<P> The two characters are intelligent beings capable of traveling faster than light , on a mission to `` contact , welcome and log in any and all sentient races or multibeings in this quadrant of the Universe . '' Bisson 's stage directions represent them as `` two lights moving like fireflies among the stars '' on a projection screen . They converse briefly on their bizarre discovery of carbon - based life , which they refer to incredulously as `` thinking meat '' . They agree to `` erase the records and forget the whole thing '' , marking the Solar System `` unoccupied '' . </P>
in the short story they 're made out of meat who are the main characters
intelligent beings capable of traveling faster than light , on a mission to `` contact , welcome and log in any and all sentient races or multibeings in this quadrant of the Universe . ''