Part 12 (1/2)

Loo's weapon was already at the alert.

The newcomer unhurriedly looked from one of them to the other. Then down at the Russian guard sprawled on the floor behind them.

He said in Russian, ”Always violence. The sadness of violence. When faced with crisis, threaten violence if outpointed. Your race has much to learn.” He switched to English. ”But this is probably your language, isn't it?”

Loo gaped at him. The man from s.p.a.ce was almost as dark complected as the Negro.

The extraterrestrial stepped to one side and indicated the room behind him ”Please enter, I a.s.sume you've come looking for us.”

They entered the ornate bedroom.

The extraterrestrial said, ”Is the man dead?”

Loo said, ”No. Merely stunned.”

”He needs no a.s.sistance?”

”Nothing could help him for half an hour or more. Then he'll probably have a severe headache.”

The extraterrestrial had even the ability to achieve a dry quality in his voice. ”I am surprised at your forebearance.” He took a chair before a baroque desk. ”Undoubtedly you have gone through a great deal to penetrate to this point. I am a member of the interplanetary delegation. What is it that you want?”

Hank looked at Loo, received a slight nod, and went into his speech.

The s.p.a.ce alien made no attempt to interrupt.

When Hank had finished, the extraterrestrial turned his eyes to Loo.

”And you?”

Loo said, ”I represent the British Commonwealth rather than the United States, but my purpose in contacting you was identical. Her Majesty's government is anxious to consult with you before you make any binding agreements with the Soviet complex.”

The alien turned his eyes from one to the other. His face, Hank decided, had a Lincolnesque quality, so ugly as to be beautiful in its infinite sadness.

”You must think us incredibly naive,” he said.

Hank scowled. He had adjusted quickly to the s.p.a.ce amba.s.sador's _otherness_, both of dress and physical qualities, but there was an irritating something--He put his finger on it. He felt as he had, some decades ago, when brought before his grammar school princ.i.p.al for an infraction of school discipline.

Hank said, ”We haven't had too much time to think. We've been desperate.”

The alien said, ”You have gone to considerable trouble. I can even admire your resolution. You will be interested to know that tomorrow we take s.h.i.+p to Peiping.”

”Peiping?” Loo said blankly.

”Following two weeks there we proceed to Was.h.i.+ngton and following that to London. What led your governments to believe that the Soviet nations were to receive all our attention, and your own none at all?”

Hank blurted, ”But you landed _here_. You made no contact with us.”

”The size of our expedition is limited. We could hardly do everything at once. The Soviet complex, as you call it, is the largest government and the most advanced on Earth. Obviously, this was our first stop.”

His eyes went to Hank's. ”You're an American. Do you know why you have fallen behind in the march of progress?”

”I'm not sure we have,” Hank said flatly. ”Do you mean in comparison with the Soviet complex?”