"Brian Plante - Something Meaningful" - читать интересную книгу автора (Plante Brian)

development of a species, but now you must transcend those primitive fears. We
would like your kind to share in our knowledge as equals. Before we can be
confident you will not use our knowledge against us, we have to be sure we have
won your trust.

And if we fail your test? I asked in thought-speak.

It is not a test. It is merely a period of becoming acclimatized to each other.
If we cannot gain your trust, it will not make our people enemies. We will just have
to be more cautious about what knowledge we can safely pass on to you.
 Knowledge about healing diseases and flying between the stars on crystal
ships, I thought to myself. That was really important stuff. A test, by any other
name, that humans dare not fail.

And how long will you go on trying to win our trust? I thought-spoke.

That is up to your people, Ecreath replied. It will take as long as it takes, or
we will give up and go elsewhere.

And what will the Canopians get from sharing their knowledge with us? I
thought-spoke.

Companions. Friends. All intelligent species have worthy ideas to share.

I thought of interstellar empires, science fiction stuff with strange alien races
doing battle with ray guns over myriad worlds.

Don’t you worry about the competition? I thought-spoke.

It is a very large universe, Ecreath thought-spoke. There are enough empty
worlds and few intelligent races. Direct competition will never be a factor.

Why don’t you just explain all this to my people? I thought-spoke. It might
make humans trust you more to know how ... altruistic you are.

Trust is earned. If we merely asked for it in exchange for knowledge, how
could we ever be sure the trust was sincere?

I almost replied, You can trust me, but how many times had that been said by
humans, and how often was it a lie?

In any event, you’re prepared to be here a long time? I asked.

We few will be here several more of your years. Then we will return home
and another Canopian crew will take our place here.

Then I will miss you, I thought-spoke, sincerely. They really were a generous
people and I had come to like them.

You will be returning with us to Canopus, Ecreath replied. There are many