Chapter 36 Chapter Thirty-Six

The flying saucer that Ford Prefect took a free ride on shocked the world. Finally, without a doubt, without any possibility of misinterpretation, absolutely without hallucinations, without secrets, CIA agents were spotted floating in the reservoir. This time it's real, it's clear.Very clear. That's clear. The flying saucer fell, completely oblivious to everything below, and crushed a swath of the most expensive real estate in the world, including many of Harrods. It was a huge thing, nearly a mile in diameter, and, it was said, silver-gray, and riddled with pits, scorches, and scars of countless victorious battles fought against by the light of stars unknown to man. carried out by brute force.

A hatch opened and fell through Harrods Food Hall, destroying Harvey Nichols (along with Harrods, one of London's three major department stores), and finally with a bang from the devastated building. With a piercing scream, it knocked down the Sheraton Park Pagoda. After a long, heart-pounding burst and roar of mechanical tearing, along the ramp down the hatch, out emerged a huge silver robot, a hundred feet high. It raised a hand. "I have come in peace," it said, adding after a long rasping sound, "take me to meet your lizards." Sir Ford, of course, had an explanation for this, and he was sitting with Arthur watching the crazy news that kept going on on TV, and the reports didn't really say anything, just record the thing that made such a huge Destroyed, costing billions of pounds, and killing so many people, and then re-reported, because the robot did nothing but stand there, gently rocking back and forth, and let out some short, unbearable Understand the error message.

"It's from a very old democratic world, you know..." "You mean, it came from a world of lizards?" "No," said Ford.After finally being forced to drink a cup of coffee, he was a little more rational and coordinated than before, "It's not that simple. Nothing is so straightforward. In its world, ordinary people are human beings." .The leader is the lizard. Man hates the lizard and the lizard leads." "Strange," said Arthur, "I thought you said they were democratic." "I mean," Ford said, "is democracy."

"Then," said Arthur, hoping he didn't sound ridiculously dull, "why don't people drive the lizards away?" “To be honest, they didn’t think about it,” Ford said. “They all had voting rights, so they all believed that the government they voted for was going to be somewhat close to the government they wanted.” "You mean they really voted for lizards?" "Ah yes," said Ford with a shrug, "of course." "But," Arthur was about to ask the important question again, "why?" "Because if they don't vote for one lizard," said Ford, "then another wrong lizard will be in power. Got gin?"

"what?" "I mean," said Ford, with a growing urgency in his voice, "have you got any gin?" "Let me see. Tell me about the lizards." Ford shrugged again. "Some people say lizards are the best thing they've ever met," he said. "Of course they're totally wrong, totally wrong, but someone has to say that." "But that's too bad," said Arthur. "Look, man," Ford said, "if I could have an Altair dollar every time I saw one part of the universe look at another part of the universe and say 'That sucks,' I wouldn't sit Go find a gin here like a lemon. But I don't have one, and I'm here. What the hell, why do you look so calm and moonblind? Are you in love?"

Arthur said yes, he was in love, very calmly. "Does the person you're in love with know where the gin bottle is? Do I have to meet her?" He could, because Finchitch came in at this moment with a newspaper she'd bought in town.She stopped in surprise after seeing a pile of rags on the table and a pile of rags on the sofa. "Where's the gin?" Ford said to Fenchurch.Then he said to Arthur: "Also, what happened to Trillian?" "Well, this is Finchchi," said Arthur embarrassedly. "Trillian is all right. You'll see her." "Oh, by the way," said Ford, "she and Zaphod's gone somewhere. They've had some kids or something. At least," he added, "that's what I thought. Zaphod calmed down, you know."

"Really?" said Arthur.He went to Fenqiqi to help her get the things she bought. "Yes," said Ford, "at least one of his heads is clearer than a drugged-up cassowary now." "Arthur, who's this?" Finchitch said. "Sir Ford," said Arthur, "I should have spoken of him before."