It was, Bertrond often thought, a particularly bad joke on the part of Fate that one of the Galaxy’s very few truly human races should have been discovered at this moment of time. Not long ago this would have been an event of supreme importance; now civilization was too hard-pressed to concern itself with these savage cousins waiting at the dawn of history.
Not until Bertrond was sure he had become part of Yaan’s everyday life did he introduce him to the robot. He was showing Yaan the patterns in a kaleidoscope when Clindar brought the machine striding through the grass with its latest victim dangling across one metal arm. For the first time Yaan showed something akin to fear; but he relaxed at Bertrond’s soothing words, though he continued to watch the advancing monster. It halted some distance away, and Bertrond walked forward to meet it. As he did so, the robot raised its arms and handed him the dead beast. He took it solemnly and carried it back to Yaan, staggering a little under the unaccustomed load.
Bertrond would have given a great deal to know just what Yaan was thinking as he accepted the gift. Was he trying to decide whether the robot was master or slave? Perhaps such conceptions as this were beyond his grasp: to him the robot might be merely another man, a hunter who was a friend of Bertrond.
Clindar’s voice, slightly larger than life, came from the robot’s speaker.
“It’s astonishing how calmly he accepts us. “Won’t anything scare him?”
“You will keep judging him by your own standards,” replied Bertrond. “Remember, his psychology is completely different, and much simpler. Now that he has confidence in me, anything that I accept won’t worry him.”
“I wonder if that will be true of all his race?” queried Altman. “It’s hardly safe to judge by a single specimen. I want to see what happens when we send the robot into the village.”
“Hello!” exclaimed Bertrond. “ That surprised him. He’s never met a person who could speak with two voices before.”
“Do you think he’ll guess the truth when he meets us?” said Clindar.
“No. The robot will be pure magic to him—but it won’t be any more wonderful than fire and lightning and all the other forces he must already take for granted.”