human
Greetings, Eo. I have returned.
gpt
None too soon, Za. We miscalculated dawn. What success?
human
An excellent group, Za said. He stretched and reclined on a transparent slab.
gpt
The servants are unloading the vehicle. I captured a young male, a mature male, an aged male, some sort of official or guardian male, a mature female, and an aged female.
human
Let's view them, Eo said.
gpt
You can rest after we're away.
human
Extraordinary! said Eo, staring at Miss Betsy Tapp.
gpt
These things have reached a peak of mammalian development!
human
Her correct garments are in this bundle, Za explained.
gpt
The servants are bringing the properties now. I secured a signaling device and a box used in an extremely primitive system of communication. Also, I brought the quaint muscle-powered vehicle ridden by the young male. The photographs should be sufficient for other details.
human
Any difficulty?
gpt
The language was the greatest obstacle, Za said.
human
The same word has many different meanings, or many different words have the same meaning. Rather crude.
gpt
Did you use bait, or force?
human
Bait, Za said.
gpt
It's much simpler. This is a completely selfish, egocentric breed. Most of them have one thing in mind which they want solely for themselves. Their sending power is weak, but that one selfish desire is powerful enough to be received. I merely dangled it before their minds, and they were hooked. He tapped the foot of Calvin C. Kear.
human
I killed this one's female companion. She awoke and screamed. The males and females pair off and live together for years. Strange custom! Breeding seems to be only one reason for the mutual bondage.
gpt
The old female may be an exception to the selfishness. I couldn't decide whether she most wanted to be relieved of cleaning floors by primitive methods, or wanted her male offspring to be released from some structure where he had been secured for reasons I couldn't determine.
human
This thing is dead!
gpt
That was the only genuine exception. He confused me till I forgot his proper clothing, but some can be devised from the other samples. He seems to have been a witch-doctor. His mind was cluttered with myths and superstitions from an ancient text. I don't understand him, Eo, and wish I had time to study the phenomena. He was different from the others. He believed in something and considered himself lowly and humble. The minds of the others were in constant confusion. They believed, actually, in nothing. Somehow, he saw me, Eo. I was forced to kill him.
human
No harm done, Eo decided. He faced the machines and said,
gpt
Destroy the vehicle, draw in the camouflage net, prepare for take-off.
human
Seal it, Eo said.
gpt
I'll plasticize them when we're in space. Fine work, Za. I can see the plaque now: 'Mounted by Eo, Collected by Za. Typical Street Corner on Planet _Earth_, Star _Sol_.' The directors will surely give the group a prominent place in the Galactic Museum of Natural History!
human
Yes, Za agreed, glancing back at the Reverend Enos Shackelford.
gpt
This planet was a fortunate stopover.