* * * * * They weren't exactly ugly, yet there was something disturbing about them. Perhaps it was the rank halogen odor of their skin glands that were still secreting despite the coolness of the air. Or perhaps it was merely that they were intelligent mammals. It was as though Authority had, in a moment of cosmic humor, drawn oversized caricatures of Thalassans and endowed them with life. I felt a subtle insult in their presence. I suppose it showed in my aura because Ven came quickly to my side. "I told you they were disturbing," she said as we looked up at their monstrous forms towering over us. "I'm glad they're not uncontrolled," I answered, shivering a little as I looked at them. "I suppose it's just species antipathy, but they make me uncomfortable." "Mammals were exterminated on Thalassa long ago, weren't they?" "Yes," I said. "They ate our eggs." Ven walked forward and ran her primary digits over the female's legs. "They're quite well evolved," she said. "The skin hasn't a vestige of scales." "Neither does yours except at the tip of your tail," I said tartly. "Don't get the idea that they're a primitive life form. Actually they are a _later_ evolutionary type than we! If our ancestors had not developed intelligence enough to realize their peril we would be extinct--and something like them would rule Thalassa today." Ven shivered, "How horrible! I don't like thinking about it." "Don't," I advised. "What are we going to do with them?" Ven asked. "I was going to analyze them and construct a proxy, but they're far too big to duplicate with our limited resources. I suppose the only thing we can do is to insert control circuits and use them as they are." "Won't that be painful?" "Only psychically. Physically they shouldn't suffer a bit. The brain, you know, feels no pain. It merely interprets stimuli from elsewhere." "In mammals too?" I shrugged. "I suppose so. Besides, what difference does it make? Once we're through with them we can destroy them if they're too badly damaged." "That seems unfair." "It's not a question of fairness. It's survival. If they don't perform properly, we shall have to dispose of them or they'll be back here with a whole herd. Of course, if they operate under control, we'll turn them loose when we're through with them. I doubt that their technology is advanced enough to recognize a bio-circuit if they saw one. And if it is, they will have learned nothing new." "But why can't we keep them--take them back to Thalassa? They'd make an unusual contribution to the Central Zoo." "I'm afraid not," I said. "I doubt if they'd survive space. The only part of the ship large enough to hold them would be the cargo storage compartment, and that's not shielded. A hyperjump would kill them. You wouldn't want even them to die _that_ way, would you?" Her aura turned gray. "No, I suppose not."