"You still don't get it. This place is _living_. It's _growing_.
Nothing here except those chairs isn't part of this tree, and I'm not
sure that they weren't. Besides, how did they know that there'd be four
of us?"
"They could have been hopeful, or maybe four is their idea of a
delegation. Remember there were four of them that visited us, and they
suggested that four of us visit them."
"It's obvious," Allardyce added, "that this place _has_ been made for
us. K'wan wasn't lying."
Barger shook his head. "I still don't like it. I think we'd better get
out of here. If they are as good biologists as this tree indicates,
they're a Class VI civilization at least--and we're not set up to
handle levels that high."
"I don't think that's necessary," Allardyce said. "They don't seem
unfriendly, and until they do, we're better off sitting pat and playing
the cards as they're dealt. We can always warn the ship in case
anything goes wrong."
"Don't be jumpy," Alex broke in. "I told you they were all right. They
grew the place for me. It's just grown a little since."