Part 2

_I determined that my planet was quite safe. As your galaxy approached, I determined to conduct an interesting experiment. I constructed a large space ship and planned to fly it to one of the planets of your galaxy. Then I would return to my own planet. I hoped to determine whether your galaxy was similar to mine._

_My people wept at my departure and asked me what would become of them if I did not return. I told them that the officials would care for them. I thought then that I was little more than an ornament and their grief more rhetorical than sincere._

_A bright star was due to pass close to our sun; I entered my space ship and steered toward it. I landed on this planet._

_This is a curious planet, Mr. Simms. You have noticed the phenomenon of the sunset. The surface of the planet expands and contracts all at once, rather than doing so by slow degrees. As a result, the sun rises and sets instantly. When I arrived in my space ship, the phenomenon was much more exaggerated. I emerged from my ship and walked about the planet. I did not expect the contraction which came at sunset. It was terrible: I was thrown against a jagged pinnacle of rock and severely injured. For many centuries I could not move. Slowly I recovered. I returned to my ship. In the course of many such sunsets, it had been shattered to atoms. The delicate instruments had been ruined. I worked many years on the ship, but I could do nothing to repair it. At last I abandoned the task._

_Nothing is left of it now. Millions of years have passed and its dust is mingled with the dust of this planet._

_I watched my people recede from me. When I lay next to the jagged pinnacle that had wounded me, I could still see my planet in the sky. By the time that I was well, I could discern my sun from the other stars only with difficulty._

_The years have passed slowly and now my galaxy is a point of light that I can no longer resolve in the distance._

_I am growing tired, Mr. Simms, and Mr. Bailey still follows me. He shoots at me no longer, but he understands that I must rest. I shall complete my tale as rapidly as I can._

_I waited milleniums, but no one came. Without my aid, my people could never have built a space ship with which to rescue me. I did not have the materials. I waited alone, confident at some times that help would come, confident at most that I would remain here forever ... alone._

_Then you came, Mr. Simms. I saw immediately that your ship was damaged and I knew that it was not damaged badly. I wished to save you from my fate. I wished to repair your ship; I did not dare attempt to repair it, however; you would have thought that I was trying to hurt you and you would have destroyed me. I could only wait until a suitable opportunity presented itself._

_You were very kind, Mr. Simms. You petted me between my eyes. The contact of your hand, the first contact with a living being in millions of years, drove me to distraction. I almost brought you inside me then and there, but I restrained myself. I knew that Mr. Bailey would not understand and would destroy me._

_Now you have told me that you wish to help me. Mr. Simms, I wish to return to my own people. In the course of these years of exile, I have thought many thoughts that will be useful to them. And who was there to instruct them, after my departure? I wish to return to my people, Mr. Simms._

_I believe that you and Mr. Bailey could return me in safety. It would require several major alterations in the design of your ship, but I have thought about such alterations for many years and I am confident that they can be made._

_I do not think that you would regret the voyage. You would be feted at great length; there would be a splendid celebration in the hippodrome and you and Mr. Bailey would be seated in chairs of state. You would find it difficult to leave us. Nor would you go unrewarded in larger coin: I would inform you of the cures to any diseases that may still plague your people and I would give you the answers to many of their ills._

_I would promise your safe return; we would build a great ship for you; it would be a time machine as well as a space craft and would return you to your planet no earlier or later than you might choose. There would be another magnificent celebration to bid you farewell. No, Mr. Simms, you would not regret returning me to my people._

_But let us look at the other side of the matter: It is quite possible that I shall fail. It is quite possible that we would all be destroyed in the starless vastnesses of space. I can offer you no proof of my competence except your repaired radio and your repaired vessel. And those were simple tasks._

_I am very tired, Mr. Simms. I can run no longer. I must let you out. Tell Mr. Bailey what I have told you. I pray that you may decide to help me. I pray, but I do not hope. I am sorry that I hurt you; please forgive me for hurting you, if you do nothing else._

_When I see Mr. Bailey descend and talk to you, I shall cease running. I shall remain where I ceased running. You and Mr. Bailey will decide what you must do. If you will not help me, then I must ask one other favor: Fly to where I am sitting and shoot your weapon at me. I shall not move. I believe that it is capable of destroying me._

* * * * *

Ed Bailey pressed the button again and the purple sphere swerved aside. "Lousy purple punk," he shouted.

The purple sphere stopped in its tracks and the rocket shot past it. Ed swore and swung about. He looked down. A man's body lay stretched on the sand and the purple sphere hurried away.

Ed dropped down and rushed to the side of the prostrate figure.

"I made it drop you," he sobbed over the body, "I made it drop you. My God!--you look half-digested!" He felt Archie Simms' body. "Your arm's broke!"

Archie's lips moved feverishly. "Got to--got to help it--or kill it," he groaned.

"Come on," said Ed. He lifted the wounded man to his shoulders. "You're okay now. Don't talk. I'll get you aboard."

"It saved us--got to help it--or kill it."

"I'll make hash of it," said Ed, placing Archie on his bunk. He procured a hypodermic needle from a wall cabinet. "Sorry, Arch, I'm putting you under till we get back. I can't help you. See you in a month." He plunged the needle into Archie's arm.

"Got to--help it ... or kill it," sobbed Archie weakly. "Got to ... help ... it...." He slept.

Ed slipped behind the controls of the rocket. He pressed a button and the little boat whirled up into the sky. It vanished rapidly into the empty distances.

On a distant hilltop sat the purple sphere. He followed the path of the retreating rocket with sad eyes. He waited for many hours. The sun set and he glowed dimly against the stars. He watched the stars sadly. Then he cried.

He cried for seven days and seven nights.

* * * * *

Eight years passed.

The rocket whirled down from the sky and crashed into the hillside. A cloud of dust rose lazily from the spot and mingled with the fumes escaping from the vessel.

Straightway the escape hatch opened and Archie Simms jumped down to the surface of the planet.

"Here he is, Ed!" he shouted back into the ship. Ed's face appeared in the doorway.

"Fido," he remarked pleasantly.

"We've come," said Archie. "It's been a long drag, but we made it."

The purple sphere's left eye was black and swollen.

"Sorry I shot you," said Ed. "I didn't know...." The purple sphere looked sadly up at him. Archie petted it between the eyes and pointed to the ship.

"There she is," he said. "All yours. Take care of her."

Ed eased down the ramp, then hopped to the ground. He and Archie pushed the purple sphere into the ship.

Archie nudged his partner gently. "Look, Ed, he's smiling!"

"Lousy purple punk," snorted Ed. "You know we won't get out of this mess alive, Simms. Lousy purple punk...."

"Oh, let's have lunch."