nd he had been afraid when he had discovered
this fact that he had arrived too late. But the first attempts at
establishing communication had relieved the Triomed of his fears. The
indigenous viruses were primitive; not at all like his own illustrious
ancestors of ancient Triom.

The sleeping biped relaxed and the Triomed inched forward again, a flat,
almost two dimensional smear of glistening matter on the floor in front
of the biped.

From high above the planet's night side, the Triomed had sensed the
city. He had absorbed its shape and size and meaning while his craft
settled through the heavy, oxygen-rich air. It was not enough that his
instruments told of suitable hosts. He was a scientist and believed in
absolute proof. Also, he had been in space long--without the
satisfaction of a host--and he yearned for the rapport, the domination
of a warm-blooded creature.

There had been a dark segment in the brilliant pattern of the city. An
island of solitude amid the myriad confluences. It was there that he had
landed his tiny probe ship and hidden it among the thickly wooded
glades. Almost immediately he had sensed the nearness of many creatures.
Insects, plants, warm-blooded quadrupeds and bipeds. There had been
machines and buildings and winding roadways among the trees. Darkness
had covered his progress until at last he found himself near the
sleeping creature, ready to infiltrate and take command.

* * * * *

The glistening shape elongated, became a thread-like tendril of almost
gossamer thickness. It touched the flesh of the sleeper and thrilled
with pleasure. Cautiously, the Triomed moved up the hairy leg, an
invisible strand of alien life close to the warm skin. Presently, the
strand found the opening it sought. It slithered imperceptibly into the
moist warmth of the sleeper's nostril, moved through the tear-duct into
the space behind the eyeball. Here it probed through muscle and membrane
along the base of the brain, seeking the pineal gland.

And found it, penetrated it, coiling like a microscopic serpent within
the gland. A surge of pleasure went through the Triomed. Here was
safety. The host was large, powerful and vibrant with life. Quickly, the
Triomed established dominance. It was shockingly easy. The creature's
mind was immature, primitive. Briefly it struggled and then died as the
alien poisoned the identity centers of the brain.

New sensations poured in through unf