riven. That they had no
purpose. That they were not squad ships but targets--and not even robot
targets--set out for the missile rockets of the Huk planet to expend
themselves on.

The missile rockets had expended themselves.

So Sergeant Madden opened communication with the Huks.

* * * * *

"These Huks," observed Sergeant Madden as the squad ship descended to
the Huk planet's surface, "they must've had a share in the scrapping
eighty years ago. They've got everything the old-time Huks had. They've
even got recordings of human talk from civilian human prisoners of years
gone by. And they kept somebody able to talk it--for when they fought
with us!"

Patrolman Willis did not answer. He had a strange expression on his
face. At the moment they were already within the Huk home-planet's
atmosphere. From time to time a heavily accented voice gave curt
instructions. It was a Huk voice, telling Patrolman Willis how to guide
the squad ship to ground where--under truce--Sergeant Madden might hold
conference with Huk authorities.

"_Hold the course_," said the voice. "_That is r-right. Do as you are._"

The horizon had ceased to be curved minutes ago. Now the ground rose
gradually. The ground was green. Large green growths clustered off to
one side of the flat area where the ship was to alight. They were the
equivalent of trees on this planet. Undoubtedly there were equivalents
of grass and shrubs, and seed-bearing and root-propagating vegetation,
and Huks would make use of some seeds and roots for food. Because in
order to have a civilization one has to have a larger food-supply than
can be provided by even the thriftiest of grazing animals. But the Huks
or their ancestors would need to have been flesh-eaters also, for brains
to be useful in hunting and therefore for mental activity to be
recognized as useful. A vegetarian community can maintain a
civilization, but it has to start off on meat.

A clump of ground-cars waited for the squad ship's landing. The ship
touched, delicately. Sergeant Madden rumbled and got out of his chair.
Patrolman Willis looked at him uneasily.

"Huh!" said Sergeant Madden. "Of course you can come. You want them to
think we're bluffing? No. Nothing to fight with. The Huks think our
fleet's set to do the fighting."

He undogged the exit door and went out through the small vestibule which
was also the ship's air lock. Patrolman Willis joined him out-of-doors.