[…]which broke whatever final layer of ice needed melting with these two strangers in front of us, their eyebrows pierced and their fingertips stained orange from some triangular chiplike snack they were sharing.

Astonishingly blunt, completely oblivious to the fact that his opinions and rudeness might be alien or offensive to others, and gobsmackingly ignorant of any other point of view.

Our proposal involves the use of liquid core fission reactors to heat reaction mass, probably hydrogen, to stellar temperatures; ...

Night fell especially dark and cold for August, inky blackness tendrilling in, octopussing even the street lamps, now dim with vague form.