Confrontation

Poul Anderson, "Margin of Profit," see here.

This is a scene straight out of Star Trek. A Borthudian ship approaches van Rijn's Mercury and its officer appears on the outercom screen. Anderson can sketch the appearance of an alien in a few words but anyone filming this story would have to add more details:

dead black garments;
"...a cat-lithe frame..." (p.162);
a blue-tinged, semihuman face;
no hair;
yellow eyes;
narrow forehead;
a small ceremonial dagger hanging from his neck;
bright green teeth - he smiles!;
one companion at a fire-control terminal;
a six-armed basalt idol in the background.

That tells us very little. We assume bipedalism, two arms with hands etc. He is lithe like a cat but but necessarily feline featured. My imagination gives me nothing although I know that other readers create their own different mental pictures of imaginary beings. It would be interesting to compare alternative screen versions.

When the Borthudian has accused the Mercury of trespass and claimed the legal right to board her, van Rijn:

"...made himself flush turkey red." (p. 162)

Made himself! Are all of van Rijn's business dealings an act? (This is a business dealing. The object is to transform the Borthudians into customers.)