The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein

“Mr. Cowen, will you listen.” She went on hastily, “Its no good calling for help. There isn’t anybody who can make Lummox listen but Johnnie-and they won’t listen to anybody but Lummox. You know that. So put him down where he can talk to Lummie-or you’re going to have a lot of people hurt and it will be all your fault.”

Security Operative First Class Edwin Cowen stared at her and reviewed in his mind his past career and future hopes. Then he made a brave decision almost instantly. “Take her down,” he snapped. “Land her and let the kid and me out.”

The driver groaned. “I’m charging extra for this.” But he landed the car so fast that it jarred them. Cowen snatched the door open and he and John Thomas burst out; Myra Holtz tried to grab Betty, was unsuccessful. She herself jumped out as the driver was already raising.

“Johnnie!” squealed Lummox and held out mighty arms in a universal gesture of welcome.

John Thomas ran to the star beast. “Lummie! Are you all right?”

“Sure,” agreed Lummox. “Why not? Hi, Betty.”

“Hi, Lummie.”

“Hungry, though,” Lummox added thoughtfully.

“We’ll change that.”

“It’s all right. I’m not supposed to eat now.”

John Thomas started to answer this amazing statement when he noticed Miss Holtz ducking away from one of the Hroshii. Others were milling around as if uncertain how to treat this development. When Johnnie saw Ed Cowen draw his gun and place himself between the Hroshiu and Myra he said suddenly, “Lummox! These are my friends. Tell your friends to leave thein alone-and get back inside. Quickly!”

“Whatever you say, Johnnie.” The Hroshia spoke in the whining speech to her kin; at once she was obyed.

“And make us a saddle. We’ll go with you and have a long talk.”

“Sure, Johnnie.”

They got aboard, Johnnie giving Betty a hand up, and started in through the break in the barrier. When Lummox struck the tanglefoot field again they stopped and Lummox spoke sharply to one of the others.

That Hroshiu called out to one inside; the tanglefoot field disappeared. They moved on in without difficulty.

When Mr. Kiku, Sergei Greenberg, and Dr Ftaeml arrived they found an armed truce, tense on both sides. All the Hroshii were back inside the broken barrier; military craft in quantity had replaced the police patrol and far overhead, out of sight, bombers were ready in final extremity to turn the area into a radioactive desert.

The Secretary General and the Chief of Staff met them at the barricade. The Secretary General looked grave. “Ah, Henry. It seems we have failed. Not your fault.”

Mr. Kiku looked out at the massed Hroshii. “Perhaps.” The Chief of Staff added, “We are evacuating the blast radius as rapidly as possible. But if we have to do it, I don’t know what we can do for those two youngsters in there.”

“Then let’s not do anything, shall we? Not yet.”

“I don’t think you understand the seriousness of the situation, Mr. Under Secreaty. For example, we placed an immobilizing locus entirely around this area. It’s gone. They cancelled it out. Not just here. Everywhere.”

“So. Perhaps you do not understand the seriousness of the situation, General. In any case, a few words can do no harm. Come, Sergei. Coming, Doctor?” Mr. Kiku left the group around the Secretary General and headed for the break in the barricade. Wind sweeping across the miles-wide field forced him to clutch his hat. “I do not like wind,” he complained to Dr. Ftaeml. “It is disorderly.”

“There is a stronger wind ahead,” the Rargyllian answered soberly. “My friend, is this wise? They will not hurt me; I am their employee. But you. . .”

“What else can I do?”

“I do not know. But there are situations in which courage is useless.”

“Possibly. I’ve never found one yet.”

“One finds such a situation but once.”

They were approaching the solid mass of Hroshti around Lummox. They could make Out the two humans on the back of the Hroshia a good hundred yards beyond. Kiku stopped. “Tell them to get out of my way. I wish to approach the Hroshia Lummox.”