"Not right now," said Harris calmly. He sat down, crossing his legs. "I'll have to grow some gills first. It may not take much longer, at that." He looked at the Tridentians, who looked in at him. Again, he felt the sensation of being able to recognize individuals. Perhaps he should talk to them more often through Big Fish. "Maybe some of them are really nice fellows," he muttered, "if I just get to know them better." _No_, his friend told him, _they are not very good to eat._ THIRTEEN Time had dragged its slow way past six-thirty. The excuse of a flying start on the Harris case had worn thin to the point of delicacy--to all but one man. The rest of them hoped sincerely that _he_ was keeping himself interested. Westervelt sat at his desk, perusing an article in _Spaceman's_ World about the exploration of a newly discovered planetary system. It might come up in a conference someday, he reflected, and it might be as well to know a few facts on the subject. No life had been discovered on any of the dozen planets, but that did not necessarily preclude the establishment of a Terran colony in the future. The department also had problems with colonies, as witness Greenhaven. He put down the magazine for a moment to review the personnel situation. Parrish, he remembered, had expressed his intention of retreating to his office and putting in an hour or two of desk-heeling. Under the circumstances, he had declared, there was little point in digging further into the files for an idea since that was not at all their primary purpose in staying late. Rosenkrantz, of course, was on watch in the communications room. Smith wandered in and out. Simonetta had taken a portable taper down to Lydman's office to help organize a preliminary report the chief had requested from him. After she had returned, and fallen to low-voiced gossip through the window with Pauline, Beryl had been sent back with a number of scribbled objections for Lydman to answer. Smith had spent all of five minutes thinking them up--before Simonetta brought the original report. Westervelt wondered how soon Beryl would return with the answers, because it would then probably be his turn to ride herd. He did not regard the idea with relish. Smith strolled out of his office. He halted to survey the nearly empty office with an air of vague surprise, then saw Simonetta outside Pauline's cubicle. He went over to join the conversation. _I should have walked out somewhere_, thought Westervelt. _Now the door is completely blockaded._ The magazine article turned dull immediately. Sure enough, in a few minutes Smith approached Westervelt's corner. "Who's on watch, Willie?" he asked, attempting a jovial wink. "Beryl, I think," answered the youth. "Must be--she hasn't been around." "She's been there quite a while," commented Smith. "I have a feeling that it's time for a shift. How about wandering down there and edging in?"