Oakey turned from the instrument panel. His eyes focussed on the cherry red floor with Al in the center of the glow.
Sparks came from Al's mouth as he spoke again. "Before I shot Joe, I tried to make him understand. I had to kill him, and I've got to kill you whether you've got the disease or not. It's the way with things. Our individual lives don't mean a plugged nickel, but a whole race does. We can't take the Quinnies to the green planet."
"I told you, they're not people like us," said Oakey. "They just look like us. Some fish look like snakes. Some mammals look like fish. But they're not fish."
"But they are like us. I know," said Al. "An atom of iron on Sirius is the same as an atom of iron on the sun. Why can't two human cells be the same, even if they're light-years apart?"
"You're just guessing."
"I told you, I know."
"You think you know. You met a girl once. Maybe she had a nice figure and pretty eyes. Your glands got fooled."
"She was just like an earth-girl, only prettier. That's why—"
"Maybe she was pretty, but that was ten years ago. You're not handsome any more and neither is she. She's probably got six kids, you said so yourself."
"Yes, Oakey, maybe six, maybe only one kid. One that has earth blood in him. My kid, Oakey. There's still one more earthman alive in the universe. That's why I'm doing this to you."