"Pipple of Arth," he said, slowly and with much effort, "it is with grett plazzer that we mek this, tha farst contact with arr nebber planet. We are from tha second planet from yer--or mebbe Uh shudd seh _arr_--sun. Tha planet you knaw as Venus. We feel that we can share with arr nebber planet the froots of arr--of arr--" Klendro braced himself, then forced out awkwardly, "moot-yoo-ull sa-yan-tific ri-sarch...." He refolded the long coil of the scroll and stuffed it into his belt-sack. Well, he told himself, for better or worse, I've got to give this speech. He wished he were anywhere but here. * * * * * Some of the broadcasts had indicated a certain belligerency in the inhabitants of this alien planet. He wondered, with a kind of sick fright, if he would ever have the opportunity to deliver the speech, even _badly_. Some of the more esoteric phrasings of the Earth broadcasts had eluded the interpretations of the Venusian linguists. One of the more recurrent phrases was a "slug in the guts." They were not sure exactly what this entailed, but, from the context, the linguists were certain that it was something dire, possibly fatal. Klendro was a very unhappy Venusian. "Volval!" Klendro heard Drog cry out. "Did you send that stuff?" "Yes," the light-beam operator called back. "I'm waiting on Jorik now." "All set here," called Jorik, coming into Volval's compartment, followed by Gwann. "The atmosphere is breathable. A little heavy on the oxygen and light on the carbon dioxide, but that was expected before we took off. If we take deep inhales and periodic radiation, we should be all right." "Fine," said Gwann, the pilot and leader, as Klendro came into the room with the others. "Better keep your guns loose in their holsters, though. You know what they've told us about the Earthmen." "Hot-headed." Volval nodded. "Will we take the skimmers?" asked Jorik. "Or do you think the Earthmen would prefer being met without the barrier-screens around us?" "_They'd_ prefer it, all right!" said Drog. "However, in _my_ opinion--" "We're going to have to chance it sooner or later without the screens," said Gwann. "The batteries in the skimmers won't last forever. We might as well go out there as we are." "Who goes first?" asked Jorik. "Well," Gwann shrugged, "if the crowds look hostile, _I_ should go, as your leader. If they seem merely curious, then it's up to Klendro, as our ambassador, to make his speech." Jorik frowned. "Now, wait, Gwann. Perhaps I ought to tell you. The sight records on the robo-skimmer showed no evidence of Earthmen outside the ship." "That's ridiculous," said Gwann, his eyes flashing. "Venus reports this city is one of the most populous." Jorik smiled wryly. "Then the populace certainly ducked out of sight quickly when they saw the robo-skimmer coming."