"Huh?" Gus said as he stared at the visitors at his door.

"I said the village needs your help," Mayor Gregory shouted at the old wizard. "We need you to deal with, uh, with something that just arrived."

"Alright, alright. I was having a good nap, but I'll come," Gus said as he grabbed a cloak. "What is it this time? Another troll?"

"No," Gregory answered as he led Gus through the crowd and down the hill. "We haven't had a troll for about five months."

"A basilisk?"

"Definitely not a basilisk," Gregory said.

"Well, what is it then?"

"I don't know," the mayor admitted. "We were hoping that you, with your great knowledge of strange beasts, might recognize it."

"You mean you hope I can take care of it," Gus said. After an awkward silence, the wizard continued, "What's it look like?"

"Like that," Gregory said pointing to a small being standing next to a metallic-looking tube in the middle of a burnt field. The being had two large blue eyes on either side of a round green head.

After Gregory gave him a shove, Gus walked toward the being, trying unsuccessfully to think of anything referenced in his books resembling such a creature.

"I desire communication with your leader," the being stated to Gus.

"Huh?" the wizard said. "Our reader? We really don't have one. I used to read more than anyone in the village, but I can't see so well anymore. No one here does much now. Try the city. Many readers there, some do nothing but argue about books all day."

After a pause, the being said, "It appears the linguistic lessons on your primitive language were deficient. I desire to know who here is in control."

"Control? That's a different question. However, when I think about it, the answer isn't much different. We have a mayor, Gregory's his name, but he's not in control, whatever he says. The businesses really run things anymore, so you could check with the brothel owner, or the blacksmith. However, whenever there's trouble, they come to me first, so I guess I'm the leader when it comes to dealing with problems."

"No recognized leader, not even any apparent reading. Describe the nature of your civilization."

"I have to admit," Gus replied, "we aren't all that civilized."

"What leads to that conclusion?"

"Primarily because of the way the elders are treated. In my day, the young folk respected their elders. Not anymore."

"You speak as if civilization here, such as it is, has regressed rather than progressed."

"You mean gone backwards? Definitely. It's gotten much worse through the years. The young today just don't respect us old people anymore."

"Is there more civilization in the location called 'the city'?"

"I haven't been there for some years, but the city was missing more civilization than it had. There were books and artists, some fancy plays, stuff like that. But also lots of poverty, thievery, many rude people all over the place. I can't imagine the old folks get the respect they deserve there."

"Would I find greater civilization elsewhere?"

"Doubt it. One thing I've learned through the years is that people are the same wherever you go. Some are nicer than others, but in the end, people are people."

"What about entities who are not people. Would I find a greater degree of civilization among the non-people?"

"Hardly," Gus said with a laugh. "You will find less, for certain. Trolls are stupid. Dragons aren't but they're all self-centered. Dwarfs are short and greedy. More civilization among the non-humans? That's crazy. Where are you from anyway?"

"Very, very far away."

"Must be to ask a silly question like that. Why are you here?"

"To examine whether our civilizations could engage in cultural and economic interchanges. However, it seems your world unprepared ready to deal with us, nor able to exchange anything of value to our more advanced society."

"I dunno' know if you're all that advanced, with you looking for civilization with the non-people. But you're probably right about us not being able to deal with each other. Have a good trip back home. I'm going back to my afternoon nap."