"Our science discovered the secret of flight amongst the stars. Our expeditions flew to all the children of the Sun; to the planets you know as Mercury, Mars, even massive Jupiter and far, frozen Pluto.
"Only on three other planets, however, did we find life. Here on Earth—crude, nomadic barbarism for the most part, with only in one or two places the rude beginnings of a social culture—on the second moon of Jupiter, and on Mars.
"The Martian, or Videlian, culture alone was in any way equal to our own. In our blind altruism we freely gave the videlian giants our great secret—" Sugriva smiled ruefully—"and now we regret it. For we have learned that the Videlians are not such lovers of peace as we. They are hard cruel people, greedy and grasping, predatory. Their space-vessels, like ours, have brought colonists to Earth. And of these interlopers, Lord Ravana is ruler. Lately it has became increasingly clear that he has not the same benevolent designs on the people of Earth that I was sent here to bring about."
"You mean he wants Earth for himself?"
"That is what I suspect and fear. Consider. With a whole wide world of pleasant hills and valleys in which to establish himself, Ravana chose to construct his fortressed capital on an inaccessible island sixty miles off this mainland—the Isle of Lanka.
"While he has pretended friendship, visiting me here and occasionally inviting me to his island stronghold, I have heard strange rumors about his over-lordship. Where as it has ever been the Gaanelian desire to achieve harmony between our race and yours, it is hinted that the humans who serve Ravana do so not as willing subjects but as—slaves! We have tried to pass on to our neighbors something of our learning and culture, exhibiting good will and friendliness. But I am told that what Ravana wants he exacts by forceful means.
"It was to investigate these rumors that I recently sent for representatives of all Earth's governments to meet here at Chitrakuta. You saw these representatives, I believe, in the altar room?"
Ramey nodded. "They didn't seem to be particularly fond of Ravana. I don't blame them much. There's a brutal streak in the guy. His first idea, when the idol spoke, was to pacify it with a human sacrifice. If we hadn't spiked that deal, I'm afraid this young lady—" He nodded toward the chestnut-haired beauty clinging close to Barrett's side—"wouldn't be with us now.
"Well, Sugriva, I'm beginning to understand the setup now. It's not so unusual. The world we left behind was being sadly muddled by a mob with pretty much the same idea as the Videlians. They want to be top-dogs or nothing. So, now that we're here, what can we do to help you out? You want us to continue playing gods while you hold your round table conferences with the boys in the back room?"