“Never mind the laws,” snapped Darquelnoy. “I’m not even thinking about the laws. Frankly, if it would do any good, I might even consider breaking one or two of the laws, and the devil with my conditioning.”
“You are upset,” said Ebor at that.
“But if we were to interfere with those creatures up there,” continued Darquelnoy, “interfere with them in any way at all, it would be absolutely disastrous.”
The orderly returned at that point, with two steaming cups of restno. Darquelnoy and Ebor accepted the cups and the orderly left, making a sloppy tentacle-cross salute, which the two ignored.
“I wasn’t talking necessarily about attacking them, you know,” said Ebor, returning to the subject.
“Neither was I,” Darquelnoy told him. “We wouldn’t have to attack them. All we would have to do is let them know we’re here. Not even why we’re here, just the simple fact of our presence. That would be enough. They would attack us.”
Ebor extended his eyes in surprise. “As vicious as all that?”
“Chilling,” Darquelnoy told him. “Absolutely chilling.”
“Then I’m surprised they haven’t blown themselves to pieces long before this.”