kirk struggled to control his irritation as the last nemarian on his list walked in, poised and self-confident, casually unconcerned about his lateness. something would have to be done about their sloppiness and lack of discipline, but now wasn't the time. it wouldn't do to lose his temper at the first official meeting he called.
first he needed to stir some ambition in them, prod them out of their lethargy.
he looked around at the assembled members of his joint terran-nemarian staff. the terran members were making an attempt to stand stiffly at attention, somewhat awkwardly as though they were out of practice. they threw rather disconcerted looks at his stern, impassive young face. the nemarians stood casually erect or lounged against the wall.
once more, he found himself troubled by a faint sense of incongruity. something about these natives was not primitive. without saying a word, just by standing and looking at him, they made him feel awkward and insecure.
he straightened his shoulders and tried to make his expression even more stern. he wished he looked older.
a sense of the power of his position overwhelmed him for a moment.
he glanced at the speech he'd prepared, then at the faces before him. slowly he pushed it aside. somehow he couldn't use those formal sentences with these people. diplomatic phrases didn't sound right in nemarian.
"good morning," he said abruptly. "i won't waste time on preliminaries." he paused. "i've only been here a day, but so far i've seen very few signs of terran influence—a more or less obsolete type of ground transportation, a few tools and household conveniences, some art objects. very little else. i don't fully understand why conditions are so backward here on nemar when it has been part of the galactic union for forty years."
the terrans in the group stirred uneasily.
"the important thing, however, is that the situation be changed so that nemar may be given the benefits of galactic culture."
he paused and looked around. the natives were listening courteously and looking slightly bored. the terrans looked uneasy or embarrassed.
"what prevents this change," he went on, "is the fact that there is nothing of value to export." he leaned forward. "but i don't believe that this or any planet can possess nothing of value. it's simply a matter of finding it. it's a matter of looking into new places, with new techniques, or for new things. if a sufficiently thorough search is made, something will turn up." he tried to ignore the signs of restlessness in his audience.
"i'm going to organize research groups for this purpose immediately. each of you will head a committee to investigate the possibilities in a particular field—fuels, plants, animal products, etc. you will bring the reports to me, and i will check them and indicate further directions of search."
he continued, outlining his plans in detail, stressing the great advantages to be gained, the wonderful things galactic culture had to offer them—the marvelous machines and labor-saving devices, the rich fabrics and jewels, the vidar entertainments, the whole fabulous technology of a great, advanced civilization. he spoke with enthusiasm, but as he continued, a growing sense of apprehension began to creep into his energetic, determined mood.
something was wrong with their reactions.
he puzzled over it as he watched them file out of the room after he finished. the voice of one of his younger subordinates drifted back to him from the hall outside: "made me homesick for good old terra. i'd give a lot to see a good vidar-show right now...." cortland pressed his arm lightly as he passed, nodding his approval of the proceedings.
one of the terrans lingered a moment as the last of the group left. his expression was serious. "i'd like you to know that i'm all for you, sir, and i'm glad to see a man of your stature in the pa's office," he said nervously. "i hope we'll see some changes in the attitude of these nemarians. i've never liked their attitude." he ran a hand through his sandy-colored hair. "they're funny people, sir. you've only been here a day, and nobody may have warned you yet. they're very courteous, but don't let it fool you. you're going to have trouble with them."
kirk looked after him as he followed the others out, a sense of confusion and discouragement beginning to settle over him. he wandered slowly into the flowered patio adjoining the office.
the reaction of the nemarian officials was the strangest. they had shown no open opposition. on the other hand, there had certainly been no cheering. their attitude had been one of courteous interest, plus some quality he couldn't quite define. he searched for the right word ... something almost like compassion, as if they were humoring a child's enthusiasm for a naive, impractical project.
he sat down by a clump of blue-green flowers. maybe he was just nervous because of his inexperience, he thought. he'd had plenty of practice experience (supervised, of course), but it was a different matter managing an isolated planet, completely on his own. and he'd had the bad luck to come after a guy who'd apparently let discipline go to pieces. maybe it was just the newness of the whole thing. maybe—
but he knew better.
he had given them a good, efficient, well-organized plan of action. they should have been impressed—impressed and respectful. they should have been grateful he was plunging so enthusiastically into an effort to improve their situation. they should have been excited and hopeful.
there was something strange here, something he didn't understand.
he knew so little about nemar.
the terrans in the group had not reacted as they should have, either, he thought. some of them had shown the sort of reaction he expected, but most of them had remained quiet, too quiet, with a peculiar, tolerant look. as if they knew something he didn't.
there was something disturbing about their whole manner. they were respectful and deferential, but not quite respectful enough. their attitude was just a shade too casual. something was wrong.
they even looked different, somehow, from the usual terran on space duty. the dedicated look was gone and a softness had crept in.
somehow, the planet had infected them.
