 How does the Council feel about Crownwall's decision to go back in time to before the Vegans appeared?
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. "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. Still, if you were on your home planet only yesterday, that's astonishing even to me. "If you wanted someone from Earth to come here to see you, why did you put the cordon around Earth? There was even serious discussion of destroying Earth out of hand, while it is still possible. As an Earthling, you have heard of the details of the first expedition of your people into space, of course?" " Heard about it?" exclaimed Crownwall. It had been manned by a dozen adventurous people, captained by Crownwall, and had headed out on its ion drive until it was safely clear of the warping influence of planetary masses. Then, after several impatient days of careful study and calculation, the distorter drive had been activated, for the first time in Earth's history, and, for the twelve, the stars had winked out. The men of Earth had decided that it should work in theory. In less than a week's time, if time has any meaning under such circumstances, they had flickered back into normal space, in the vicinity of Alpha Centauri. They had quickly located a dozen planets, and one that looked enough like Earth to be its twin sister. They had headed for that planet confidently and unsuspectingly, using the ion drive. Two weeks later, while they were still several planetary diameters from their destination, they had been shocked to find more than two score alien ships of space closing in on them—ships that were swifter and more maneuverable than their own. Although far within the dangerous influence of a planetary mass, they had again activated the distorter drive, and they had beaten the odds. On the distorter drive, they had returned to Earth as swiftly as they had departed.
 They are horrified. They sent Crownwall to make a peace treaty not to commit genocide.
 They are scared. The Sundans will surely attack the Earth now.  They are horrified. They sent Crownwall to make a peace treaty not to commit genocide.  They are sad. They are all alone in the universe now.  They are ecstatic. All of their enemies are gone now.