“I don’t mind,” 12-Upjohn said after an instant. Anything to get the Marine’s crazy impulse toward slaughter side-tracked. “Go ahead.”
“Did you dissect the crew of the Assam Dragon personally?” Robin asked the Callean.
“Of course.”
“Are you the ruler of this planet?”
“Yes.”
“Are you the only person in this system?”
“No.”
Robin paused and frowned. Then he said: “Are you the only person of your species in your system?”
“No. There is another on Xixobraxthe fourth planet.”
Robin paused once more, but not, it seemed to 12-Upjohn, as though he were in any doubt; it was only as though he were gathering his courage for the key question of all. 12-Upjohn tried to imagine what it might be, and failed.
“How many of you are there?” Robin One said.
“I cannot answer that. As of the instant you asked me that question, there were eighty-three hundred thousand billion, one hundred and eighty nine million, four hundred and sixty five thousand, one hundred and eighty; but now the number has changed, and it goes on changing.”
“Impossible,” 12-Upjohn said, stunned. “Not even two planets could support such a numberand you’d never allow a desert like this to go on existing if you had even a fraction of that population to support. I begin to think, sir, that you are a type normal to my business: the ordinary, unimaginative liar.”
“He’s not lying,” Robin said, his voice quivering. “It all fits together. Just let me finish, sir, please. I’ll explain, but I’ve got to go through to the end first.”
“Well,” 12-Upjohn said, helplessly, “all right, go ahead.”