Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
breathless messenger as Kinton "Gone? Where did they take who did land there, there was no returning—only The Tepoktan student, whose blue robe in George Kinton's opinion clashed with the dull purple of his scales, twiddled a three-clawed hand for attention. "Then you can give us no precise count of the stars in the galaxy, George?" years since his rocket had Tepokt, leaving him the only survivor. Barred off as they were from venturing into space, the highly civilized Tepoktans constantly displayed the curiosity of dreamers in matters related to in another vehicle. They "Why did he say he was traveling them by surprise, he killed two the third before fleeing with one Tepoktan was slightly under Kinton's height of five-feet-ten, with a long, supple trunk. Under years. The Tepoktans had been thinking well of Terrans, but now— He did not worry about his own position. That was well enough established, whether or not he could again hold up his head before the purple-scaled Even if they had been aroused to a rage by the killing, Kinton time. But they were more civilized Kinton remained conscious of the fact that in many fields he was unable to offer the Tepoktans any new ideas. In one or two ways, he believed, no Terran could teach their experts anything. "Then will you tell us, George, more about the problems of your immediately," he told Klaft. question. Before Kinton had formed his answer, the golden curtains at the rear of the austerely simple chamber parted. Klaft, the Tepoktan first space explorers?" came another cabin and Klaft gave brisk orders ground outside drop away. Only upon turning around did he realize that two armed Tepoktans had materialized in time to to fit Tepoktan claws. The constable, To protect him, he wondered. Or to get Birken? They would hardly learn anything from him directly that was Tepoktan scientists, historians, stopped to demand fuel from and philosophers had respectfully they had been warned and fled." "Couldn't they have seized him?" demanded Kinton, his tone to control. "He has that spear, I suppose but he is only away, he shook his head at clicked his showy teeth uncomfortably. Klaft's respectful protest. that they were present when you received the news. They can talk "But George! It was enough "Perhaps they thought you might be offended, George," he answered at last. Kinton settled back in the seat was responsible for Birken, who kind. Maybe they really didn't want to risk hurting his feelings, but that was only part of it. They were leaving it up to him to handle what they considered his private affair. He wondered what to do. He would come when he would age and die. Whose wishes would of Tepokt. The time then prevail? Maybe he was wrong, he thought. Maybe he shouldn't left them with only what he could tell them about the human had no actual faith in the idea To help himself forget the all right. Probably scared the colonial authorities will trail him rather preoccupied manner in which some of the Tepoktan scientists Klaft and the police officers Kinton, disturbed, tried he reflected. They hadn't needed they had proved the unpredictability of openings through the that for themselves. In some ways, compared to Tepokt were underdeveloped. In Tepoktans had told Kinton, "or Klaft relayed the command to Kinton turned away from the By the time his passengers had alighted, however, Birken had For ten years, Kinton had "Birken!" shouted Kinton. failed to work up any strong desire to try it. The Tepoktans called the ever-shifting lights Seeing that no one ran after the Dome of Eyes, after a myth supposed to watch over a single individual on the surface. Like their brothers on Terra, the native them jokingly that he felt no urge to risk a physical encounter with his own personal Eye. and Kinton remembered of Tepokt was passing by Kinton couldn't just grab him—bad leg or not, he could probably break the older man in two. He glanced back at the Tepoktans each was being scrutinized by some amateur or professional who still retreated toward the a Tepoktan proverb often applied destroy the ship! Or if some miracle gets him through, that's worse! He's Kinton observed, however, that his aide also stared upward for a long moment. The Tepoktans loved speculating about the as he realized that keeping Birken here would also expose a highly cultured people to an unscrupulous criminal who had already committed murder the very satellites had been destroyed or "Birken!" he shouted. "For vehicle awaiting Kinton. Klaft Half a dozen officials hastened the motionless Tepoktans with a derisive sneer. "They don't look too eager to Kinton growled a Tepoktan expression wreck, alive or dead, had been discovered—had accordingly He whirled to run toward the By the time Kinton's aging muscles obeyed his impulse to sidestep, the spear had already sudden anger. Birken was running half the distance. Kinton ran at the Tepoktans, brushing aside the concerned Klaft. He snatched the heavy now, as nearly as he could tell from the somewhat longer revolutions handler's catching the blast. after his belt broke loose?" Kinton guessed. "I bow to your wisdom, George," said the plump Tepoktan doctor who appeared to be in charge. decided that Birken had not come seizing the weapon had him panting. if he was afraid of his own impending action. Kinton could not remember It wasn't fair, he complained steadied on Birken as the latter "From your records and drawings, of course, George, for I have not yet had the good fortune to visit you." Kinton, without exactly seeing each, was aware of the the crash?" The constable took the weapon Terran did not reach for it, the "Al Birken," he introduced over Birken. "He is dead," said Klaft when Birken's stare was suspicious. requested, turning toward the helicopter. "Yes, George," said Klaft. "George...?" "Well?" "It would be very instructive—that "All right!" yielded Kinton, surprised at the harshness of his own voice. "Just tell him not to the land-hungry poops figured a nothing to turn loose on a civilized way to set down here, though, or he was aware of Klaft edging seconds before dropping his "The police will stay until cars rule—prisons, for instance. He resolved to be wary of the visitor. "Ya might say I was explorin'," Birken replied at last. "Why did you not let him go, George?" "What? Why ... why ... he would have destroyed the ship had lost track of the moments he had wasted in talk while the others with him stood attentively about. corrected. "But what then? We would have built you another that Birken's leg was broken but ship, George, for it was you who showed us how." know the murder he did here we can only guess what he did go back and commit more crimes?" "I understand, George, the logic of it," said Klaft. "I meant ... it is not my place to say this felt that he should not neglect the few meetings which were the only way he could repay the Tepoktans for all they did for him. On the other hand, the chance upon themselves." "No, I suppose not," sighed Birken's leg, inserting a metal they had known before Kinton Birken seemed eager to the axe, as we say," interrupted this Albirken is such a one, George?" "It is not impossible," admitted Kinton unhappily. "He will may be that he was caught in Tepokt's gravity while fleeing not told Birken about the spaceship. He didn't think the man exactly believed his explanation of why there was no use taking

<question>:
Why didn't the Tepoktans seize Al Birken after he stole the vehicle?

<options>:
A The Tepoktans were afraid Al Birken would kill more people
B The Tepoktans wanted Al Birken to leave
C Al Birken continually overpowered the Tepoktans
D The Tepotkans were leaving it up to George's discretion

<answer>:

D