EXILE
BY H. B. FYFE
ILLUSTRATED BY EMSH
The Dome of Eyes made it almost impossible forTerrans to reach the world of Tepokt. For thosewho did land there, there was no returning—onlythe bitterness of respect—and justice!
The Tepoktan student, whoseblue robe in George Kinton'sopinion clashed with the dullpurple of his scales, twiddled athree-clawed hand for attention.Kinton nodded to him from hisplace on the dais before thegroup.
"Then you can give us no precisecount of the stars in thegalaxy, George?"
Kinton smiled wrily, and rana wrinkled hand through hisgraying hair. In the clicking Tepoktanspeech, his name cameout more like "Chortch."
Questions like this had beenput to him often during the tenyears since his rocket hadhurtled through the meteoritebelt and down to the surface ofTepokt, leaving him the only survivor.Barred off as they werefrom venturing into space, thehighly civilized Tepoktans constantlydisplayed the curiosity ofdreamers in matters related tothe universe. Because of the veilof meteorites and satellite fragmentswhirling about theirplanet, their astronomers had acquiredtorturous skills but onlyscraps of real knowledge.
"As I believe I mentioned insome of my recorded lectures,"Kinton answered in their language,[103]"the number is actuallyas vast as it seems to those ofyou peering through the Domeof Eyes. The scientists of myrace have not yet encounteredany beings capable of estimatingthe total."
He leaned back and scannedthe faces of his interviewers,faces that would have been oddlyhumanoid were it not for theelongated snouts and pointed,sharp-toothed jaws. The averageTepoktan was slightly underKinton's height of five-feet-ten,with a long, supple trunk. Underthe robes their scholars affected,the shortness of their two bowedlegs was not obvious; but thesight of the short, thick armscarried high before their chestsstill left Kinton with a feelingof misproportion.
He should be used to it afterten years, he thought, but eventhe reds or purples of the scalesor the big teeth seemed morenatural.
"I sympathize with your curiosity,"he added. "It is a marvelthat your scientists havemanaged to measure the distancesof so many stars."
He could tell that they werepleased by his admiration, andwondered yet again why anylittle show of approval by himwas so eagerly received. Eventhough he was the first stellarvisitor in their recorded history,Kinton remained conscious of thefact that in many fields he wasunable to offer the Tepoktans anynew ideas. In one or two ways,he believed, no Terran couldteach their experts anything.
"Then will you tell us, George,more about the problems of yourfirst space explorers?" came anotherquestion.
Before Kinton had formed hisanswer, the golden curtains atthe rear of the austerely simplechamber parted. Klaft, the Tepoktanserving the current yearas Kinton's chief aide, hurriedtoward the dais. The twenty-oddmembers of the group fell silenton their polished stone benches,turning their pointed visages tofollow Klaft's progress.
The aide reached Kinton andbent to hiss and cluck into thelatter's ear in what he presumablyconsidered an undertone.The Terran laboriously spelledout the message inscribed on thelimp, satiny paper held before hiseyes. Then he ros