"Come on," rumbled Kingsley. "Maybe we look as bad to them.”
They crossed the hall and tramped up the steps. The Engineer crossed to the other Engineers.
"These," he said, "are the ones who have come from the outer planet of the solar system we have watched so many years.”
The Engineers looked at them. So did the other things. Gary felt his skin crawling under the scrutiny.
"They are welcome," came the thought-wave of one of the Engineers. "You have told them how glad we are to have them here?”
"I have told them," declared Engineer 1824.
There were chairs for the Earthlings. One of the Engineers waved an invitation to them and they sat down.
Gary looked around. They were the only ones who had chairs. The Engineers, apparently tireless, remained standing. Some of the other things stood, too. One of them stood on a single leg with his second leg tucked tight against his body — like a dreaming stork — except that he didn't look like a stork. Gary tried to classify him. He wasn't a bird or a reptile or a mammal. He wasn't anything a human being had ever imagined. Long, skinny legs, great bloated belly, head with unkempt hair falling over brooding, dead-fish eyes.
One of the Engineers began to speak.
"We have gathered here," said the thought-waves, "to consider ways and means of meeting one of the greatest dangers…”