Would any of us bother to try to interact with an ant colony?
If they’re so smart they can get here, they’re too smart for this neighborhood. They can go to better spots, if they’re that short of problems to solve where they live.
As for senators keeping secrets, well, they can’t. But they do lie.
“Don’t mind us. We’re just here for the Nickel-Iron and H2O. All of it.”