Why the sudden V.I.P. treatment for Charles?
Orders.
Whose? Lew talked instead during the flight about antigravity. Not only could the aliens steer something twice the volume of the Great Pyramid at Giza, but each was using a personal flying pack. Those whirry little wings couldn't support their body weight, let alone zip them along at jet speed. After the first week or so the scouts flew back non-stop to the hive--even from the other side of the world--then returned to wherever to continue sightseeing.
"Repulsion machinery,' said Lew, 'that's the theory. They're using the fifth force in nature, called, um, hypercharge. When we measure hypercharge it's gentle. Tiny. But our eggheads guess there are actually two extra forces involved, um, Yukawa terms, that's the name, both of 'em big. Only, one is attractive and the other's repulsive.' ('Like the Flies themselves,' Charles could hear his Dad mutter.) 'So those almost cancel out. Well, the Flies have figured how to nix the attractive force, letting them tune the repulsive one. That may give them a force-field too. Deflect interstellar debris.'
Lew was clearly no physicist. It was already plain to Charles how the CIA and KGB would be operating within UNCO, doing their best to be Cosmic Interstellar Agency and Kosmic Galaxy Bureau, both fishing for the secrets of the Flies.
Then there was the communication problem. Was the aliens' use of English and Russian deliberately poor? Their own lingo of whistles and chirps was uncrackable.
The bottom line: what was their game?
"The sun's going to blow up? They know, but we don't?' mused Lew. 'They've guessed that we might wipe ourselves out? Shame to lose such a neat civilization totally. Let's remember it, guys. Or is "remember Earth' a euphemism for shoving us aside? Meaning that we'll be no more than a memory?'
"Maybe they're the first interstellar package tour?'
"Without anything you'd call a camera? Just staring at things?'
"That's the way to see a world.'
Lew cocked an eyebrow, then shrugged. 'Welcome aboard the puzzle wagon.'
)
