Larry Niven Ringworld 1 Ringworld

Author:Ringworld
Language: eng
Format: epub

"You have guessed correctly," said the puppeteer. "Our investigation of safe methods to exterminate the vicious, carnivorous kzinti showed that your species has a high potential, that you could conceivably be of use to us. We took steps to evolve you to the point where you could deal peaceably with races alien to you. Our methods were indirect, and very safe."

"Very. Nessus, I am not happy."

"Neither am I," said Louis Wu.

He had not missed the fact that both aliens were still speaking Interworld. They could have had privacy by using the Hero's Tongue. They had preferred to include the humans — and quite rightly, for it was Louis Wu's quarrel, too.

"You used us," he said. "You used us just as thoroughly as you used the kzinti."

"But to our detriment," Speaker objected.

"A number of men were killed in the Man-Kzin Wars."

"Louis, get off his back!" Teela Brown entered the lists of battle. "Tanjit, if it hadn't been for the puppeteers, we'd all be kzinti slaves! They kept the kzinti from destroying civilization!"

Speaker smiled and said, "We had a civilization, too."

The puppeteer was a silent, ghostly image, a one-eyed python poised to strike. Presumably the other mouth was steering his 'cycle, which by now was a good distance away.

"The puppeteers used us," said Louis Wu. "They used us as a tool, a tool to evolve the kzinti."

"But it worked!" Teela insisted.

The sound was almost a snore, a low and ominous snarl. By now nobody could have mistaken Speaker's expression for a smile.

"It did work!" Teela flared. "You're a peaceful race now, Speaker. You can get along with —"

"Be silent, man!"

"With your equals," she finished generously. "You haven't attacked another species in —"

The kzin produced the modified Slaver digging tool and held it before the intercom so that Teela could see it. She stopped talking suddenly.

"It could have been us," said Louis.

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He had their attention. "It could have been us," he repeated. "If the puppeteers had wanted to breed humans for some trait ..." He stopped. "Oh," he said. "Teela. Sure."

The puppeteer did not react.

Teela shifted under Louis's stare. "What's the matter, Louis? Louis!"

"Sorry. Something just occurred to me ... Nessus, speak to us. Speak to us of the Fertility Laws."

"Louis, have you gone crazy?"

"Uurrr," said Speaker-to-Animals. "I would have thought of that myself, given time. Nessus?" "Yes," said Nessus.

The puppeteees 'cycle was a silver mote, still dwindling to port. It was almost lost against a larger, vaguer bright point ahead, somewhat more distant from the fleet than any two points can be on Earth. The puppeteees intercom image wore the unchanging, unreadable silly face produced by a flat triangular skull and loose, prehensile lips. He could not look dangerous, this one.

"You meddled with the Fertility Laws of Earth."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"We like humans. We trust humans. We have dealt profitably with humans. It is to our advantage to encourage humans, since they will certainly reach the Lesser Cloud before we do."

"Wonderful. You like us. So?"

"We sought to improve you genetically.

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