In volunteering for the Stalintrek, Sophia had invaded man's domain. She had watched not with embarrassment but with scorn while the men in front of her got out of their clothing. She had invaded man's domain, and as she watched them, the short flabby ones, the bony ones with protruding ribs and collar-bones, those of milky white skin and soft hands, she knew most of them would bite off more than they could chew if ever they tried what was the most natural thing for men to try with a lone woman in an isolated environment. But she _was_ in a man's world now, and if that was the way they wanted it, she would ask no quarter. She reached up quickly with one hand and unfastened the halter, catching it with her free hand and holding it in front of her breasts while the nervous little man licked his lips and gaped. Sophia grabbed another pair of the white shorts, tore it quickly with her strong fingers, fashioning a crude covering for herself. This she pulled around her, fastening it securely with a knot in back. "You'll have to give that back to me," declared the nervous little Comrade. "I'll bet you a samovar on that," Sophia said quietly, so only the man heard her. He reached out, as if to rip the crude halter from her body, but Sophia met him halfway with her strong, slim fingers, wrapping them around his biceps and squeezing. The man's face turned quickly to white as he tried unsuccessfully to free his arm. "Please, that hurts." "I keep what I am wearing." She tightened her grip, but gazed serenely into space as the man stifled a whimper. "Well--" the man whispered indecisively as he gritted his teeth. "Fool!" said Sophia. "Your arm will be black and blue for a week. While you men grow soft and lazy, many of the women take their gymnastics seriously, especially if they want to keep their figures with the work they must do and the food they must eat. I am stronger than you and I will hurt you unless--" And her hand tightened around his scrawny arm until her knuckles showed white. "Wear what you have and go," the man pleaded, and moaned softly when Sophia released his numb arm and strode through the portal, still drawing whistles and leers from the other men, who missed the by-play completely. * * * * * "So we're on Mars!" "It ain't Nowhere after all, it's Mars." "Wait and see, buster. Wait and see." "Kind of cold, isn't it? Well, if this was Venus and some of them beautiful one-armed dames was waiting for us--" "That's just a statue, stupid." "Lookit all them people down there, will you?" "You think they're Martians?" "Stupid! We ain't the first ones went on the Nowhere Journey." "What are we waiting for? It sure will feel good to stretch your legs." "Let's go!" "Look out, Mars, here I come!"