possible," the Inspector agreed, equably enough. "We
are not invincible. However, it would do you no good. If any one of you
four leaves that so-heavily-insulated vessel in the atmosphere of this
planet you will die. Not quickly, but slowly and with difficulty."

"But you haven't tested _me_!" Belle said. "Do you mean they'll attack
us on sight?"

"There is no need to test more than one. Anyone who could live near any
of you could not live on this planet. Nor will they attack you. Don't
you know what the thought 'incompatible' means?"

"With us it does not mean death."

"Here it does, since it refers to life forces. The types are mutually,
irreconcilably antagonistic. Your life forces are very strong. Thus, no
matter how peaceable your intentions may be, many of our human beings
would die before you would, but you will not live to get back to your
ship if you land it and leave its protective insulation."

"Why? What is it? How does it work?" Belle demanded.

"It is not my business to know; only to tell. I have told. You will go
away now."

Garlock's eyes narrowed in concentration. "Belle, can you blast? I mean,
could you if you wanted to?"

"Certainly ... why, I don't _want_ to, Clee!"

"I don't, either--and I'll file that one away to chew on when I'm hungry
some night, too. Take her up, Jim, and try another shot."

* * *

Numbers Five to Nine, inclusive, were neither productive nor eventful.
All were, like the others, Hodell all over again, in everything
fundamental. One was so far advanced that almost all of its humanity
were Seconds; one so backward--or so much younger--that its strongest
telepaths were only Fours. The Tellurians became acquainted with, and
upon occasion fought with, various types of man-sized monsters in
addition to the three varieties they had seen on Hodell.

Every planet they visited had Arpalones and Arpales. Not by those names,
of course. Local names for planets, guardians, nations, cities, and
persons went into the starship's tapes, but that welter of names need
not be given here; this is not a catalogue. Every planet they visited
was peopled by _Homo Sapiens_; capable of inter-breeding with the
Tellurians and eager to do so--especially with the Tellurian men. Their
strict monogamy was really tested more than once; but it held. Each had
been visited repeatedly by starships; but all Garlock could find out
about them was that they probably came from a w