The Supervisor swore feelingly, using some of the bleakest and driest terms Ullo had ever heard. The gist of the diatribe was the delay and expense. "Now it may be yaras before we get his data!" "How do you mean?" asked Ullo. "It's obvious, isn't it? He must have had to destroy the ship; but before he got back, some prowling _Earthmen_ set off the charge at his base. That leaves him with only his rocket. Don't you see what it means?" "Perhaps not," said Ullo. "Why, he'll have to make friends with those _things_ from _Earth_, and get help building a new ship. Until then, we'll have to classify his report 'pending.'" He sloshed watery mud about as he heaved himself from his tub impatiently. Ullo aimed an eyestalk at each of the technicians, keeping them silent until Ahnu had waddled indignantly from the room. "I _knew_ we didn't cover all the alternatives that night!" said Ullo feelingly. "How could we be so dry inside the skull? How _could_ we?" "He certainly doesn't like the delay," commented Yado. "Delay!" snorted Ullo. Then he asked, "Is that what it means to you, too?" Viri and Yado fidgeted under his stare. "I keep wondering if Zoya reached the ship," said Ullo. They stared at him. "Say it this way, then: 'If _Zoya_ reached the ship?'" Viri sighed. "I suppose we may never find out what really happened," he said. "I believe I would really rather _not_," Ullo told them, preparing to leave. "Listen in to a complete copy of the preliminary report Zoya sent, and you will see what I mean." His scales were too dry and needed an oiling, he told himself; but he knew it was more than that which sent the shudder through him. And there were _billions_ of them! "What shall we do?" asked Viri. "I don't know what good it will do," said Ullo, pausing in the doorway, "but you might make your wills. Personally, I intend to apply for transfer to some colony lying in the opposite direction from this _Sol_. Record of us, and a ship to reach us--we might as well have sent them an invitation!" * * * * * He remembered their unhappy eyes two yaras later, when the regular bulletin tapes sent out to the colonies reported Ahnu's dismissal. Ullo applied for a post at a more distant colony. After one yara at the new post, the monthly tapes from Yaradir were interrupted. Everybody complained about the service. Everybody but Ullo. He commandeered a subspace ship, and moved on. But not ... far ... enough....