!"

Eagerly, the Astronomer questioned Arcot concerning the telectroscope,
but others were clamoring for Arcot's attention.

The Biologist was foremost among the contenders; he seemed worried about
the possibility of the alien Earthmen carrying pathogenic bacteria.

"Torlos has told us that you have an entirely different internal
organization. What is it that is different? I can't believe that he has
correctly understood you."

Arcot explained the differences as carefully as possible. By the time he
was finished, the Biologist felt sure that any such creature was
sufficiently far removed from them to be harmless biologically, but he
wanted to study the Man of Earth further.

Arcot had brought along a collection of medical books as a possible aid
in case of accident. He offered to give these to Nansal in exchange for
a collection of Nansalian medical texts. The English would have to be
worked out with the aid of a dictionary and a primary working aid which
Arcot would supply. Arcot also asked for a skeleton to take with him,
and the Biologist readily agreed.

"We'd like to give you one in return," Arcot grinned, "But we only
brought four along, and, unfortunately, we are using them at the
moment."

The Biologist smiled back and assured him that they would not think of
taking a piece of apparatus so vitally necessary to the Earthmen.

The Military Leader was the man who demanded attention next. Arcot had a
long conference with him, and they decided that the best way for the
Military Leader to learn the war potential of the _Ancient Mariner_ was
to personally see a demonstration of its powers.

The Council decided that the Three would go on the trip. The Military
Commander picked two of his aides to go, and the Scientist picked the
Astronomer and the Physicist. The head of Business and Manufacturing
declined to bring any of his advisors.

"We would learn nothing," he told Arcot, "and would only be in the way.
I, myself, am going only because I am one of the Three."

"Very well," said Arcot. "Let's get started."

XXI

The party descended to the ground floor and walked out to the ship. They
filed into the airlock, and in the power room they looked in amazement
at the tiny machines that ran the ship. The long black cylinder of the
main power unit for the molecular drive looked weak and futile compared
to the bulky machines that ran their own ships. The power storage coils,
with their fields of intense,