Chapter 16

They went walking in the night. Stars were out but they didn’t notice. They had found a star to belong to and weren’t looking for others. “Which one?” said Jeriann, turning her head.

“I can’t point. Anyway I don’t know,” said Docchi. “I can get it for you on the scanner.”

Jeriann laughed. “Never mind. I don’t need to see their planet. They’ll come soon enough.”

“Almost too soon. I keep wondering what they’re actually like.”

“Me, too,” said Jeriann. “I don’t even know how big they are. Sure, I saw them on the screen for a short time, but it’s not like meeting them. Large butterflies is what I first thought, but the resemblance fades as you continue looking. And, what is their size? There was nothing familiar to judge them against.”

“Wingspread is a better measure,” said Docchi. “The general said eight feet but I think he was overly impressed by the flat expanse of their bodies.” In a while he added thoughtfully: “But it was not their height I was thinking of.”

“I know,” said Jeriann. She frowned. “Why did they choose us? They could have had the general’s expedition. Instead they asked for us. Why?”

They went on in silence, past the acid tank. They looked in. It was empty. Now they had better use for the chemicals. “How is this for a reason?” said Jeriann as they strolled away.

“Still on the aliens?”

“Why not? We’ve got to learn how they think.”

Docchi smiled and through the darkness she could see the faint luminosity of his lips and where his eyes crinkled. “We do, but in the absence of anything positive all I can apply is self-interest. And I don’t see how they benefit by having us.”

“I do,” said Jeriann. “It’s because we’re normal.” She hurried on before Docchi could protest. “Don’t try to talk me down until I explain. When they contacted us yesterday and said they’d be here in about three weeks, on an official visit, did you notice which one was prettiest?”

“I figured that much out myself,” said Docchi. “At least in the beginning we look very much alike to them, as they do to us. Appearance doesn’t count.”

“True, but that was not my point. I haven’t reached it. When you looked at the--uh--butterfly that spoke to you in that high squeaky voice you were wondering how he learned our language so well in such a short time. You were thinking: are they all as smart? Can I trust him?”

“We’ve got to trust them,” said Docchi grimly. “We’re a long way from support. And they did ask us to stay.”

“But trust all of them, every individual butterfly, under any circumstance? Or just some?”

“We’re dealing with a government,” said Docchi. “We aren’t concerned with individuals. There must be deviations in what they’re like. Some won’t be trustworthy.” He paused. “But of course a government is a reflection of what its citizens are.” He paused again, came to a dead stop. “And so, for the aliens, we are average humans.”

“That’s what I meant,” said Jeriann. “A cross section of what they’d find on Earth. But of course they can’t go to Earth and see for themselves--not yet. And so they had to make the best choice of what was at hand.”

They started walking again and Docchi leaned against her. “I think you’re right. The general’s expedition, all specialists and experts, including the military, who are specialists of another kind, was not a representative group. The butterflies could study them forever but they wouldn’t get a true picture.

“But they had to know exactly what humans are like, what their potentialities are, and how they live together. And so they took us.”

“It seems strange,” said Jeriann, sliding her arm around him. “Until now I’ve never thought of us as normal. But even if the aliens had refused both of us and asked for another group of colonists they wouldn’t have done as well. Colonists for a special planet are specially selected--hardiest, strongest, most aggressive or discontented--there would always be something to throw them off.

“But accidents cut across everything, age, intelligence, sex, occupation. Name it and it’s here. We’re the only representative group that ever left Earth or ever will.”

“It’s odd,” agreed Docchi. “But it doesn’t match what happens when we meet our first aliens. It’s nothing like anyone imagined. Here we stand, face to face across the stars. There is no competition for inhabitable planets since our definitions are mutually exclusive. But we are afraid; neither side wants war. And so we go ahead cautiously, looking for signs in the other that will reassure us.”

“I don’t know,” said Jeriann. “We’re being tested. Will we measure up?”

“We won’t fail. In spite of what we may seem to some of our own people, we’re average men and women--and man hasn’t stopped climbing upward since that day somebody built the first fire.”

Jeriann squeezed him and they slowed. In their wandering they had come to gravity center. They looked at each other and decided to go in. Jeriann opened the door and there was a light down the hall. They went to it and looked in.

Jordan was in front of the scanner, scowling at it in fierce concentration. “I hope those idiots got it down straight,” he muttered back at them.

“Don’t be so concerned. You took it apart for them, didn’t you?”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t mean I made them understand.” He wiped his forehead. “However, even if they don’t know what it’s all about, somebody ought to be able to build another. It’ll work if they use a little sense.”

Docchi smiled. “Don’t discount what gravity experts know. After they get through thinking over the ideas in those circuits they’ll doll up the scanner and before you know it they’ll have a machine that can reach us from Earth.”

“That’ll be the day,” said Jordan. “Let’s hope they don’t. It’s bad enough they know we’re here--but if they have to look at us too...” He shook his head.

“You’re wrong,” said Anti, coming in and sitting down. “Won’t be that way at all.” She bent and began rubbing her legs. “My poor feet. I’ve been walking around for the longest time--full weight too.”

“Why won’t it?” said Jordan. “Remember what happened the last time we got in touch with them.”

“Not the same people,” said Anti. “There were always some, like the doctor, who didn’t think we had to be beautiful to talk to us or be near. We’ll get more of that kind. They don’t have to call unless they want to.”

“And last time we weren’t anybody, less than a thousand and not an important person in the lot. Now we’re representatives to the Centauri system.”

“Profit,” said Jordan. “You think they won’t be able to afford to show their feelings. I wish I could agree. But even with the gravity drive they can’t carry much between here and Earth. In the next fifty years the trade that goes out of here won’t make one person rich.”

“I disagree. Ideas don’t weigh much and there’ll be lots of those flying back and forth. And was there ever anything more valuable?” Anti smiled. “But there’s more. We won’t be the same. Only yesterday Cameron said he saw Nona looking worriedly at a book. It won’t be long before she gets the idea and wham--new books.”