The monarch looked up, met Kiley's eye, and froze. "Of course," he said politely. "Go right ahead." And he stood to one side while Kiley plundered the crown jewels.

From there, he travelled to the spaceport outside the city, where he commandeered a small one-man ship by asking its pilot to leave. Guided by Thaklaru, he arranged for clearance and blasted off.

It had been simple. Terribly, terribly simple—almost dull, Kiley reflected, as his ship sped through space toward Thaklaru's home world. He wondered idly what his partner-in-crime looked like. A grotesque pulsating slug floating in a bath of some slimy fluid, perhaps? It would have to be something along those lines, Kiley thought—something that would keep Thaklaru from entering the worlds of the galaxy by himself and taking whatever he pleased.

"We make a good team, Thaklaru," Kiley said aloud.

True, the alien said. With my power and your agility, we could steal anything the galaxy contained.

Kiley turned and looked at the heap of jewels again. Two million stellors! Quickly, he computed the value in Earth currency, and gasped. The haul was worth nearly ten billion dollars!

Perspiration broke out all over him. He tried frantically not to think what he was thinking, but there was no way to keep the thoughts from flooding into his mind.

He heard Thaklaru chuckling. No, Kiley. There's no way you can cheat me of my share of the wealth.

"Dammit, Thaklaru, do you have to keep listening to my mind? Can't I have a little privacy?"

Don't fear, Kiley. Your reaction is a perfectly understandable one, and I hold no rancor against you for desiring great wealth. I expect you to think that way—which is why I keep listening to you. I never trust an accomplice, remember.

A new thought entered Kiley's mind. "Say—what do you need these jewels for? Seems to me you could have anything you wanted, money no object—so why do you want to be rich?"

Rich? I do not want to be rich. The jewels are pretty, though—and I like beautiful things. I covet them for purely esthetic reasons.

"Okay with me," Kiley said. "I have more practical ends in mind."

It is understandable. Ah—you are approaching my home world now. Please prepare for deceleration.

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