be commissioned to report on this anomaly because you were considered the most versed into scientific matters of this honourable assembly. Now you are putting forward a series of facts that revolution our knowledge and beliefs. So I'd like you to consider my old age and spare me both long circumnavigations and dramatic sentences. Can I summarise realistically in saying that we are facing a life form based on carbon, nitrogen and oxygen?'

'Absolutely, this is hard to conceive. I hear you. But this is not so different from our own culture which is also based on three elements: silicon, phosphor and sulphur. If you look at the chemical table, we can clearly see they use the first generation of elements whereas we use obviously the second. Furthermore, I'd like to point out that they might live in colder temperatures but that range is compatible with liquid oxygen-hydrogen. That is again exactly what we experienced at another level with liquid sulphur of hydrogen.'

Rumours started in several points in the audience. The commissioner looked at the faces trying to recognize the most virulent and anticipate the criticisms that were bound to come.

'My dear colleagues, please, let me finish before rejecting what I have to say as a reporter. I believe we are indeed in front of a totally unexpected form of life but a life form nevertheless. The limited knowledge we have right now might only give us the idea of feasibility. We are very far from understanding how life could evolve or simply exist in those strange circumstances. That was the news I had to report to you as a commissioned senator.'

He took a deep breath and started again. 'Now as a proper senator dedicated to lead its people, I believe we must keep on studying this life form. And I invite you to express your point of view.'

'Very well,' started a senator near the pedestal. 'I think the concept of life below the freezing point of sulphur hydrogen is a non-sense. Life is as we know based on silicon. For my part, I am only willing to consider this anomaly as self-organising crystals. I would consent to send a mission to study the planet and come back with the knowledge and that's it.'

Another senator stood up: 'I d like to know about the risks on this affair. Is there any risk that this life form jumps back on us?'

'To be honest, the only hint I have to answer you is that the wide variety of molecules is limited on that planet. I don't think they can travel into space. They may not even be a form of intelligence down there.'

'Actually, I have the opposite concern,' kept on another senator, 'which is to protect a unique form of life. We can't risk contaminating them via our life-form. It is our duty as a higher life-form to take care of the lowers.'

'You said "no intelligence down there", but you are forcing us to redefine life. So why not redefine intelligence as well. There must be some effort made to communicate with them.'

'But, how to talk with absolute strangers? '

'And they are first generation, they can't reach our intelligence.'

'That is a fallacious argument! If you think the first or second generation in the chemical period means anything in degree of intelligence, you have to be prepared to be called the zero generation senator.'

Applause from all around...

'More seriously, is there any potential correlation between the chemical elements and the speed of life's evolution or maybe the probability of occurrence?'

The commissioner answered simply, 'I absolutely don't know.'

'Could it be that we are seeing our ancestors?'

'Are the life forms in the galaxy more likely to be like our complex civilised state? or like those self-organised crystals as someone called it?'

'The only thing I know is that it is the first time we encounter an alien life form and for me the only possible and sensible move is to study it. So I propose now to stop the talks and focus on the vote to continue or stop the exploration.'

'I agree, let's go step by step.'

'Aye! Aye!' came from around the assembly.

So they proceeded quite quickly to a vote which clearly supported the scout mission with a military force strong enough to explore that alien planet independently.