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did not change. “You see the position this puts us in. The boy’s not prepared for thetremendous opportunity this opens up, but we’ve still got to grab this chance. We simply can’t afford tolet Larry refuse this invitation. For God’s sake, do you realize that we’ve been trying to get permissionfor someone to visit the outlying estates, for fifteen years? It’s the first time in years that any Terran hashad this chance, and if we turn it down, it may be years before it comes again.”
    Montray’s mouth twisted. “Oh, there have been a few.”
    “Yes, I know.” Reade did not elaborate, but turned to Larry. “Do you understand why you’re going to
    have to accept this invitation?”
    Suddenly, with the visual force of a hallucination, Larry saw again the tall figure of Valdir Alton, andheard him say, as clearly as if he had been in that white Terran room with them,   I have a feeling we’llsee you again before long   . It was so real that he shook his head to clear it of the abnormally intenseimpression.

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    Reade persisted. “You   are   going to accept?”
    Larry felt a delayed surge of excitement. To see Darkover—not only the city, but far outside the Terran Zone entirely, the real world, untouched by Terra! The thought was a little frightening and yet wildlyexciting. But a tinge of caution remained and he said warily, “Would you mind telling me why you are soeager to have me, sir? I understood that the Terrans were afraid of any—fraternization with Darkovans.”
    “Afraid of it causing trouble,” Reade said. “We’ve been trying to arrange something like this, though, for years. I suppose they felt we were a little too eager, and were afraid we’d try something. Larry, I can explain it very easily. First of all, we don’t want to offend Darkovan aristocrats. But more than that. This is the first time that Darkovans of power and position have actually made an advance of personal friendliness to any Terran. They trade with us, they accept us here, but they don’t want to have anything to do with us personally. This is like a breach in that wall. You have a unique opportunity to be—a sort of ambassador for Terra. Perhaps, to show them that we aren’t anything to fear. And then, too—” He hesitated. “Very few Terrans have ever seen anything of this planet except what the Darkovans wanted us to see. You should keep very careful records of everything you see, because something you don’t even realize is important might mean everything to us.”
    Larry saw through that at once.
    “Are you asking me to   spy   on my friends?” he asked, in outrage.
    “No, no,” Reade said quickly, even though Larry felt very clearly that Reade was thinking that he was a little too clever. “Just to keep your eyes open and tell us what you see. Chances are they will be expecting you to do that anyhow.”
    Montray interrupted, pacing the floor restlessly, “I don’t like having my son used as a pawn in powerpolitics. Not by Darkovans trying to get next to us—and not by the Terran Empire trying to find outabout Darkover, either!”
    “You’re exaggerating, Montray. Look, at least a few of the higher Darkovan caste may be telepaths; we couldn’t plant the kid on them as a spy, even if we tried. It’s just a chance to know a little more about them.”

    He appealed directly to Larry: “You say you liked this Darkovan youngster. Doesn’t it make sense—totry and build friendly relations between the two of you?”
    That thought had already crossed Larry’s mind. He nodded. Montray said reluctantly, “I still don’t likeit. But there’s nothing I can do.”
    Reade looked at him and Larry was shocked at the quick expression of triumph and power in the man’sface. He thought,   He enjoys this   . He wondered, suddenly, why he could see into the man this way. Hewas sure he knew more about Commander Reade than Reade wanted him to know. Reade said softlyover Larry’s