His face assumed a stern, noble aspect. "Naturally, if you're discovered as a spy, we'll have to repudiate you. You must know that from the tri-dis."
"But I haven't said I would go!" Clarey howled. "And I can't see why you'd want me, anyway!"
"Modest," the general said, lighting a smoke-stick. "An admirable trait in a young intelligence operative—or, indeed, anyone. Have a smoke-stick?"
Clarey hesitated. He had never tried one; he had always wanted to.
"Don't, Clarey," the girl advised. "You'll be sick."
She spoke with authority and reason. Clarey shook his head.
The general inhaled and exhaled a cloud of smoke in the shape of a bunnit. "The Damorlanti look like us, but because they look like us, that doesn't mean they think like us. They may not have the least idea of developing space travel, simply be interested in developing thought, art, ideals, splendid cultural things like that. We don't know enough about them; we may be making mountains out of molehills."
"Martian molehills," Clarey snickered.
"Precisely," the general agreed. "Except that there are no moles on Mars either."