The only useful thing Edith had done in the past month was to help me change the tube liners in the steering jets. Her size and strength had made the job easy--and it was normally a hard one, since the robots didn't have the flexibility or balance that Edith, with her dancer's body, possessed. The job had taken two days. It would have taken better than a week if I had to use robots. The mammals, I thought, would be of distinct value as members of spaceport maintenance crews. Their combination of immense strength and high intelligence would be useful to our society. I made a note of it and added it to the data I was assembling for the Council. It was foolish, perhaps, but I couldn't help feeling an interest in these creatures. I looked across the little valley that was our domain. It was an idyllic life we were leading. Unhurried--peaceful--the sort of life I thoroughly enjoyed. It would have been perfect if it wasn't for the insane and dangerous world on which it was being lived. Of course it was too good to last. Idylls invariably are. The peace of ours was shattered abruptly when Ven came into the drive room and disturbed my work. Her aura blazed a rich violet. "Eu," she said. "Come up to the control room. Something's wrong!" "What," I asked. "It's Edith. I can't do a thing with her." "You're not supposed to. She's working now." "She is not! Her studio has finished the picture and they're having a party." "That's nice. I hope you're letting her have a good time." "I told her to. But I never imagined what they'd be doing!" Ven's voice was anguished. "Well, what _are_ they doing?" "Ingesting ethanol to excess!" "Ethanol!" I gasped. "Oh no!" I hadn't realized that normal mammals consumed excess amounts of the stuff, although there were references to it in the literature. I thought that was merely literary exaggeration. After all, we had been here scarcely half a year, and we hadn't really learned too much about the details of mammalian society. Donald's kidneys had forced him to lead a quiet life, and the passing of Edith from his control to Ven's had caused no remarkable alterations in her doings. I should have paid more attention to their customs. But I had been too busy. I swore as I reached for my control helmet. I'd have to stop this before it became serious. Donald would be of no help to me. He was several thousand vursts away, and even under the best circumstances couldn't be expected back for a day. I didn't bother to call him, but instead adjusted the controls to Edith's setting. VI