"I'm still not seeing what the army has to do with picking a candidate to visit the Ant Planet."

Hershel was getting frustrated again. He took a deep breath.

"Listen. If the ants have armies that's the kind of thing that the Pentagon finds ... very alarming. They would much rather have someone go who can asses the size of their forces, who can give the proper sort of perspective."

"Like a spy?"

"God no."

"So I can't be a spy?"

"No. No spies."

"Are they going to say I can't go?"

5/