ey divided on the huddling. Fear, Jars said, and love, Deering said,
but who could say for sure?

As Deering said to me, "What could they fear? They've got everything
they need, everything but knowledge and their better specimens are
getting closer to that, every day."

In the laboratory, Deering said this, and how did we know old Jars was
in a corner, breaking down a spirigel?

"They fear each other," Jars said, as though it was an official
announcement, as though any fact is permanent. "And they fear nature.
It's the most fear ridden colony of bipeds a sane mind could imagine."

Deering looked at me, and winked.

Jars went back to the spirigel.

Deering said, "Love, love, love. All they sing about, all they write
about, all they talk about, love, love, love."

Jars was just tracing a _z_ line on the spirigel and he put down his
legort at that. "Rather superficial thinking, from a scientist," he said
quietly. "Surface manifestations to be considered as indicative. Oral
and verbal camouflage to be accepted as valid. Deering, old thing,
please--"

Deering shrugged. "So I am--what do they call it, a Pollyanna. Isn't
that a pretty word? So, I'm a Pollyanna."

"I rather think that describes you partially," Jars said, "and with this
particular planet we're discussing, it can be a dangerous attitude."

"So?" Deering said, nudging me. "And could I ask why?"

"Ask it."

"I ask."

"You've recorded the state of their development. They have, among other
things, achieved nuclear fission."

"So? In the fourth grade we are teaching nuclear fission."

"We are a scientific people. They haven't been, until very, very
recently. You have noted, I hope, their first extensive use of this new
discovery?"

"Hero--Helo--" Deering shrugged. "My memory."

"Hiroshima," Jars supplied. "Love--, my friend?"

"I have noted it," Deering said. "We spoke, a while ago, of surface
manifestations."

"We shall continue to. You have witnessed the mechanical excellence of
their machines, in some ways beyond ours, because of their greater
element wealth. You have noted the increased concentration of their
better minds, their scientific minds. How long do you think it will be,
friend, before they are ready for us?"

"Ready, ready--? In what way, ready?"

"The only way they know, the only thing they seem to have time
for--ready for war."

"War--," Deering said, and sighed. "Oh, Jars, they will be beyond war,
certainly, before they a