SupSpaceCom Michell indicated his disgust with an impatient flick of his hand. "Any alien is a potential enemy, Post; that should be elementary. And a potential enemy is an enemy in fact. Even though these aliens might seem amiable enough today, how do we know they will be in the future--possibly in the far future? There can be no friendship with aliens. We can't afford to have neighbors; we can't afford to be encircled by enemies." "Nor even friends?" Captain Post had asked softly. Michell glared at his subordinate. "That is what it amounts to, Captain; and the thing to remember is that they feel the same way. They must! They must seek us out and destroy us completely and as quickly as possible. By the appearance of things, and partially through your negligence, they've probably won the first round. They know our location; we don't know theirs." The supreme commander of Earth's space forces dropped that point. "Let us go back again. When you received this telepathic message--or whatever it was--what was your reaction? Did it seem friendly, domineering, or what?" Roger Post stood silent for a moment. Finally he answered, "Sir, I still think it was the telviz, rather than a telepathic communication, but the ... the tone of voice seemed to give me the impression of pitying." "Pitying!" Michell ejaculated. The captain was nervous but determined. "Yes, sir. I had the distinct feeling that the being that sent the message felt sorry for us." The SupSpaceCom's face had gone red with indignation. * * * * * It was three years before another of the aliens was sighted. Three hurried, crowded, harassed years during which all the Solar System's resources were devoted to building and arming a huge space fleet and rushing space defenses. The total wars of the Twentieth Century paled in comparison to the all out efforts made to prepare for this conflict. The second view of the alien ship was similar to the first. This, time the _Pendleton_, a four-man scout returning to the Venus base after a patrol in the direction of Sirius, held the intruder in its viewer for a full five minutes. Once again, no estimation of its distance nor size could be made. All instruments pertaining to such detection seemed to fail to function properly. And again the alien had sent a message--seemingly, at least, by telviz. _We are no danger to you, mankind. Seek your destiny in peace. Your troubles are from within._ The _Pendleton_ would have attempted to follow the strange craft, but her fuel tanks were nearly dry and she had to proceed to Venus. Her captain's report made a sensation. In a way, the whole business had been a good thing for Markham Gray. As a free lancing journalist, he'd had a considerable advantage. First, he was more than usually informed on space travel and the problems relating to it, second, he had been present at--in fact, had made himself--the first sighting of the aliens.