rs at the mines. Only five had been Earthlings. Let the
armed-police system find the Martian through their own channels. It
wasn't his job.

* * * * *

A glance at the solar clock on the far wall reminded him there was still
time for one more interview before the last bell, so he impatiently
signaled his secretary to send in the waiting couple.

Ordinarily, he liked his work and time meant little to him. He had
jumped from interpreter to director in the ten years since the
department had been created. But this day was different.

Stark was to announce his engagement at the Chief's monthly dinner party
that evening and time had seemed to drag since his lunch with Carol.

When the door opened, he rose and nodded to the plump, freckle-faced
girl who entered. The girl topped five feet by one or two inches, but
she was no taller than the Martian man who followed her at the
prescribed four feet.

After the girl had seated herself, Stark and the Martian sat down. Stark
opened the folder, which his secretary had placed on his desk earlier.

"Your names are Ruth and Ralph Gilraut? And you want permission to move
into Housing Perimeter D?" It was merely a formality, since the
information was in the folder.

When the girl nodded, Stark placed a small check mark in the space
beside her name. Then he turned to the Martian.

The large, single red eye set deep in the Martian's smooth, green
forehead above the two brown ones blinked twice before he answered.

He spoke deliberately. "As is required of all Martians under the New
System, I have taken the name of one of the early Earthlings to write
and pronounce." The large red eye blinked again. "My wife would like
to move into Housing Perimeter D. By regulation, I respect her wish."

[Illustration]

Stark placed a check mark by the Martian's name. He wiped the smudge of
ink off his hand and said, "You both know, of course, that Perimeter D
is reserved for couples who have intermarried and are about to have
offspring?"

The girl and the Martian nodded, and the girl passed Stark a medical
report. Stark looked over the report and then made a notation on a small
pink slip.

He said, "This permit certifies that you are eligible to move from
Perimeter E to Housing Perimeter D. It also certifies that your husband
has no record as a troublemaker." Stark looked at the girl. "You
understand that you may visit your friends in Perimeter E, but, by law