"No name? But who are you? Where are you from? And what is that?" She pointed at the metal globe.
"The vehicle by which I came here from a land beyond the sky," he said. She had no concept of stars or space, and he could not fully explain. "From a world known as Terra."
She was silent a moment, stunned. So there was another world! Then she asked, "Is it far? Have you come to take me there?"
Here the similarity between her dream and actual experience ended. What was he thinking as he eyed her for a long moment? She had no way of guessing. He said, "No, I am not going to take you back there." Her month gaped in surprise, and he continued, "As for the distance to Terra—it is incredibly far away."
The glare was beginning to die, the green flames' hissing fading to a whisper. They watched the melting globe sag on the sand. Then Koroby said, "But if it is so far away, how could you speak my language? There are some tribes beyond the jungle whose language is unlike ours—"
"I read your mind," he explained indifferently. "I have a remarkable memory."
"Remarkable indeed!" she mocked. "No one here could do that."
"But my race is infinitely superior to yours," he said blandly. "You little people—ah—" He gestured airily.
Her lips tightened and her eyes narrowed. "And I?"
His voice sounded almost surprised. "What about you?"