re communities--and hoping that, with
their help, evolution on the planet would eventually produce a better
host organism. Even of this they were by no means sure. It was a hope.
For all they could know, the struggling mammalian life might well be
doomed to extermination by the giant reptiles.

They took the gamble. Hundreds of colonies were planted.

They did it but they weren't satisfied with it. So, back on the dying
home moon, survivors continued to work. Before the end came they made
one more desperate bid for race survival.

They built interstellar ships to be launched on possibly endless
journeys into space. A nucleus of select individuals in a spore-like
form of suspended animation was placed on each ship. Ships were
launched in pairs, with automatic controls to be activated when they
entered into the radius of attraction of a sun. Should the sun have
planets such as their own home world--or Earth type--the ships would be
guided there. In the case of an Earth type planet having intelligent
life, they would----

They would do just what my damned "meteor" had done.

They would home in on an individual, "explode," penetrate--and set up
heavy housekeeping on a permanent basis. They did. Lovely. Oh, joy!

Well. We would all like to see the Garden of Eden; but being it is
something quite else again.

Me, a colony!

My--uh--population had no idea where they were in relation to their
original home, or how long they had traveled through space. They did
hope that someplace on Earth their companion ship had established
another settlement. But they didn't know. So far on our world, with its
masses of powerful electrical impulses, plus those of our own brains,
they had found distance communication impossible.

"Well, look, fellows," I said. "Look here now. This is a noble,
inspiring story. The heroic struggle of your--uh--people to survive,
overcoming all odds and stuff, it's wonderful! And I admire you for it,
indeed I do. But--what about me?"

"You, Great Land of Barth, are our beloved home and fatherland for
many, many generations to come. You are the mighty base from which we
can spread over this enormous planet."

"That's you. What I mean is, what about _me_?"

"Oh? But there is no conflict. Your interests are our interests."

That was how they looked at it. Sincerely. As they said, they weren't
ruthless conquerors. They only wanted to get along.

And all they wanted for me were such fine things as go