Чужак в чужой стране

           Thesecondphrasewaslistedinhismindwithseveralpossibletranslations.IfDoctorNelsonusedit,itmeantonething;ifCaptainvanTrompusedit,itwasaformalsound,needingnoreply.

           Hefeltthatdismaywhichsooftenovertookhimintryingtocommunicatewiththesecreatures-afrighteningsensationunknowntohimbeforehemetmen.Butheforcedhisbodytoremaincalmandriskedananswer."Feelgood."

           "Good!"thecreatureechoed."DoctorNelsonwillbealonginaminute.Feellikesomebreakfast?"

           AllfoursymbolsinthequerywereinSmith’svocabularybuthehadtroublebelievingthathehadheardthemrightly.Heknewthathewasfood,buthedidnot"feellike"food.Norhadhehadanywarningthathemightbeselectedforsuchanhonor.Hehadnotknownthatthefoodsupplywassuchthatitwasnecessarytoreducethecorporategroup.Hewasfilledwithmildregret,sincetherewasstillsomuchtogrokofthesenewevents,butnoreluctance.

           ButhewasexcusedfromtheeffortoftranslatingananswerbytheentranceofDr.Nelson.Theship’sdoctorhadhadlittlerestandlesssleep;hewastednotimeonspeechbutinspectedSmithandthearrayofdialsinsilence.

           ThenheturnedtoSmith."Bowelsmove?"heasked.

           Smithunderstoodthis;Nelsonalwaysaskedaboutit."No,notyet."

           "We’lltakecareofthat.Butfirstyoueat.Orderly,fetchinthattray."

           Nelsonfedhimtwoorthreebites,thenrequiredhimtoholdthespoonandfeedhimself.