Chapter 22

           HewasstandingwithhisbacktoArthurwatchingtheverylastglimmersoflightsinkintoblacknessbehindthehorizon.Hewastallish,elderlyanddressedinasinglelonggreyrobe.Whenheturnedhisfacewasthinanddistinguished,carewornbutnotunkind,thesortoffaceyouwouldhappilybankwith.Buthedidn’tturnyet,noteventoreacttoArthur’syelpofsurprise.

           Eventuallythelastraysofthesunhadvanishedcompletely,andheturned.Hisfacewasstillilluminatedfromsomewhere,andwhenArthurlookedforthesourceofthelighthesawthatafewyardsawaystoodasmallcraftofsomekind—asmallhovercraft,Arthurguessed.Itshedadimpooloflightaroundit.

           ThemanlookedatArthur,sadlyitseemed.

           "Youchooseacoldnighttovisitourdeadplanet,"hesaid.

           "Who…whoareyou?"stammeredArthur.

           Themanlookedaway.Againakindofsadnessseemedtocrosshisface.

           "Mynameisnotimportant,"hesaid.

           Heseemedtohavesomethingonhismind.Conversationwasclearlysomethinghefelthedidn’thavetorushat.Arthurfeltawkward.

           "I…er…youstartledme…"hesaid,lamely.

           Themanlookedroundtohimagainandslightlyraisedhiseyebrows.

           "Hmmmm?"hesaid.

           "Isaidyoustartledme."

           "Donotbealarmed,Iwillnotharmyou."

           Arthurfrownedathim."Butyoushotatus!Thereweremissiles…"hesaid.

           Themanchuckledslightly.

           "Anautomaticsystem,"hesaidandgaveasmallsigh."Ancientcomputersrangedinthebowelsoftheplanettickawaythedarkmillennia,andtheageshangheavyontheirdustydatabanks.Ithinktheytaketheoccasionalpotshottorelievethemonotony.