You reply to Command,
"Yes. Something is breeching the hull with a laser. I recommend an anti boarding team be dispatched."Acknowledged. Dispatching units 147 and 265. They will be at your position in 2 spins. Units 459 and 576 will bring heavy backup, but they will not arrive for 8 spins.You pull back to the entrance of corridor 12, training your gun on the breach.
The laser finishes cutting the hole, and a circle of metal, still red-hot around the edges, falls out with a loud
THUNK. Through the hole, it is very dark, but the lack of stars indicates that it doesn't open into space; there must be a boarding craft latched onto the outer hull.
An eye-stalk hesitantly pokes through the hole, looking around cautiously. When it sees you crouched by the airlock, it ignores the gun you have pointed at it and says,
"Warble?" Your translator translates this to,
"Why [are you here]?"You recall that the station's mission is to hold a terran outpost in this strange region of space, for use in scientific research, exploration, and, if necessary, as a military station if an interstellar conflict arises. However, it might be asking about
you, specifically, or perhaps it is asking as a more philosophical question.
How do you reply?