It is man's most precious possession—noliving thing can exist without it. Butwhen they gave it to Orville, it killedhim. For the answer, read 1/M.
"Now watch," Remm said, indicatingthe native. Macker hadbeen absent, exploring the countrysidein the immediate vicinity oftheir landing place, and had notwitnessed the capture of the native,or the tests his two companionsmade on it.
Macker followed Remm's gaze towhere the biped native sat hunched.The creature was bent into an ungainlyposition, its body crooked atincongruous angles, in such a wayas to allow most of its weight torest on a packing-box at the baseof a middle angle. Its stubby feet,on the ends of thin, pipelike legs,rested against the floor of the spaceship. Its body was covered, almostentirely, with an artificial skin materialof various colors. Some of thecolors hurt Macker's eyes. In thefew places where the flesh showedthrough the skin was an unhealthy,pallid white.
Slowly the creature's head swiveledon its short neck until it facedthem.
"Those orifices in the upper portionof its skull are evidently organsof sight," Remm said. "It sees thatwe are quite a distance away. Itwill probably attempt to escapeagain."
Slowly—slowly—the native'shead rotated away from them in ahalf-circle until it faced Toolls,working over his instruments on thefar side of the room. Then it turnedits head back until it faced the doorof the ship.
"It is setting itself for flightnow," Remm said. "Notice the evidenceof strain on its face."
The creature leaned forward andthe appendages on the ends of itsupper limbs clutched the sides ofthe box as it propelled its body forward.
It raised its right foot in a slowarc, employing a double-jointed,breaking action of its leg. For along moment it rested its entireweight on its lumpy right foot,while its momentum carried itsbody sluggishly forward. Then it repeatedthe motion with its left leg;then again its right. All the whileevidencing great exertion and concentrationof effort.
"It is making what it considers amad dash for freedom," Remmsaid. "Probably at the ultimatespeed of which it is capable. Thatwould be ridiculous except that it'snormal for its own environment.This is definitely a slow-motionworld."
The creature was a third-way tothe door now. Once again its headturned in its slow quarter-circle, tolook at them. As it saw that Remmand Macker had not moved it alteredthe expression on its face.
"It seems to express its emotionsthrough facial contortions," Remmsaid. "Though I suspect that thesounds it makes with the upper partof its trachea during moments ofagitation are also outlets of emotionalstress, rather than efforts atcommunication." He called acrossthe room to Toolls. "What did youfind out about its speech?"
"Extremely primitive," Toolls replied."Incredible as it may appearto us it uses combinations ofsounds to form word-symbols. Eachword indicates some action, or object;or denotes degree, time, orshades of meaning. Other words aremerely connectives. It seems tomake little use of inflections, thebasis of a rational language.Thoughts which we can projectwith a few sounds would take itdozens of words to express."
"Just how intelligent is it?"Macker asked.
"Only as intelligent as a high degreeof self-preservation instinctwould make it."
"Are you certain that it is a memberof the dominant species of lifeon the planet?"
"There's no doubt about it,"Toolls replied. "I've made verycareful observations."
"This attempt at escape is a pret