Esperero paused. The sun was getting low; this planet had about a twenty-Lour dav. “I think,” he said, “that we will camp soon. We could easily go on through the night, but you will wish to rest.”
“Go on with voter history,” urged Trevelyan.
“Oh, yes.” A shadow crossed the graven face. “As you like. We found, in our explorations, that we were almost unique. You can understand that tl)at increased our uneasiness for the future. We colonized all untenanted worlds habitable to us, bringing Alorian life-forms and modifying the native ecolo as much as necessary. A few other planets-” He hesitated.
“Yes?” Tre@,elyan’s voice held ruthlessness.
“We exterminated the natives. It was gently done. They hardly knew it was happening, but it was carried through. We needed the worlds and the natives could not be made to co-operate.”
“And you say man is dangerous!”
“I never accused you of being unmerciful.” Esperero shook his head. “Perhaps later you will understand how it
is.”
Trevelyan’s will surged out to clamp on Ms feelings. Man’s history had been violent. If he respected intelligent life
today, it was because he had learned by fire and sword and
tyrant’s gibbet that he must.
“All right,” said the Solarian. “Continue.”
“At present, we have colonized about fifty planets,” went on Esperero. “It is not a large domain, though it covers a considerable volume of space by virliie of our planets being widely scattered. And we cannot build machines ourselves. That would destroy the very thing we seek to preserve.
“We watched the Union grow. I need not tell you in detail how we studied it. Among so many races, it was easy to pose as members of yet another. I myself have spent years wandering about your territories, investigating them in every aspect. We have seen your gradual expansion toward us and known that sooner or later you would discover our existence. Against that day we have prepared. We have seized spaceships which took orbits unawares about our planets, thus adding to our fleet. In ErtAan, we buy ships
outright.”
“The man there,” said Trevelyan slowly, “told us that humans bought the ships for gold. He was sure they were
hurnans.”
“Yes. Other races have joined with us and taken on our life. Among them have been crews, and descendants of crews, from those spaceships we took.”
“And you expect us to-” Nicki’s whisper held a note Of
terror.
“You will not be forced,” said Esperero.
They came out on the brow of a bill and looked across deep dales to the horizon. The sun was setting in a rush
of color.
“Let us rest,” said Esperero.
His followers moved quietly to their few tasks. Some of them disappeared into the woods, to return presently bearing fruits and nuts and berries and less identifiable plants. Others broke off gourds, which proved to be hollow, and large soft leaves.
Trevelyan fingered one of the gourds curiously. It was
perfect for its use-a line of cleavage made it easy to open; a spike on the bottom could be driven into the ground. There was even a handle. “Do these grow naturally?”
Esperero chuckled. “Yes, but we first taught them to do so.
“How about shelter?”
“We will not need it. We do have tree dwellings, but we can sleep outside. Would vou really rather lock yourself in with your own sweat and 6reatbing?”
“N-no, I suppose not. If it isn’t raining.”
“Rain is clean. But you will understand later.”
Twilight deepened to a silky blue. The Alori sat in a grave circle. One of them said ‘ a few words, and tl)e others responded. There was ritual in it, as in everything they did -even the banding out of the food was somehow ceremony.
Trevelyan sat by Nicki, smiling. A milk-filled nut which was its own goblet was given him, and be touched it to hers. “Your health, darling.”
“You may eat and drink without fear,” Esperero told him. “There is no fear on this planet-no poison, no hungry beasts, no bidden death of germs. Here is the end of all
strife.”
Trevelyan tasted of what was offered him. It was delicious, a dozen i-iew and subtle flavors, textures that his teeth liked, nourishment coursing along his veins. Nicki joined him with equal fervor.