Page 31 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Persuading the Zookeeper of Apadat

Kaga clicked on his Languex and approached Lipopotom. “Excuse
us, please,” said the human. “We’ve just had a conference and would
like to restate our offer.”
“That’s fine,” the zookeeper replied. “But you have nothing we
want and we refuse to allow you to set up shop in Apadat; that hasn’t
changed.”
“We appreciate your desire to keep your civilization free of outside
influences,” said Kaga. “But you cannot remain entirely untouched
by our federation. The fact is that we have found you, and your
planet contains a rare mineral possessing a vital pharmacological
property. Our ethics do, in every case, prevent us from taking it from
you by force, or even by subterfuge, without your explicit permission.
You must, however, grant the reasonableness of letting us have a
healing substance that is of no value to you.”
“But even were I to agree to give you the rights to exploit that
resource,” said Lipopotom, “still there is nothing that we want from
you in return. We don’t even want you out in public, where you
could indirectly influence our citizens.”
“I realize that,” assented Kaga, “so we would like to make the
following proposal: our leader, whose displays of anger were of such
interest to you and your assistants, has offered to stay here in your
zoo while the gorkalon is being mined far away from this town. His
base, so to speak, will be a cage of our own design inside the walls of
this building. He would be available for you to study and display to
your visitors during certain hours of the day. This arrangement would
last as long as both parties were satisfied with it. What do you say to
that?”
Giznof and Boku-boku immediately broke out chattering.
Lipopotom silenced them with a gesture, and said to Kaga, “That is
an intriguing arrangement. Let me discuss it with my assistants. We’ll
be right back.”
The Apadatans hopped off their perches and went through the
door into the zoo. A chorus of hoots and yammers greeted their
entrance. Kaga switched off his Languex and turned to Borjug.
“You heard all that, Admiral? Good. This is a way out for you, the
only one. You can stay here while the gorkalon is being extracted,
then retire and return to Saldemesa a hero. You will not suffer any
physical discomforts; we’ll see to that before we leave. The
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