Summary

In Chapter 7, Ryland observes the alien ship, which he calls Blip-A because of how it appears on the Hail Mary's radar. It is flat and diamond-shaped. Ryland watches as five arm-like attachments appear on the exterior of Blip-A. One arm launches a cylinder-shaped object in his direction. Ryland puts on the extravehicular mobility (EVA) suit and goes outside to retrieve it, then returns to the ship. The object smells of ammonia and it is very hot. He takes it to the ship's lab.

Chapter 8 flashes back to the past. Ryland and Stratt went to Geneva to meet a scientist named Dr. Lokken. Stratt consulted Lokken on how they might replicate gravity on the Hail Mary with a centrifuge. Lokken explained that the science equipment on the ship would have to be redesigned to work in this environment and Stratt told Lokken this would...