"My friends," I said, "you have very little to worry about. There are many similar cases here on Terra. Just last week, for example, a divorce was granted in the case of Nork vs. Nork wherein it was established that the plaintiff, Mr. Nork was allergic to _Mrs._ Nork. A simple case, and not the first of its kind. I myself tried one such case wherein a wife broke out in a rash whenever her husband sought to question her about the household expenses. A divorce was granted on the grounds of basic incompatibility." "Ah," Clare said sadly. "If it were only that simple. Our two correspondents, Gail and Evelyn, are ready to enter the realignment. But--" and here the Venerian glared at the smallest of the trio. "_this_ ungrateful wretch is unwilling to adjust to the changed circumstances." Great tears formed in Jean's slotted eyes. "How can you speak that way to me? After we've been through so much together?" "Now, now--" Thais, who has a very soft heart, patted Jean in an effort to make he she or it feel better. "Get to the point, Clare," Vivian said testily. "It is our understanding that property held in joint tenancy by two contesting parties in a divorce case may be distributed at the discretion of the court." "That's correct," I said. "We contend, therefore, that Jean--" Clare pointed a scaly finger at the small Venerian, "is community property. Vivian's and mine. We wish to make an agreement between us for the disposal of it--" "Wait a _minute_," I said, shocked. "I don't think you understand the community property laws at all. Jean is, by definition, a person. A person cannot be considered property or chattel. Oh, no--" The small Venerian made a face at them. "I told you you couldn't get away with it," she said. "This isn't Venus, you know." "On Venus you would be property," declared Vivian. And to me, he--she--I still get confused about this--added: "My sex was emancipated thirty _ygiths_ ago at home. But Jean's is still considered--what did you call it?--chattel. No vote. No rights. Nothing but symbiosis." "And Clare's is still the--uh--dominant one?" I asked hesitantly. "That's the myth that's perpetrated," Clare declared acidly. "We _guths_ do most of the work, if that means anything." I wrote on my pad: "Guths--breadwinners." "And who--well, forgive my indelicacy, but--" I shrugged mundanely, "who bears the children?" "We all do," the three Venerians chorused at once. Well, that's the way the interview went. When the three Venerians finally left I had a rough outline for the brief on my pad. Besides the other comments, I had the following information: Re Jones and Jones vs Jones, trsex smbytes!! See Ency Clare--guth } Terrestria Vivian--warth } PP 1099, Jean--ith } Vol 17, 09 Ed Jean--Community Property? No. Not under Terr Law See US vs Ignatz Wolk 1999. What then?