"Oh, it is all right, Sub-Archivist, no question of that. How could I
dare to complain about a man who has such powerful friends? I suppose
if I gave you the Sagittarius files to reorganize, you'd go running to
your friend General Spano, sniveling about cruel and unfair treatment."
So Clarey started reorganizing the Sagittarius files--a sickeningly
dull task which should by rights have gone to a junior archivist. All
morning he couldn't help thinking about Damorlan--its invigorating
atmosphere, its pleasant climate, its presumed absence of archives and
archivists. During his lunchstop he looked up the planet in the files.
There was only a small part of a tape on it. There might be more in
the Classified Files. It was, of course, forbidden to view secretapes
without a direct order from the Chief Archivist, but the tapes were
locked by the same code as the rare editions. After all, he told
himself, I have a legitimate need for the information.
So he punched for Damorlan in the secret files. He put the tape in the
viewer. He saw the natives. Cold shock filled him, and then hot fury.
They were humanoid all right--pallid, pale-haired creatures. Objective
viewpoint, he thought furiously; detachment be damned! I was picked
_because I look like one of them_!
He was wrenched away from the viewer. "Sub-Archivist Clarey, what is
the meaning of this?" Chief Section Archivist MacFingal demanded. "You
know what taking a secretape out without permission means?"
Clarey knew. The reorientation machine. "Ask General Spano," he said in
a constricted voice. "He'll tell you it's all right."
* * * * *
General Spano said that it was, indeed, all right. "I'm so glad to hear
you've decided to join us. Splendid career for an enterprising young
man. Smoke-stick?"
Clarey refused; he no longer had any interest in trying one.
"Don't look so grim," Spano said jovially. "You'll like the Damorlanti
once you get to know them. Very affectionate people. Haven't had any
major wars for several generations. Currently there are just a few
skirmishes at the poles and you ought to be able to keep away from
those easily. And they'll simply love you."
"But I don't like anyone," Clarey said. "And I don't see why the
Damorlanti should like me," he added fairly.
"I'll tell you why! Because it'll be your job to _make_ them like you.
You've got to be friendly and outgoing if it kills you. Anyone can
develop a winning personality if he sets his mind to it. I though you
said you watched the tri-dis!"
"I--I don't always watch the commercials," Clarey admitted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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