Callistan n. 1

‘Miro thinks,’ the Chief, continued unheeding, ‘that the Callistans know more about this than they admit. He has a theory that Callisto is somehow gathering up these ships to use in a surprise attack against his own planet, Ganymede. He says Callisto has always hated them.’ ‘Damn good reason,’ Grant said laconically.

Our hosts had put all their blankets and tarpaulins at the service of the men, and had joined the weary circle at the fire’s edge, after turning over the rocket runabout to Diane for her private castle. On the morrow, she and Boaz and the three Callistans would start for Nunei, and there arrange for a transport ship to come back for the rest of us.

Why should the culture of the Callistans have deteriorated so, if it had once been as great as his fancy pictured it? [Ibid. 68/1] Oh, yes, there were answers, even if they might seem far-fetched to a human being. And it was to be remembered that the Callistans were not human beings. The substance that composed them was not even protoplasm!

Air pressure, humidity, radiation densities, atmosphere chemistry, temperatures, cultural conditions—those things are all simple. But how about acceleration? We could use a centrifuge for the Jovians, but Martians and Titans and Callistans and the rest of the small-planet people—that’s another matter. There is no way to reduce Earth-normal gravity.

The Callistans have confidence in their candidate. They wish to know, however, what standards of beauty will be employed. It would be unfortunate if terrestrial standards— [Ibid. ii. 68/2] Do you mean to say you can look at an aquatic Venusian and put out of mind the fact that to you she resembles a particularly loathsome variety of squid? If you were a Callistan, could you regard a terrestrial cutie as anything more attractive than a grub? Abstract standards, my eye!

Neither were there any vacant tables. Jason Hart solved that problem by hurling a gaunt, large-eared Callistan to the floor and taking over. Such treatment was traditional for Callistans, and was accepted by them as a necessary evil when they were so foolhardy as to mingle with Earthmen and Martians. Jackals who scavenge at a feast of lions can expect little courtesy of their hosts. The Callistan scowled and muttered fiercely for a moment, and then ignominiously departed.

‘That furry mind reader, Koot, is certain to foul-up our plans!... We must take some prisoners before our allies, the Callistans, get here! And NOW!’ Meanwhile, the Callistans, age old enemies of Earth, near the space station...

Zoon whispered. ‘No kidding, look. Look with the eyes of a Callistan. Have you ever seen anything more unbelievable?’ Rake looked at the goldfish. It opened and closed its little mouth, staring back at Rake. Yes; when you stopped to think of it, here was a solid gold, goggle-eyed individual alive in a genuine watery world, so near and yet so far, with translucent fins, gently stirring the water, and its eyes mirroring eons of undistilled history... ‘Perfect! We’ll send the fish to Callisto,’ Rake said happily.

‘Can I help you?’ the girl asked. Clad only in sandals and a simple yellow tunic that was draped to a point fifteen centimeters below her navel, she was obviously a Callistan, violet skin and all.

5. The Corsair took his name from a term for ‘privateer’—a sort of legitimate pirate. Some people assumed that this was because the Corsair did things for the Time Lords that they could deny responsibility for—such as stealing the secret of the Callisto Pulse from the Callistan Kleptocracy. The Corsair denied having stolen the Callisto Pulse. The Time Lords denied having asked him to steal it. The Callistans would like their Pulse back.