He could have sworn SK540 was considering. But he guessed the implicit answer. Let either one of them out, now they knew the rats were there, and men from the laboratory would come quickly and overwhelm and carry off the besiegers. It was a true impasse. "Philip," Norah reminded him, "if you don't go to work, they know we haven't a phone, and somebody will be here pretty soon to find out if anything's wrong." But that wouldn't help, Philip reflected gloomily; they'd let anyone in, and keep him there. And he thought to himself, and was careful not to say it aloud: rats are rats. Even if they are 25th generation laboratory-born. When the other food was gone there would be human meat. He did not want to look at them any more. He took Norah's arm and turned away into their bedroom. They stayed there all day, too upset to think of eating, talking and talking to no conclusion. As dusk came on they did not light the gas. Exhausted, they lay down on the bed without undressing. After a while there was a quiet scratching at the door. "Don't let them in!" Norah whispered. Her teeth were chattering. "I must, dear," he whispered back. "It isn't 'them,' I'm sure of it--it's just SK540 himself. I've been expecting him. We've got to reach some kind of understanding." "With a rat?" "With a super-rat. We have no choice." Philip was right. SK540 alone stood there and sidled in as the door closed solidly again behind him. How could one communicate with a rat? Philip could think of no way except to pick him up, place him where they were face to face, and talk. "Are your--followers outside?" he asked. A rodent's face can have no expression, but Philip caught a glance of contempt in the beady eyes. The slaves were doubtless bedded down in their hideaway, with strict orders to stay there and keep quiet. "You know," Philip Vinson went on, "I could kill you, very easily." The words would mean nothing to SK540; the tone might. He watched the beady eyes; there was nothing in them but intelligent attention, no flicker of fear. "Or I could tie you up and take you to the laboratory and let them decide whether to keep you or kill you. We are all much bigger and stronger than you. Without your army you can't intimidate us." There was, of course, no answer. But SK540 did a startling and touching thing. He reached out one front paw, as if in appeal. Norah caught her breath in astonishment. * * * * * "He--he just wants to be free," she said in a choked whisper. "You mean you're not afraid of him any more?" "You said yourself he couldn't intimidate us without his army." Philip thought a minute. Then he said slowly: "I wonder if we had the right to do this to him in the first place. He would have been an ordinary laboratory rat, mindless and contented; we've made him into a neurotic alien in his world." "You're not responsible, darling; you're a technician, not a biochemist." "I share the responsibility. We all do."