"Primitive, but with a pretty good smattering of syntax. There were some definite inflexions. I'd say they were about ready for writing." "By God, that guy must have the strength of a gorilla. This sacrifice animal weighs a ton. Give me a hand, Mike." "Where I come from, that expression he's wearing is a snarl. But I guess he is trying to smile. Well? Who's going to shake hands? Okay, Frank. You be the hero." "You'd think he'd never seen a hand before. He's afraid to touch you. No, he's going to--" "Ouch!" "Yipes! If he can hurt Frank then I'm not shaking hands with him! I'll shake hers, though. They say women used to go around like _that_ in Bali." "Now just take it easy, men. I think that hairy fellow is doing a splendid job as it is. Can't you see how nervous he is? He's broken out into a sweat. He's watching us like a wild animal. Instinct is struggling with intelligence. Don't make any quick moves. You'll notice he keeps watching our guns as though he knew what they were for. That's pretty good observation. He'll probably jump the first one who draws, so just remember that...." "They're getting in because they saw you two get in, but they may not know it's a flier. The minute you take to the air they may get panicky. So watch yourselves! We'll follow in the other two rigs. Take it slow, because we want to catch some aerial fotos of the terrain...." * * * * * "Say listen, Frank. These people have been entertaining us all for a week. We've found a perfect, utterly peaceful world that has never known war or privation. It's the biggest find in history, and here you sit moping. I haven't seen you smile once since we got here. What's eating you?" "I think you just hit the nail on the head." "What do you mean?" "We have found a perfect, utterly peaceful world that has never known privation." "So?" "Remember what I said about civilization being a disease?" "Oh, so that's it! Well, they don't seem to object to the contamination." "How could they? We're wonder gods, and our gadgets are magic toys. What do they know about the rest of it? In forty or fifty years the colony ships will arrive here and set up shop. There'll be scientific development, mass production, regimentation. Just consider the implications of bringing an alarm clock to this world!" "That's pretty good "squeezing" they make out of those roots, but don't let it make you morbid, old boy!" "Within two generations those rugged brutes will be helping us build factories here. They'll be wearing work clothes and numbers. Our society is necessarily collective because of past history and possible future dangers of aggression among ourselves. What do these people need collective security for?--and mass production--only to feed us as we come in among them and spawn more millions who will soon make it necessary to expand again and find another world like this to spoil!"