The Seedling Stars

by James Blish

  "Why, to show the superiority of the basic type. Captain," Hoqqueah said softly. "Surely you cannot admit that a pack of seal-men are your betters, on your own ancestral ground!"

  He bowed and went to the door. Just before he reached it, be turned and looked speculatively at Gorbel and at Lt. Averdor, who was staring at him with an expression of rigid fury.

  "Or can you?" he said. "It will be interesting to see how you manage to comport yourselves as a minority. I think you lack practice."

  He went out. Both Gorbel and Averdor turned jerkily to the screen, and Gorbel turned it on. The image grew, steadied, settled down.

  When the next trick came on duty, both men were still staring at the vast and tumbled desert of the Earth.