Turning Point

The discovery of a new inhabited planet is a great joy, but with this one—Joril—something immediately went wrong. The natives were friendly and curious; they quickly learned the language, asked many smart questions, and—most importantly—absorbed Earth’s knowledge at incredible speed. What’s more, the Jorilians clearly surpass Earthlings in intelligence. The Earthlings are frightened; it seems the existence of their own civilization is under threat.