“Exactly,” said Elmer. “They reverse the process to become larger again, drawing mass from the fourth-dimensional direction.”
Silence fell, was broken by the soft whine of whirling metal. The entrance port of the spaceship, now grown to normal size, was opening.
The port fell smoothly back and a Martian waddled out. Lathrop stood rooted to the floor, felt the short hairs on the back of his neck stirring, struggling to arise as hackles.
The Martian waddled forward and stopped in front of them, his tentacles writhing gently. But when he spoke, he did not address the humans. He spoke to Elmer.
“You have shown them the jug?”
“I did not show it to them,” Elmer said. “They saved it for us. They killed an Evil One who masqueraded as a human. He would have stolen it, perhaps destroyed it. Lathrop recognized him.”
“I smelled him,” Lathrop said.
The Martian did not notice Lathrop or the others. It was as if they weren’t there, as if Lathrop hadn’t spoken.
“You have failed your duty,” the Martian said to Elmer.
“I am beyond duty,” Elmer replied. “I owe you nothing. I’m not even one of you. I’m just a shadow of those of you who have been. There are many times I do not think as you do. That’s because your thinking has out-stripped me and because I’m still living in the past and can’t understand some of the philosophy you hold today. A part of me must be always in the past, because the past accounts for all of me. For countless centuries I lived here with never a sign of recognition from you. It wasn’t until you needed me that you came out of your Universe to find me. You asked my help and I agreed. Agreed because the memories that make me up gave me racial pride, because I couldn’t let my own race down. And yet, in face of all that, you talk to me of duty.”