s we could be killed through some accidental
injury. The principal difference between us and the small animals that
occasionally cause Prime trouble with his landscaping is control. They
have no control over their endocrine systems. We have."

"Of course," Ruut said. "I know that."

"Ah, but perhaps you don't know that our race at one time had no more
control over our endocrine systems than those little animals.

"There are a lot of ways to account for the change, and it makes very
fascinating discussion because it's absolutely unimportant. However,
under such conditions, a human being would automatically reach a certain
stable level of development. But then, after an incredibly short time,
the essential chaos within its body due to lack of endocrine control
causes it to deteriorate. Eventually it is no longer capable of
sustaining life and it dies."

The physician moved his hands in an awkward but eloquent gesture. "And
that's all there is to it."

"Oh," Ruut murmured in an awed tone, not even comprehending the extent
of the disease but trying to accept the staggering idea of natural
death. "Can't you do anything for him?"

Curl turned his attention casually back to the sick man again.
"Possibly. Dying, of course, is not a disease in itself, but merely a
symptom of one." He shook his head. "I certainly wish I could examine
him directly without getting involved in a major social crisis."

"Oh, Prime would be furious," Ruut warned.

"No doubt. Well--he said that this started six months ago. Now what
could have happened six months ago?"

"The aliens," Ruut said flatly. "That's what caused it."

"Oh, come now, Ruut," Curl said amusedly. "Don't be superstitious. What
connection could these--these aliens possibly have?"

"Well, that's when the Council clamped down on them. Something funny
about the way they did that, too."

"Not at all funny," Curl told him in a superior tone of voice. "It is
simply that the aliens appeared to be of a higher type of animal class
without communication. Surely you wouldn't want to have anything to do
with such contradictory beings."

"Of course not. But Tensor got sick right after he visited them."

"He went to visit them?" Curl was pensive a moment, and his eyes lighted
up. "In that case, Ruut, there may be some connection after all."

Ruut nodded without speaking.

"Tensor," Curl said thoughtfully, "did you actually go to inspect the
savages?"

"Yes sir."

"When?"

"