"Pure and sheer altruism."
"What do you want?"
"Nothing. We are but waiting until you evolve to the proper degree to join us. At that time you are welcome."
"Then," stormed Andrew, "why not help us evolve?"
"Impossible."
"Nonsense. You are not too far above me."
"At the present time you and I are fairly equal in intelligence. You've been working with the mental amplifier, haven't you? A more hellish instrument has never been invented, Andy."
"I find myself enjoying the sensation. If there is one thing that will raise our general level sufficiently, it is this machine. Can it be, Gerd, that your race does not want us to evolve? Do you want us to remain ignorant? Do you fear our competition?"
"My race," said Gerd with pride, "has absolutely nothing that your race can use. Your race has absolutely nothing that can possibly be of interest to us—save eventual evolution into our civilization-level. That we desire."
"Since the level of my intelligence has been raised to equal yours, why couldn't the same process work on my race as a whole. The problem then will be solved immediately."