enough to classify planets and inhabitants, so as to
chart a space-trend if there is any. I'd say the most important ones
would be geology, stratigraphy, paleontology, oceanography, xenology,
anthropology, ethnology, vertebrate biology, botany, and at least some
ecology."

"That's about the list I was afraid of. But there are only three of us.
The fields you mention number much more."

"Each of you will have to be a lot of specialists in one, then. I'd say
the best split would be planetology, xenology, and anthropology--each,
of course, stretched all out of shape to cover dozens of related and
non-related specialties."

"Good enough. Xenology, of course, is mine. Contacts, liaison, politics,
correlation, and so on, as well as studying the non-human life
forms--including as many lower animals and plants as possible. I'll make
a stab at it. Now, Belle, since you're a Prime and Lola's an Operator,
you get the next toughest job. Planetography."

"Why not?" Belle smiled and began to act as one of the party. "All I
know about it is a hazy idea of what the word means, but I'll start
studying as soon as we get squared away."

"Thanks. That leaves anthropology to you, Lola. Besides, that's your
line, isn't it?"

"Yes. Sociological Anthropology. I have my M.S. in it, and am--was, I
mean--working for my Ph.D. But as Jim said, it isn't only the one
specialty. You want me, I take it, to cover humanoid races, too?"

"Check. You and Jim both, then, will know what you're doing, while Belle
and I are trying to play ours by ear."

"Where do we draw the line between humanoid and non-human?"

"In case of doubt we'll confer. That covers it as much as we can, I
think. Take us down, Jim--and be on your toes to take evasive action
fast."

* * *

The ship dropped rapidly toward an airport just outside a fairly large
city. Fifty thousand--forty thousand--thirty thousand feet.

"Calling strange spaceship--you must be a spaceship, in spite of your
tremendous, hitherto-considered-impossible mass--" a thought impinged on
all four Tellurian minds, "do you read me?"

"I read you clearly. This is the Tellurian spaceship _Pleiades_, Captain
Garlock commanding, asking permission to land and information as to
landing conventions." He did not have to tell James to stop the ship;
James had already done so.

"I was about to ask you to hold position; I thank you for having done
so. Hold for inspection and type-te