On the glacier planet every animal had been
separately devised from the creatures of Earth. There were resemblances,
explicable as the result of parallel evolution. By analogy, there could
not be exactly identical mankind on another world because evolution
there would be parallel but not the same. But if there were even a
mental equal to men, no matter how unhuman such a creature might appear,
if there were a really rational animal anywhere in the cosmos off of
Earth, the result would be catastrophic.
"We humans," Cochrane told her, "live by our conceit. We demand more
than animality of ourselves because we believe we are more than
animals--and we believe we are the only creatures that are! If we came
to believe we were not unique, but were simply a cleverer animal, we'd
be finished. Every nation has always started to destroy itself every
time such an idea spread."
"But we aren't only clever animals!" protested Babs. "We _are_ unique!"
Cochrane glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.
"Quite true."
Holden still stood patiently before the patch of reeds, still seemed to
talk, still with his hands outstretched in what men consider the
universal sign of peace.
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