Plot

A young boy befriends an elderly neighbor and discovers his dark secret. / An alien ambassador comes to Earth and threatens its destruction. / A couple get knocked out of sync with time and meet the work crew that builds each minute.

Emile Francis Bendictson appears to be a kind senior citizen, but there's more to him than meets the eye. / An alien ambassador attends a meeting of the United Nations. / Michael and June Wright awaken to find their home overrun by faceless laborers.—Anonymous

A SMALL TALENT FOR WAR SYNOPSIS:

The United Nations is awaiting the arrival of an alien ambassador. They are excited at meeting an emissary from another planet. But when the emissary arrives, the story he tells is deadly. He claims that his people are responsible for helping to seed life on Earth, and they have watched Earth's civilization carefully as it grew and evolved. His people are angry and disappointed to see that Earth's humans have 'a small talent for war--' in complete failure for the plans and hopes the ambassador's people hoped to see them grow into. Therefore, his people's full war fleet is arriving in 24 hours to destroy all life on Earth. The UN Diplomats frantically beg for another chance to set things right in the alien people's eyes. The ambassador, indifferent, asks what they could possibly hope to accomplish. The American diplomat points out that the alien fleet isn't due to arrive for 24 hours-- at least give Earth that much time. The alien ambassador is still skeptical, but knowing that the Earth people are right in that his fleet isn't arriving for 24 hours, agrees to the request.

The UN Diplomats discuss and debate tirelessly into the evening and night, struggling to come to worldwide agreements. The alien ambassador presents himself to the UN Council on time at the end of the 24 hours, and the council proudly presents him with a completed peace treaty-- rules and plans for global disarmament and all humans living in peace.

The alien ambassador stares at the treaty and begins to laugh. As his laughter grows louder, the council begins to join in-- but suddenly the ambassador hurls the treaty to the floor, and still amused, tells the council that they've misunderstood him. Earth's 'small talent for war' is in fact TOO small for his people's tastes-- his race is a race of warriors that seeds and raises other warrior races to fight across the galaxy with and for them. Earth's savagery hasn't bred true-- humans fight hopelessly backward, erratically and clumsily; their weapons are shockingly crude and primitive, and to top it all off... they hope for PEACE. But it's easily fixed, says the ambassador... his people will simply try again. But he thanks the UN Council for a very amusing meeting, reminding them of a famous Earth quote that death comes easy, but comedy is hard to achieve. The ambassador transports back to his ship and the segment closes with Earth's skies growing dark as the ambassador's people's war fleet arrives to destroy all life on the planet.