The girl's eyes widened in horror. "But, Matt, every form of life depends directly or indirectly on vegetation--even us!" "Even us," he echoed in a grim voice. "But maybe we can make an island out of this fort. Willie Shaw is experimenting with an aluminum oxide glass to seal us in. Silicon wouldn't do. The engineers are drawing plans for an air-conditioning unit that will destroy the alien amoebas. We are going to enclose the roof in a glass dome. "We can't destroy the alien protozoa all over the world. But we can destroy them inside the fort." "A hot-house culture!" The girl's shoulders slumped. "So that's to be the future of the human race. If we survive at all!" "That's about it," he said. * * * * * Through the windows, he saw four men bearing down on his office. Hi Nesbit, the young palaeontologist, was in the lead. "Here comes trouble," said Matt. He pushed back from his desk and stood up just as the four men entered. Nesbit's lean jaw was thrust out; he planted himself squarely in front of Matt. Matt found himself aching to take a sock at that inviting jaw but he restrained himself. "Well," he said, "why aren't you at work?" Nesbit looked slightly taken aback; then he recovered himself. "Look here, Matt, we've had enough of this shilly-shallying about the women. You don't care, we know; you've got Lynn. But some of us aren't so fortunate...." Matt knocked him sprawling. There was a shocked silence from the others as Nesbit toppled over a chair and hit the floor with his shoulders. The palaeontologist scrambled to his feet, his black eyes insane. He started to swing, but Matt hit him in the mouth. Nesbit reeled back, his mouth spilling blood. "Damn you," said Nesbit. "I'll kill you for this!" He picked up a metal chair. Matt watched the younger man like a hawk as he closed in. There was murder in Nesbit's eyes, heightened by the blood from his mouth. Without warning, Matt kicked Nesbit's feet out from under him and then kicked him in the temple. The palaeontologist went out like a candle. Matt didn't trouble to give Nesbit a second glance, but looked up swiftly at the three men who had accompanied the palaeontologist. "Any more objections?" Their faces were sick. Matt realized that the physical violence had shocked them unutterably. "Get on back to work, then!" he snapped. "And take that crazy trouble-maker with you." They picked up Nesbit silently and were starting to leave when Matt stopped them. "I'll have my eye on you," he said, "so walk softly. As for the women, that's to be decided at the general assembly--tonight. Now get the hell out of here!" At three o'clock, Willie Shaw dropped in at Matt's office, nodded at Lynn who was transcribing notes, and sat down in front of the desk. Willie Shaw was a small dark woman of thirty-five, the expedition's chemist. She was living with Alex Gist, the astro-physicist. Matt said, "Hello, Willie. How's the work coming?"