"You surprise me," he boomed. "You and your little planet are smarter than I expected. Go, and tell your people that they could not have chosen a worthier representative."
It was a dazed and confused Mike who was led stumbling, and clutching his bottle, back to the ship which was to take him to a free world.
Slan, meanwhile, found himself besieged by annoyed and puzzled followers. He held up his hand for silence, and relapsed into native Jovian.
"That earthling," he said sarcastically, "seems to have fared better than you who are so proud of your intellects.
"When I held my thumb up, indicating our superiority in size and strength, he pointed his thumb down, to show that physical power is really of minor importance.
"I poured a red liquid onto the floor, dramatizing the effect of conflict on them, if that should be my wish. He demonstrated his fearlessness by producing a light-colored liquid and sampling it with enjoyment—as his kind would react to such an encounter.
"Finally I flung out a handful of colored pebbles, displaying the confusing array of languages, races, and ideas their world contains. He scooped them into his pocket, showing that their diversity could still be united into single purpose."