The Cat's Pajamas

No one appeared.

I called out in a friendly voice.

Ignoring me, a conversation was in rapid progress inside the ship. I understood none of it, naturally, for it was in a foreign tongue. But the essence of it was bewilderment, some little anger, and a tremendous, and to me strange, fear.

I have a precise memory. I remember that conversation, which meant nothing, which still means nothing to me. The words stand in my mind now. I need only pluck them and give them to you:

“You go out, Freeman!”

“No, you!”

A bumble of indecision, a mixing of apprehension, followed. I was on the point of repeating my friendly invitation when a single creature picked its way carefully from the ship and stood looking up at me.

Curious. The creature shook in mortal fear.

I was much concerned, immediately. I could not understand this senseless panic. Certainly I am a mild and honorable individual. I bore this visitor no malice; indeed, the machinery of malice last rustled long ago on our world. Yet here the creature was, pointing what I understood to be a metal weapon at me, and trembling. The thought of killing was in the creature’s mind.

I immediately soothed him.

“I am your friend,” I said and repeated it, as a thought, as an emotion. I put the warmness in my mind, a love, and a promise of a long and happy life, and this I sent to the visitor.

Well, where it had not responded to my spoken word, it responded, visibly, to my telepathy. It—relaxed.

“Good,” I heard it say. That was the word. I recall it exactly. A meaningless word, but the creature’s mind was warmer behind the symbol.

You will forgive me if here I describe my guest.

It was quite small. I would say only six feet tall, with a head on a short stalk, only four limbs, two of which it used exclusively, it seemed, for walking, while the other two were not used for walking at all, but simply held things, or gestured! It was with a flush of amusement I noted the lack of another set of limbs, so necessary to us, so useful. Yet this creature seemed perfectly at ease with its body, so I accepted it in the same sense that it accepted itself.

The pale-colored creature, almost hairless, had features of a most peculiar aesthetic, the mouth particularly, while the eyes were sunken and of a surprising art, like the noon sea. All in all, it was a strange work, and as a curiosus, as a new adventure, quite exciting. It challenged my taste and my philosophy.

I made the adjustment instantaneously.

I thought such thoughts as these to my new friend:

“We are all your fathers and your children. We welcome you to our great tree cities, to our cathedral life, to our quiet customs, and to our thoughts. You will move in peace among us. You need not fear.”

I heard it say aloud, “My God! Monstrous! A spider, seven feet tall!”

It was then seized with some sort of spell, some paroxysm. Fluid gushed from its mouth, it shuddered violently.

I felt compassion and pity and sadness. Something was making this poor creature ill. It fell down, its face, which was white, was now very white indeed. It was gasping and trembling.

I moved to give it aid. In doing so, I must have somehow alarmed those within the ship by my speed, for even as I plucked up the fallen creature to render it help, an inner door of the ship flung wide. Others like my friend leaped out, shouting, confused, frightened, waving silver weapons.

“He’s got Freeman!”

“Don’t shoot! Idiot, you’ll hit Freeman!”

“Careful!”

“God!”

Those were the words. Meaningless even now, but remembered. I felt the fear in them, however. It burned the air. It burned my brain.

I have a mind of quick thinking. Instantly, I rushed forward, deposited the creature where he would be in easy reach of the others, and retreated soundlessly from their climate, thinking back at them: “He is yours. He is my friend. You are all my friends. All is well. I would help you and him, if I may. He is ill. Take fine care of him.”

They were amazed. They stood, and their thought was amazement and a species of shock. They vanished their friend within the ship and stood gazing out and up at me. I sent my friendship, like a warm sea wind, to them. I smiled upon them.