The avowed purpose of the expedition was to make that latter total two hundred and thirteen.
The Professor continued in a less stern tone. “H you must fight among yourselves, kindly do so at a civilized level. At least out of deference to me. I am an old being, and I possess a perhaps unreasonable allergy to loud and raucous noises.”
The^others in the room immediately lowered their voices in respect. In the Federation age was a revered commodity, to be conserved as such. And there was the Professor’s age. His antennae drooped noticeably, his chiton was growing more and more translucent, losing its healthy purple iridescence, and his back plates were exfoliating in thin, shallow flakes. That he had held up as well as he had on this trip, with its
WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE . . .
sometimes strenuous dodging of Yop warships, was in itself remarkable. He seemed to grow stronger as they neared their objective, and now his eyes, at least, glowed with a semblance of vitality.
All eyes were trained on the great mottled sphere turning slowly and majestically below them.
“Planet Three,” intoned Navigator First. “Primary colors-blue, white, brown, green. Atmosphere . . .” and he dropped ofi to a low mumbling. At last, “It checks, sir.”
“And the gold overlay?” asked Communicator Phrnnx, for being among the youngest of the crew, his curiosity quotient was naturally among the highest.
“That, gentlebeings, means that the’Shield is still up. After all these years I’d thought perhaps . . .” The Professor made what passed for a shrug among his people. He turned from the port to the others.