"And since he was wrong," said the resonant, penetrating voice of Valentine Dumfries, who had come up silently behind Ritter, "it was the duty of those who know better to correct him. My dear friends, if someone were to go around preaching that the planet Kukulcan was fiat, wouldn't you—"
"Just what was wrong?" said Kirk Salazar loudly enough to break into Dumfries's flow of speech.
"On several counts," said the fat clergyman. "In the first place, he put human beings on the same level as Kooks, as if each had equal rights."
"But Kooks are reasoning beings—" began Salazar.
"If you will permit me to finish," said Dumfries, holding up a hand. Such was the commanding note in his voice that Salazar, not easily silenced, broke off. Dumfries continued:
"So are Terran dogs and cats reasoning beings, within their limitations, but we do not put them on a par with us legally or morally. See first Genesis, twenty-eight. God—that is, the Terran Demiurge to those who understand these things—gave man dominion over the fish of the sea and so on. In other words, over the animal kingdom. And Kooks certainly belong to the animal kingdom."
"Oh, come on!" said Salazar. "Do you believe that God paraded samples of Terra's several million species before Adam—"
"That is second Genesis, nineteen and twenty," said Dumfries. "It is a later and more mythologized version. We must understand these things in the light of modern discoveries."
"I don't believe Genesis mentions other worlds," said Suzette Ritter.
"Next," continued Dumfries, ignoring Suzette's point, "Doctor Firestone proposes the limitation of births by any means available: contraception, abortion, or—he hasn't actually proposed infanticide, but wait and see. It is such degenerate practices—"
"Come off it!" said Ritter. "Even the Pope has come around to admitting—"
"I cannot help it if the great Catholic Church has fallen into error," said Dumfries. "If the possibility of conceiving a child is artificially deleted from the conjugal act, couples shut themselves off not only from the Terran Demiurge but also from the Supreme God whose will is that they be fruitful and multiply—"
"And replenish the Earth," said Ritter. "But he didn't say what to do next."
"It is obvious, my dear professor," said Dumfries. "Since the faculties that the Demiurge gave man have enabled man to be the first species to attain space travel, it is the Supreme God's will that man go out and conquer other worlds where conditions permit human life and where the native inhabitants show no sign of spiritual enlightenment and must therefore be classed with the lower animals—such as our lizardlike friends." Dumfries jerked his globular head toward a table at which a quartet of Kooks were drinking a native beverage.
"How about Krishna?" asked Ritter.
"That is not yet decided. The Krishnans have evolved impressive theologies and are possibly groping toward that degree of spiritual advancement whereat their Demiurge will send them a Redeemer, as ours did to Terra."
Dumfries looked at his poignet and added: "I should like to carry this interesting discussion further, but I find I have an appointment with some of the enlightened. So, dear friends, excuse me for the nonce."
As Dumfries departed, Salazar said: "Somebody ought to expose that guy for the nutty troublemaker he is."
"Been done," said Ritter. "Didn't stop him; didn't even slow him down. The kind of people who believe in him would say the exposé was just persecution of their messiah. Too many of our fellow anthropoids fall for his kind of thing; we belong to an incredibly credulous species. And don't underestimate him, either. He's dangerous."
Salazar mused: "I'm told he's completely sincere, even if that Gnostic Gospel is, as my father thinks, a forgery."
"No doubt he is sincere in his way. That only makes him more dangerous."
In the customs shed, the fishy smell of Kooks was strong. Each zuta watcher had claimed his or her own baggage and passed inspection. Drumbeats and the wailing music of the chief Sungan instrument, like a hybrid of zither and clarinet, announced the approach of Yaamo, high chief of the Sungarin. Tchitchagov fussed about, getting his charges in line. He said:
"One knee, remember! Two knees would be an invitation to cut off your head. Ready? Down! Down! Vniz!"
The Terrans sank to one knee on the planking as Chief Yaamo strode forward, resplendent in symbols of gold paint spangling his scaly skin. A golden disk hung round his neck on a golden chain. Nodding politely, he said in barely understandable English:
"Wey come, member of ze—de Patey Society! Rise, prease!"
"Is all well with your Highness?" asked Tchitchagov. "Aw iss wey wiss my Highness. Iss aw wey wiss you?"
"All is well with us. Is your Highness's health good?"
"Sanks to our ancestors' spirits, our hess iss good. Iss your hess good?"
"Thanks to the Universal Law, our health is good. Has your Highness lived a tranquil life?"
"Sanks to ze Great Spirit Shiiko, we have rived a very tranqui' rife. We trust you wi' have a successful' visit. But you mush—muss make ze most of your time here, because zis may be ze wast—rast such expedition to Sunga."
Society members stirred and muttered. Tchitchagov spoke to the chief in Sungao, which Salazar could follow: "How means your Highness?"
The chief replied in the same tongue: "It is the price of progress, honorable Tchitchagov. The Adriana Company, represented by their vice president, the honorable Mr. Cantemir, and the chairman of their board, the Reverend Dumfries— There they go now!"
The chief glanced around as the fat cleric and the stocky Cantemir walked past the line of zuta watchers, nodded casually to Chief Yaamo, and went on without further ceremony. Yaamo turned back, resuming:
"As—as I was saying, the honorable Cantemir has made me an offer for the timber on Mount Sungara. He has come hither to render our agreement final. When cutting begins, we cannot have other Terrans running about the mountain, getting in the way of Mr. Cantemir's machines and belike being injured or slain. A part of the contract whereon we have agreed ordains that to avoid possible lawsuits, all Terran visitors to Sunga be barred from the mountain and the surrounding area whilst lumbering be in progress. His company has already brought in the necessary machinery."
Tchitchagov translated for the benefit of such Patelians as could not follow Sungao. Society members burst into cries of dismay, like people who had bought a ticket to one place and found themselves in quite another. Salazar muttered:
"Bet it's really Yaamo who's afraid of lawsuits. Kooks abominate Terran litigation, which they think a plot to steal their lands."
"They may not be far off," replied Suzette Ritter.
Tchitchagov said: "But your Highness, the Patel Society has field trips to Sungara planned for two years in advance! We have already paid your deposit!"
"That," said the chief, "were no obstacle to the proposed agreement, honorable Tchitchagov. When the treaty is signed, the society's payments would be as naught compared to the Adriana Company's royalties. Your advance against the next year's fee would be refunded, and you would have to revise your plans. Zutas flit all over the mainland."
"Your Highness," said Tchitchagov, "this is a serious matter. I doubt whether Mr. Cantemir has presented both sides of the question. May I, therefore—"
"Come to the residence as soon as these formalities are completed and your people settled, and present your arguments. Now, pray introduce your zuta watchers!"
Tchitchagov said to the Patel Society members: "Step forward singly or in couples, please, starting with that end of the line. Bow and give your names as you greet him. Do not fear his offer of a handshake; his claws will not hurt you."