Pemberton. With her walked the three Martian hands whom he had warned
off, their tentacles lifted to ask for parley, their weapons sheathed at
their belts. Sadau was there, and Shanklin.

"Ready, guns," Parr warned Ling and Izak. "Stand clear of us, out
there!" he yelled. "We're going to take off."

"Fitzhugh Parr," called back Varina Pemberton, "you must not."

"Oh, must I not?" he taunted her. "Who's so free with her orders? I've
got a gun myself this time. Better keep your distance."

The others stopped at the warning, but the girl came forward. "You
wouldn't shoot a woman," she announced confidently. "Listen to me."

Parr looked back to where Ruba was fumbling the ship into more definite
action. "Go on and talk," he bade her. "I give you one minute."

"You've got to give up this foolish idea," she said earnestly. "It can't
succeed--even if you take off."

"No if about it. We're doing wonders. Make your goodbyes short. I wish
you joy of this asteroid, ma'am."

"Suppose you do get away," she conceded. "Suppose, though it's a small,
crowded ship, you reach Earth and land safely. What then?"

"I'll blow the lid off this dirty Martian Joke," he told her. "Exhibit
these poor devils, to show what the Martians do to Terrestrials they
convict. And then--"

"Yes, and then!" she cut in passionately. "Don't you see, Parr?
Relations between Mars and Earth are at breaking point now. They have
been for long. The Martians are technically within their rights when
they dump us here, but you'll be a pirate, a thief, a fugitive from
justice. You can cause a break, perhaps war. And for what?"

"For getting away, for giving freedom to my only friends on this
asteroid," said Parr.

"Freedom?" she repeated. "You think they can be free on Earth? Can they
face their wives or mothers as they are now--no longer men?"

"Boss," said Ling suddenly and brokenly, "she tell true. No. I won't go
home."

It was like cold water, that sudden rush of ghastly truth upon Parr. The
girl was right. His victory would be the saddest of defeats. He looked
around him at the beast-men who had placed themselves under his
control--what would happen to them on Earth? Prison? Asylum? _Zoo_?...

"Varina Pemberton," he called, "I think you win."

The hairy ones crowded around him, sensing a change in plan. He spoke
quickly:

"It's all off, boys. Get out, one at a time, and rush away for cover.
Nobody will hurt you--and we'll be no worse off than we