"I believe they're just what they represent themselves to be—representatives of a powerful Galactic culture that is immeasurably superior to our own."
"Powerful, all right!" It was a marine officer at the far end of the table. "The way they cleaned off Eniwetok and swept our satellites out of the skies!"
"Do you think there's a possibility they could be concealing their true motives?" asked Langsmith.
"A possibility, certainly."
"Have you ever watched a confidence man in action?" asked Langsmith.
"I don't believe so. But you're not seriously suggesting that these...." She shook her head. "Impossible."
"The mark seldom gets wise until it's too late," said Langsmith.
She looked puzzled. "Mark?"
"The fellow the confidence men choose for a victim." Langsmith re-lighted his pipe, extinguished the match by shaking it. "Dr. Millar, we have a very painful disclosure to make to you."
She straightened, feeling a sudden icy chill in her veins at the stillness in the room.