 Why did the Viceroy blockade the Earth if he wanted an Earthling to come and meet with him?
The sight of an Earthman on Vega III, where it was impossible for an outlander to be, brought angry crowds to surround John Crownwall as he strode toward the palace of Viceroy Tronn Ffallk, ruler of Sector XII of the Universal Holy Empire of Sunda. If they carried out the threats of their present attitude, Earth would have to send Marshall to replace him. A pair of guards, their purple hides smoothly polished and gleaming with oil, crossed their ceremonial pikes in front of him as he approached the entrance. "Just tell him that a man has arrived from Earth to talk to him. An elegant courtier, with elaborately jeweled harness, bustled from inside the palace, obviously trying to present an air of strolling nonchalance. "It's customary to genuflect when you enter the Viceroy's presence," said the standing one at last. "It was only decided yesterday, back on Earth, that I would be the one to make the trip here. What I meant was that I expected someone from Earth to break through our blockade and come here. "If you wanted someone from Earth to come here to see you, why did you put the cordon around Earth? And why did you drop a planet-buster in the Pacific Ocean, and tell us that it was triggered to go off if we tried to use the distorter drive? "I'm Viceroy of one of the hundred Sectors of the Empire. When you showed up in the spaceways, it was decreed that you had to be stopped at once.
 The blockade was a test to see if Earthlings were smart enough to help the Vegans defeat the Sundans.
 The blockade was a test to see if Earthlings were smart enough to help the Vegans defeat the Sundans.  The blockade is there to protect Earth from the Sundans.  The blockade is there to quarantine the Earth. Earthlings may have diseases that could infect the other races.  The blockade is there to keep people from leaving the Earth.