I received my call from Srtes then. He and the council had decided that the alien had reached the proper depth of misery and hopelessness. I was to contact him—and set him for the Big Run.
I found him still leaning against the same wooden building. He looked up at me from under his heavy brows as I neared him. I kept a safe distance between us. I remembered Ctvar. "Will you allow me to buy you something to eat?" I asked, deciding to use a direct approach.
I liked the way he did not ask any questions. He merely regarded me for a moment longer, then made his nodding motion.
All through the meal in the public eating place he remained silent. He ate hungrily but without haste and only when he'd finished did he speak again. "Why?" he asked.
"I do not understand what you mean," I evaded.
"I haven't learned much about you Zades since I've been here," he said, "but I have learned that you do nothing out of kindness. What do you want from me?"
I forced myself to smile. "You are right, of course," I said. "I do want something from you. Information about your world. In return for your cooperation I will see that you continue to be well fed."
"I thought Srtes was through with me," he said.
"My interest is strictly personal," I answered. "I am what you would call a reporter. We give out our news on disseminators similar to your television."