asked faintly.

"To dispose of you, yes, Paul. But not to kill you. My kind has killed
enough, conquered enough. We have no real population problem; that was
just an excuse we made to salve our own consciences."

"You have consciences, do you?" Paul's face twisted in a sneer that he
himself sensed right away was overly melodramatic and utterly
unconvincing. Somehow, he could never be really genuine offstage.

Ivo made a sweeping gesture. "Don't be bitter, Paul. Of course we do.
All intelligent life-forms do. It's one of the penalties of sentience!"

For a moment, Paul forgot himself. "Watch it, Ivo. You're beginning to
ham up your lines."

"We can institute birth control," Ivo went on, his manner subdued. "We
can build taller buildings. Oh, there are many ways we can cope with the
population increase. That's not the problem. The problem is how to
divert our creative energies from destruction to construction. And I
think I have solved it."

"How will your people know you have," Paul asked cunningly, "since you
say you're not going back?"

"_I_ am not going back to Sirius, Paul--_you_ are. It is you who are
going to teach my people the art of peace to replace the art of war."

Paul felt himself turn what was probably a very effective white.
"But--but I can't even speak the language! I--"

"You will learn the language during the journey. I spent those
afternoons I was away making a set of _Sirian-in-a-Jiffy_ records for
you. Sirian's a beautiful language, Paul, much more expressive than any
of your Earth languages. You'll like it."

"I'm sure I shall, but--"

"Paul, you are going to bring my people the outlet for self-expression
they have always needed. You see, I lied to you. The theater on Sirius
is not in its infancy; it has never been conceived. If it had been, we
would never have become what we are today. Can you imagine--a race like
mine, so superbly fitted to practice the dramatic art, remaining in
blind ignorance that such an art exists!"

"It does seem a terrible waste," Paul had to agree, although he could
not be truly sympathetic just then. "But I am hardly equipped--"

"Who is better equipped than you to meet this mighty challenge? Can't
you see that at long last you will be able to achieve your great
synthesis of the theatrical arts--as producer, teacher, director, actor,
playwright, whatever you will, working with a cast of individuals who
can assume any shape or form, who have no preconceived