Strangers

County."
        "Just enough time to close I-80," Ernie Block said, "and call Falkirk and his DERO men in from wherever they were."
        "Idaho," Miles said. "They were on training maneuvers in southern Idaho, fortunately quite close. Or unfortunately, depending on your point of view."
        "Of course, Dr. Bennell, I know your point of view," said Leland Falkirk from the door where he had, at last, appeared.
        The.357 Magnum felt as big as a cannon against Miles Bennell's belly, but suddenly it seemed as useless as a peashooter.
        

        
        Upon seeing Leland Falkirk for the first time, Ginger realized how little justice the newspaper photograph had done him. He was handsomer, more imposing - and more frightening - than he'd appeared in the Sentinel. He didn't carry his submachine gun in the stern attitude of readiness that Horner affected, nonchalantly dangling it in one hand. However, his apparent laxity was more threatening than Horner's posturing. Ginger had the feeling that, by seeming to be careless, he was taunting them to try something. As Falkirk drew nearer the group, Ginger thought that he brought with him a palpable aura - and almost a stench - of hatred and madness.
        Dr. Bennell said, "Where are all your men, Colonel?"
        "No men," Falkirk said mildly. "Just Lieutenant Horner and me. No need for a display of force, really. I'm quite sure that when we've had time to discuss the situation rationally, we'll reach a solution to the problem that will satisfy everyone."
        Ginger had an even stronger feeling that the colonel was taunting them. He tad the air of a child who, in possession of a secret, not only takes enormous pleasure in his special knowledge but is especially tickled by the ignorance of others. She saw that Dr. Bennell seemed baffled by Falkirk's behavior and wary of him.
        "Go on with your discussion," the colonel said, checking his watch. "For heaven's sake, don't let me interrupt. You must have a thousand questions you'd like Doctor Bennell to answer."
        "I have one," Sandy said. "Doctor, where are the… the people who came in this ship?"
        "Dead," Bennell said. "There were eight of them, but they were all dead before they got here."
        A pang of regret pierced Ginger's heart, and from their expressions she saw that the others were equally shocked and disappointed. Parker and Jorja even groaned softly, as if they had just been given news of a friend's death.
        "How did they die?" Ned asked. "Of what?"
        Glancing repeatedly at Colonel Falkirk, Bennell said, "Well, first, you've got to know a little about them, about why they came in the first place. In their ship, we found a virtual encyclopedia of their species - a crash course in their culture, biology, psychology - recorded on something like our own videodisks. We required a couple of weeks to even identify the player and a month to learn how to operate it. But once we figured it out, we found the machine still operable, astonishing when you consider… well, better not jump ahead. Suffice to say we're still going through the trove of material on those disks. It's superbly visual, explaining so much in spite of the language barrier - though it also slowly teaches their language. Those of us on the project almost feel… a brotherhood with the people who built this ship."
        Colonel Falkirk laughed sourly. Mockingly, he said, "Brotherhood."
        Dr. Bennell glared at him, then continued: "I'd need weeks to tell you what we know of them now. Suffice to say they're an unimaginably ancient spacegoing species which had, at the time this ship departed its home port, searched out and located five other intelligent species in other solar systems than their own."
        "Five!" Ginger said in amazement. "But - even if the galaxy is positively packed with life, that's incredible. Considering the vast distances to be traveled, the endless places to search."
        Dr. Bennell nodded. "But you see, from the time they achieved the means of traveling from star to star, they apparently decided it was their sacred duty to seek out other intelligences. In fact, it seems to have become a religion to them." He shook his head and sighed. "It's difficult to be sure we understand this, because even their excellent visual encyclopedia more readily describes physical things than it does philosophies. But we think they see themselves as servants of some