"Why," burst out Flick Muldoon indignantly, "that's nonsense! Begging your pardon, Excellency, but that idea's as crazy as hell! We did this on our own hook in order to—"
But Gary stopped him before the irate cameraman's outspoken indignation should only worsen their plight. He asked quietly, "That is your final and considered decision?"
The councillor nodded for himself and his associates.
"It is. When you return to Earth you may tell your government we of Venus are not fools. And now, farewell."
He nodded to a retinue of guards. Short minutes later the dejected little group was being led back toward the spaceport.
For the most part they were silent, each lost in the overwhelming sadness of his own thoughts. Only one spoke, and he in a mutter. That one was Flick Muldoon.
"Not fools, eh? I wonder if he'd like to make book on that...."
"So," said Hugh Warren, "that seems to be that. What do we do now, Gary? Give up?"
Gary said, "I don't know what to do, Hugh."