Read Online News From Elsewhere by Edmuind Cooper - Free Book Online

Of the four of them, Alsdorf was the least interested  in what he referred to as “the organic curiosities of the planet.” Being one of the star geophysicists of Trans-Solar Chemicals, his preoccupation was solely with the mineral content of the planet, how best it could be exploited and the resulting products transported to the Solar System.
    “Do not forget,” he said dryly, “that we are here to look for rare metals, not to investigate the indigenous life forms. The hominids are interesting, but we must not let them sidetrack us. . . . On the other hand, if there are possibilities of large-scale mining, they may provide a convenient labor force. Otherwise—”
    Lukas slammed his beer mug down. “Kurt, there are times when you make me sick. These poor bastards have a right to their own existence. I’m damned if I’d see them turned into a bunch of coolies so that Trans-Solar can double their dividends. Don’t you have any conscience?”
    Alsdorf grinned. “My duty toward my neighbor,” he said slyly, “is surely my duty toward my fellow human beings. If the situation demanded it, I would not hesitate to exploit these creatures for the benefit of humanity. . . . We should, of course, civilize them in the process.”
    “Bluebells to both of you,” drawled Duluth with an inane grin. “Quit arguin’ about what ain’t happenin’, and for Chris sake have another beer. ... I wonder if those long-haired boys got any idea how to make wallop? Thash the way to shivilishe ’em—teash ’em to make corn brandy and shay shir to the nishe zhentlemen from shpace.”
    Next morning at dawn, the hominids returned, bringing with them more presents—only this time the presents were such as to make Alsdorf s eyes practically pop out of his head.
    Nobody was awake when they arrived, so they squatted patiently outside the Henri Poincare, nursing their presents and chanting a kind of tuneless psalm, either to the ship or its occupants.
    Lukas was the first to go down to them. He saw that their presents consisted of small whitish metal drinking bowls, crudely ornamented, and it occurred to him that these were offered in exchange for the colored plastic bowls that had been presented to the hominids the day before.
    The old one who had previously done the talking again  stepped out and opened the ceremony.
    “ Mahratanua he said. “Olye rin a koshevo, e czanyas va kala mu omeso ” He touched the bowl he was holding to the center of his forehead, then held it out to Lukas.
    Lukas had a peculiar feeling. For one odd moment, he had the conviction that the hominids were staging an elaborate joke—the sort of joke that sophisticated adults might rig for the benefit of credulous children. Then he met the innocent gaze of the old hominid, and the feeling passed.
    He took the bowl, and was still busy expressing his thanks in mime and language when Alsdorf came down. The geophysicist was immediately presented with a bowl himself. With a brief gesture and a patronizing smile for the old one, he suddenly forgot everything and began to examine the bowl intently. He took a small knife from his pocket and scratched the surface. Then he took out a lens and peered at the scratch through it. Uttering a sharp exclamation, he hurried back into the ship. Five minutes later he returned, pale and trembling.
    “Mike, do you know what this thing is made of?” He stared at the bowl in his hand with an expression of sheer disbelief.
    “Haven’t a clue,” said Lukas calmly. “You tell me.”
    “Platinum,” croaked Alsdorf. “Solid platinum! We’ve just been presented with a small fortune.”
    Though it was obviously impossible for the hominids to understand what Alsdorf was saying, they grinned broadly, as if they were delighted with his excitement—or as if their subtle private joke was a big success.
    While Alsdorf was assuring himself that the bowl Lukas held was also made of platinum, Duluth and