"On our world there are many friends of humanity. Think of them, Mr. Durham, when you kiss the Bitter Star." * * * * * The taxi slowed, strongly, smoothly. The blurred panorama of lights and ships became separable into individual shapes. Durham stared out ahead. There was the squat form of a freighter, ugly and immensely powerful, on a landing apron only partially lighted. The _Margaretta K_. Durham asked, "Who owns her?" "Universal Minerals." "And who owns Universal Minerals?" "Several people, I think, all Earthmen." "Who speaks for Universal Minerals on Nanta Dik?" A little reluctantly, Wanbecq said "There is a man named Morrison." The name rang no bell in Durham's mind. It brought no visible reaction to Susan's face either, though he was watching it closely. "And how," he asked, "does Morrison feel about humanity?" "Ask the Bitter Star," said Wanbecq, and the taxi slid to a halt beside the platform on which Durham now saw that several men were standing. Wanbecq and Wanbecq-ai hunched forward expectantly. "No," said Durham. "I'm getting out, but you're not." He nudged Susan. "Get ready." The doors slid open automatically. Susan scrambled out. Durham went right behind her, twisted like a cat in the opening, and splashed a brief warning blast off the floor at the feet of the Wanbecqs, who had raised a frantic cry and were trying to follow. Susan said breathlessly, "Oh!" The men who had been standing on the platform were now rushing forward. Three were lean and butter-colored. One was a burly Earthman, who said in a tone of amazement, "What the hell--" "Hold it!" Durham shouted. He swept Susan behind him and tried to cover all fronts at once, not knowing whether the men were there to capture him or were only there by chance and responding to the Wanbecqs' cry for help. "These people attacked us. I have passage on your ship--" From out of the night there came a shrill, flat, hooting cry of "Jubb! Jubb! Jubb!" The butter-colored men yelled. They scattered away and out, their feet scrabbling on the platform. The Earthman was slower and more belligerent. He turned around and the spiky little blob of darkness came leaping at him. He put up his hands and struck at it, and the darkbird hooted as the fists passed through it, crackling. The Earthman opened his mouth in a round shocked O and went rigid, rising up on the tips of his toes. The darkbird seemed to merge with his skull for the fraction of a second, and he crumpled down with his mouth still open and his chest rising and falling heavily. The darkbird swooped toward Durham. Durham fired at it.