that way," Orne said. "When two cultures meet as ours are meeting they tend to help each other. Each gains. What have you done with the crew from the Delphinus?"
"They are slaves," Tanub said. "Those of them who still live. Some resisted.
Others objected to teaching us what it is we must know." He pointed the Mark XX at Orne's head. "You will not be foolish enough to object, will you, Orne?"
"No need for me to be foolish," Orne said. "We of the I-A are also teachers.
We teach lessons to people who make mistakes. You have made a mistake, Tanub.
You have told me where you have hidden the Delphinus."
"Go, boy!" Stetson shouted on the hissing carrier wave. "Where is it?"
"Impossible!" Tanub snarled. The gun muzzle remained centered on Orne's head.
"It's on your moon," Orne said. "Dark side. It's on a mountain on the dark side of your moon."
Tanub's eyes dilated, contracted. "You read minds?"
"No need for the I-A to read minds," Orne said. "We rely on superior mental prowess and the mistakes of others."
"Two attack monitors are on their way" Stetson's voice hissed. "We're coming in to get you. I'll want to know how you figured this one out."
"You are a weak fool like the others," Tanub gritted.
"It's too bad you formed your opinion of us by observing the low grades of R&R," Orne said.
"Easy, easy," Stetson cautioned. "Don't pick a fight now. Remember he's arboreal, probably as strong as an ape."
"You ground-crawling slave," Tanub grated. "I could kill you where you sit."
"You kill your entire planet if you do," Orne said. "I'm not alone, Tanub.
Others listen to every word we say. There's a ship above us that could split open your planet with one bomb -- wash everything with molten rock. Your planet would run like the glass of your buildings. Your entire planet would be one big piece of ceramic."
"You lie!"
"I'll make you an offer," Orne said. "We don't want to exterminate you. We won't unless you force our hand. Well give you limited membership in the Galactic Federation until you've proven you're no menace to other . . ."
"You dare insult me," Tanub growled.
"You'd better believe me," Orne said. "We --"
Stetson's voice interrupted: "Got it, Orne! They caught the Delphinus in a tight little mountain valley right where you said it'd be! Blew the tubes off it. We're mopping up now."
"It's like this, Tanub," Orne said. "We've already recaptured the Delphinus."
Tanub's gaze darted skyward. He returned his attention to Orne. "Impossible.
We have your communications equipment and there has been no signal. The lights of our city still glow and you will not . . ."
"You've only the inferior R&R equipment," Orne said, "not what we use in the I-A. Your people kept silent up there until it was too late. It's their way, not that . . ."
Stetson demanded: "How'd you know that?"
Orne ignored Stetson, said: "Except for the captured armament you still hold, you obviously don't have the weapons to meet us, Tanub. Otherwise you wouldn't be carrying that rifle off the Delphinus."
"If this is truth, then we shall die bravely," Tanub said.
"No need," Orne said. "We don't . . ."
"I cannot take the chance that you lie," Tanub said. "I must kill you."
Orne's foot on the air sled control pedal kicked downward. The sled shot upward, heavy G's pressing its occupants into their seats. The gun was slammed into Tanub's lap. He struggled to raise it.
For Orne, the weight still remained only about twice that of his native Chargon. He reached over, removed the rifle from Tanub's grasp, found safety belts, bound the Gienahn with them. Then Orne eased off on the acceleration.
Tanub stared at him in teeth-bared fear.
"We don't need slaves," Orne said. "We have machines to do most of our work.
We'll send experts in here, teach you how to get into better balance with your planet, how to build good transportation, how to mine your minerals, how to .
. ."
"And what do we do in return?" Tanub whispered. He appeared cowed by Orne's
"They are slaves," Tanub said. "Those of them who still live. Some resisted.
Others objected to teaching us what it is we must know." He pointed the Mark XX at Orne's head. "You will not be foolish enough to object, will you, Orne?"
"No need for me to be foolish," Orne said. "We of the I-A are also teachers.
We teach lessons to people who make mistakes. You have made a mistake, Tanub.
You have told me where you have hidden the Delphinus."
"Go, boy!" Stetson shouted on the hissing carrier wave. "Where is it?"
"Impossible!" Tanub snarled. The gun muzzle remained centered on Orne's head.
"It's on your moon," Orne said. "Dark side. It's on a mountain on the dark side of your moon."
Tanub's eyes dilated, contracted. "You read minds?"
"No need for the I-A to read minds," Orne said. "We rely on superior mental prowess and the mistakes of others."
"Two attack monitors are on their way" Stetson's voice hissed. "We're coming in to get you. I'll want to know how you figured this one out."
"You are a weak fool like the others," Tanub gritted.
"It's too bad you formed your opinion of us by observing the low grades of R&R," Orne said.
"Easy, easy," Stetson cautioned. "Don't pick a fight now. Remember he's arboreal, probably as strong as an ape."
"You ground-crawling slave," Tanub grated. "I could kill you where you sit."
"You kill your entire planet if you do," Orne said. "I'm not alone, Tanub.
Others listen to every word we say. There's a ship above us that could split open your planet with one bomb -- wash everything with molten rock. Your planet would run like the glass of your buildings. Your entire planet would be one big piece of ceramic."
"You lie!"
"I'll make you an offer," Orne said. "We don't want to exterminate you. We won't unless you force our hand. Well give you limited membership in the Galactic Federation until you've proven you're no menace to other . . ."
"You dare insult me," Tanub growled.
"You'd better believe me," Orne said. "We --"
Stetson's voice interrupted: "Got it, Orne! They caught the Delphinus in a tight little mountain valley right where you said it'd be! Blew the tubes off it. We're mopping up now."
"It's like this, Tanub," Orne said. "We've already recaptured the Delphinus."
Tanub's gaze darted skyward. He returned his attention to Orne. "Impossible.
We have your communications equipment and there has been no signal. The lights of our city still glow and you will not . . ."
"You've only the inferior R&R equipment," Orne said, "not what we use in the I-A. Your people kept silent up there until it was too late. It's their way, not that . . ."
Stetson demanded: "How'd you know that?"
Orne ignored Stetson, said: "Except for the captured armament you still hold, you obviously don't have the weapons to meet us, Tanub. Otherwise you wouldn't be carrying that rifle off the Delphinus."
"If this is truth, then we shall die bravely," Tanub said.
"No need," Orne said. "We don't . . ."
"I cannot take the chance that you lie," Tanub said. "I must kill you."
Orne's foot on the air sled control pedal kicked downward. The sled shot upward, heavy G's pressing its occupants into their seats. The gun was slammed into Tanub's lap. He struggled to raise it.
For Orne, the weight still remained only about twice that of his native Chargon. He reached over, removed the rifle from Tanub's grasp, found safety belts, bound the Gienahn with them. Then Orne eased off on the acceleration.
Tanub stared at him in teeth-bared fear.
"We don't need slaves," Orne said. "We have machines to do most of our work.
We'll send experts in here, teach you how to get into better balance with your planet, how to build good transportation, how to mine your minerals, how to .
. ."
"And what do we do in return?" Tanub whispered. He appeared cowed by Orne's
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