"One thing only we would
request."
The Chief Executive was completely relaxed now. Someone was asking him for something. "Just tell me how I can be of assistance."
"We do not wish to be restricted to this one small burrow. We want to be able to move about freely, to go where we wish.
It is vital to our health."
Chad listened to the bold-faced lie and fought to control his expression. He couldn't help but wonder if the Quozl had decided to present their
request in this fashion or if they'd been coached by the ever-prescient Arlo.
"Naturally we don't wish to jeopardize your well-being in any way." The President was at his paternal best. "You will be allowed to go wherever you wish-militarily sensitive installations excepted, of course." An inadvertent moan rose from one corner of the room, from the vicinity of assistant head of the National Security Agency. The President took note of it and smoothly modified his response.
"I hope you won't think it forward of us to insist that you have an escort with you wherever you travel, to prevent you from being mobbed by adoring citizens. There exists in this country a real danger of people becoming too friendly-and though it pains me to say so, there are also those who might pose a danger to you simply because you are presently the object of much public attention. This is something I am familiar with firsthand. So you require protection for two reasons."
"Are we already so accepted, then?"
