She was almost his own age, and the prettiest female in the family, with her long black hair and her large black eyes and firm young breasts. He, himself, had killed the murder-beast whose fur encircled her shapely hips. "I would be with you in this danger," she answered, pleadingly. "None of the other males dared to go with you. Our father's pride would be complete if a female of the Great Cliffs were as brave as Kuru." "But you must go back. I do not know what these gods will do. They may kill me." Derla ran forward to her brother's side, placing her hands on one of his hairy arms. "Then this is a greater reason for me to be with you, brother!--so that your spirit will not travel alone into the sky country." Kuru looked down into his sister's eyes and grinned. "You are my favorite sister," he said. "Come! Perhaps when they see you they will not think of killing!" He shouldered the horny-head beast again, and the two of them continued across the floor of the valley toward the shining sky-cave of the gods.... * * * * * "Mother of God! Frank!" "What is it?" "Seeing is believing. Look down there in that small clearing...." "Oh no. It can't be!" "Well, you were the guy that was saying they might be here!" "What I need is witnesses then. I'll signal general call. You get cameras and the recorders out!" * * * * * "By God, it's incredible--yet it's true! The first extra-terrestrial humans ever discovered, in over a thousand years of space exploration!" "This will be something to stir up their blood back home. People were beginning to lose interest even in galactic exploration. This is it, boys! We've finally discovered our own kind!" "I wouldn't go so far as to say that. Those are obviously primordials. That male is half hair." "And the other half is all brawn. The female is surprisingly clear-skinned. For a primordial gal she isn't bad!" "What are they doing down there? Looks like they're waiting for us to do something." "Don't you get it? We're from the stars. Therefore we're gods. That quadruple-horned goat-like animal at their feet is a sacrifice. We're supposed to accept it." "Hell, we'll accept them all! Let's get 'em on board!" "Hold it a minute, men. Keep your voices down. You're gods now, not monkeys. Take it easy. Can't you see how the female cringes behind the male? Both of them are half scared out of their wits. By their own evaluation, they are braving death to do us honor. We have to gain their confidence." "Well, if they're defying death, itself, maybe they'd come on board if we lowered the ladder to them." "We can try it, but let it down slowly--and smile! Remember, you are benevolent gods...." * * * * * "If they intended to kill us, Derla, they would have done so by now. See? They smile at us!" "Look! Something is coming down!" "It is a shiny-fence." "It is like the vine-steps for climbing cliffs."