l. "I'd like to get
started with the inspection as soon as possible."

"Inspection or investigation?" suggested Goat, sniffling. "Well, no
matter. I have nothing to hide."

He led them down a dim, dusty corridor, stretching deep into the dark
bowels of the building, and turned aside into a paper-stacked room which
evidently was his study. He went straight to a big desk, sat down,
swivelled his chair around and waved them to seats. Nuwell shuffled a
little uncomfortably, then sank into a chair, but Maya remained standing
by the door, her small traveling bag in her hand, indignation rising in
her.

"Before you settle down to charts and questions, Dr. Hennessey, do you
mind showing us to our rooms so we may wash away some of the travel
dust?" she asked icily, black eyes snapping.

At this, Goat jumped to his feet, sincere contrition in his face wiping
out all traces of his irritated gruffness.

"I'm very sorry!" he exclaimed. "I hope you will forgive my manners, but
I've lived and worked here alone in the desert so long that I had
forgotten the niceties of civilization."

This apology cleared the air. Goat showed them their overnight quarters,
adjoining rooms which were not luxurious but were reasonably
comfortable, and after a time the three of them congregated once more in
Goat's study, all of them in better humor.

"Let us have some wine first," suggested Goat. "This is very good red
wine, imported from Earth."

He went to the door and shouted into the corridor.

"Petway!"

Goat returned to his chair. A few moments later, a twittering noise
sounded in the corridor, then a horrible little apparition appeared in
the door. It was a child-sized creature, naked, grotesquely
barrel-chested and teetering on thin, twisted legs. Its hairless head
was skull-like, with gaping mouth and huge, round eyes.

Maya gasped, profoundly shocked. The little creature looked more like a
miniature Martian native than a human, but the Martians themselves were
not so distorted. She saw her own shock reflected in Nuwell's face.

"Petway, get us three glasses of wine," commanded Goat calmly.

Petway vanished and Goat turned briskly back to his guests.

"Now," he said, "I shall outline the progress of my experiments to you
and answer any questions you may have."

3

Maya's education was extensive, but it did not include the genetic
sciences. She was able to follow Goat's explanations and his references
to the charts he