This one had obviously been roughing it; his scales were lubricated by only a minimum film of moisture, and he wore space harness on the lower part of his body. _To keep his walking tentacles wet_, Ullo realized. _He hasn't so much as a drop of water on the floor of that dive!_ "Zoya Lar-Tul!" announced Viri. "Stated simply," said Ahnu bluntly, "what is your trouble?" "Stated simply, Great One," answered the scout, "I am in imminent danger of detection by natives of this system." Ullo stiffened in his mud tub. He heard the _slurp_ as the Supervisor splashed more mud upon the oozing floor. "How is that?" demanded Ahnu, his throat again beginning to expand majestically. "I fail to see," replied Zoya, "in what manner I could have avoided it, Great One. The natives, _Earthmen_ in their own speech, have just discovered an inefficient form of our own interstellar subspace drive. They have gone exploring." _Might have known it_, thought Ullo. _Just when I'm working up to a top rank, too!_ It sounded bad. Should they be unable to think Zoya out of his predicament, it might well mean new personnel all around. Ullo's only satisfaction was that Ahnu's relatives would be discharged before his own resignation was given him to sign. Ahnu controlled himself. "Give me a picture of your situation!" he commanded. "To begin with, Great One, I chose to study the natives from a distance, as is usual. I left my subspace ship on the largest satellite of their sixth planet, which has several other moons and a beautiful set of rings that--" "Kindly touch bottom!" Ahnu cut him off. "I am not interested in a local travelogue!" "Even so, Great One. With my short-range rocket, I then established this base on the seventh moon of their fifth planet. Only this moon's smallness and insignificance has so far prevented by discovery." They listened to the rest of the story in an uncomfortable silence that was broken only by an occasional squishing of mud as one or another stirred uneasily. Zoya Lar-Tul had observed the _Earthmen_, as well as other bodies in the system, for a quarter-revolution of his chosen fifth planet. At the time of his arrival, the natives had reached their own satellite, but he judged that they would be long in organizing successful flights to the planets. "I translated some of their broadcasts and learned that this was their great current project. Naturally, however, I was unconcerned, and contented myself with obtaining specimens for my researches by brief, discreet trips here and there." * * * * *