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Chapter seven
At gun…point； with the winged creature fluttering behind and above him … out of reach even if Keill had been tempted to attack it … he was herded out of the domed chamber that held his spaceship。 Down another passage they went； the creature's wing…tips brushing the walls； and finally through a door that； Keill remembered； had been solidly locked when he had e that way before。
Now it swung silently open； revealing a long； low； abundantly furnished room that was clearly designed for fort and relaxation。 Low； cushioned seats were scattered around on the soft floor…covering； the lighting was quiet and mellow； tables here and there were piled with book tapes。
Keill took it all in with a glance； reserving his full attention for the figure seated in the centre of the room。 It was Talis； robed and cowled as before … but there was no doubt that this time it was not a holo…image。 He was there in the flesh。
The old man gestured towards a chair opposite him； inviting Keill to sit。 Keill did so slowly； turning to watch the winged creature … which settled on the back of another chair； folding its delicate wings； still well out of reach。 And still aiming the needle…gun at Keill； while gazing at him unblinkingly with its round； luminous eyes。
'I very much regret。。。' Talis's kindly voice began。
Keill interrupted。 'Is this；' he asked； gesturing at the creature； 'the thing that attacked me on Saltrenius ？'
Talis sighed。 'Yes； but attacked is not really the right word。。。'
'What is it ？' Keill demanded。
'An alien；' said Talis； 'of a race that calls itself the。Ehrlil。 From another galaxy。'
Keill was startled； but his face remained impassive。 'And telepathic ？'
Before Talis could reply； words again formed soundlessly in the depths of Keill's mind。
I project with ease； human。 But I receive with difficulty from the mudheads of this galaxy。
Keill frowned； feeling slightly unnerved。 'I think； old man； that you are setting up some kind of elaborate hoax； for reasons that I cannot guess。'
'It is no hoax；' Talis said quietly。 'I have told you only the truth。'
'But an alien ？ A mind…reading alien ？'
It was not impossible； Keill knew。 Just highly unlikely。 Intergalactic travel had been tried many times by human explorers … but it presented its own special problems and rigours； and few had returned。 Those that did e back had mostly had their minds unhinged by loneliness； unknown dangers and the long…term effects of Overlight； and their babbled accounts made little sense。 But recent history included some tales of alien beings making the intergalactic journey in the other direction … and making brief； uneventful contact with humans on the Inhabited Worlds； before going on their unguessable ways。
Keill had never seen such an alien； though； nor had he ever met anyone who had。
Yet there were no such beings native to his own galaxy。 When man first went out among the stars； during the Scattering； the planets that were to bee the Inhabited Worlds held many kinds of strange life forms。 But it had been a grave disappointment for the early colonists （though； for some； a relief） that none of the life forms had been intelligent。 Mankind found himself to be the only intelligent species in his galaxy。 As for telepathy； again Keill knew that it probably existed in some form。 He had heard of a few humans … some of the altered ones； whose planets had produced mutations in their human populations … who could reach into other minds。 But always in a limited； erratic way。
He brought his attention back to Talis； who was expounding on the subject。'。 。。 an intrepid race of explorers； it seems； who think nothing of the awesome emptiness between galaxies。 They are very long…lived； of course； and are always in mental contact with one another。。。'
'Why is it here ？' Keill demanded。
'Not it；' Talis said with a chuckle； 'she。 Glr is a female of her species。'
'All right；' Keill said patiently； 'why is she here ？'
'Her ship developed a malfunction；' Talis replied； 'and she was forced to land on a human world。 In time a leading scientist met her and befriended her。 And she has stayed； finding humanity a source of considerable interest。。。'
And amusement； said the voice in Keill's mind； with soundless laughter behind it。
'When we began the process of setting up our base；' Talis went on； 'Glr came as well。'
'I find this no easier to believe than anything else you tell me；' Keill said gruffly。 'Surely the arrival of such an alien would have been widely reported throughout the Worlds。 But I have heard nothing of this 。。。 Glr。'
'I told you the Ehrlil are long…lived；' said Talis。 'Her arrival was reported … but it was some sixty years ago。 The scientist who befriended her was my father。'
Keill leaned back against the cushions of his chair； feeling slightly dazed。 And the alien's voice formed in his mind again； still bubbling with laughter。
I am in fact quite young … about four of your centuries。 The Ehrlil elders think of me as a wayward； foolish child whose curiosity will get her into trouble。
Keill shook his head as if to clear it。 Again he wondered if he was in the grip of some nightmare from a terminal delirium …or if Talis was merely a crazed old space hermit with an odd taste in pets。 Pets with guns。
'Isn't it time；' he said at last； 'that you told me what I'm doing here； being held at gunpoint by an alien ？'
'I regret the gun；' Talis said quickly。 'But the others felt that； because you are given to rash and hasty action； I ought not meet you in person without some protection。'
'Fearing I might attack you ？' Keill said。 'If I wanted to do so； old man； your flying alien would not stop me。' Behind him the creature's wings flared； but he ignored it。 'And I might do so yet … if you don't start now to give me some explanations。'
'Of course；' Talis said soothingly。 'That is why we are here。 But there is so much to tell。。。〃
'I know；' Keill said； 'and so much you can't tell me。 You said as much； earlier。 But you will tell me； old man。 You'll tell me why I am here … and what you know about this person； this enemy； who you say destroyed Moros。'
'The enemy；' Talis replied sombrely； 'is why you are here。 Just as he is why my group and myself are here。'
'So you also have said；' Keill interrupted。 'But I have seen only yourself； and your alien。'
'The others are nearby； and are listening。 You may see them if you wish … though I fear you will learn little from it。'
He moved one hand to the side of his chair； and a portion of the wall nearest them grew hazy … changing； as Keill watched； from a solid surface into what seemed to be a window； but was in fact an enlarged viewscreen。
It revealed a group of people； sitting quietly together。 Like Talis； most of them seemed elderly … as far as Keill could tell。 For； also like Talis； each of them wore a voluminous robe； with a cowl that kept the face in darkness。
Keill smiled sardonically。 'More mystery。 What do you call yourselves … the Hooded Brethren of Secrecy ？'
Talis moved his hand again； and the silent group faded from view； the wall resuming its smooth solidity。 'You will e to understand our need for secrecy；' he said