A long, muted note as the apparatus collided with itself. The warm orange of the corner lights brightened as it started out again.
“—because of their learning, because they are sought for guidance in better ways of vegetation.” The government official was slithering up and down rapidly now, gesturing with all of his pseudopods. “We are faced with a very difficult problem, at present—”
III. One billion years ago. The primitive triple trilobite the machine had destroyed when it materialized began drifting down wetly.
“—a very difficult problem. The question before us: should we shllk or shouldn’t we shllk?” He was hardly speaking English now; in fact, for some time, he hadn’t been speaking at all. He had been stating his thoughts by slapping one pseudopod against the other—as he always had…
IV. A half-billion years ago. Many different kinds of bacteria died as the water changed temperature slightly.
“This, then, is no time for half measures. If we can reproduce well enough—”
V. Two hundred fifty million years ago. VI. A hundred twenty-five million years ago.
“—to satisfy the Five Who Spiral, we have—”
VII. Sixty-two million years. VIII. Thirty-one million. IX. Fifteen million. X. Seven and a half million.
“—spared all attainable virtue. Then—”