He was a little disappointed in the reaction, but would not have been had he known how to interpret Sarrian facial expressions. The scientist was dumbfounded for fully ten seconds; when he did regain control of his voice, he addressed the distant listeners rather than the Earth man.
“I’m sure that you will also be interested in knowing that he is aware we come from Planet One. I believe he thinks we live there, but the error is minor under the circumstances.” This time Drai’s voice responded.
“You’re crazy! You must have told him yourself, you fool! How could he possibly have learned that without help?”
“I did not tell him. You’ve been listening and ought to know. And I don’t see why I should be expected to explain how he found out; I’m just telling you what’s going on here at the moment.”
“Well, don’t let him go on thinking that! Deny it! He knows too much!”
“What’s wrong with that?” Ken asked, reasonably enough.
“Suppose they do have space travel! We don’t want them dropping in on us! Why — I’ve been keeping this place a secret for twenty years.”
Ken forbore to point out the flaws in that line of reasoning. He simply said:
“Not knowing how certain they are of their facts, I think a denial would be foolish. If they are really sure, then they’d know I was lying; and the results might not be good.” Drai made no answer to that, and Ken turned back to the Earthman, who had been listening uncomprehendingly to the conversation.
“Mercury. Yes,” the Sarrian said.