Accursed ineptitude of Earth's Interplanetary Relations Board, that would let a condition such as this come to pass! I felt wholly alone here, coping with God knows what. "Things are not likely to be what they seem." I found myself tensely suspicious of everything, of everybody. This swaggering Martian, Set Mokk--he was sitting now, gazing at me as though appraisingly, his lips twitching in a half-smile of sardonic humour. This Ollog Torio--was he what he seemed, just a wealthy traveler? Even little Dr. Frye, the Ship's Surgeon--I could not forget that when I had tried to nab that eavesdropper, it was Dr. Frye, gazing at me from his seat alone in the ship's smoking lounge, whom I had encountered. * * * * * "So you are going to the Moon to work for the Blake Company?" the Venus man was saying. He spoke English with only a trace of the prim, precise Venus accent. "Yes," I agreed. "Mathematics clerk. It will be a novel experience for me, on the moon--" "Quite," Set Mokk said out of his reverie. "Quite novel." Did they really think I was a mathematics clerk? Someone here on board suspected me; that eavesdropper had turned his ray upon me quickly enough when I had stood talking to Captain Mackensie.... "You're having bad times in Grebhar," little Dr. Frye said presently to Torio. "How is the revolution going? We hear so little by helio--and most of it censored by your Venus Free State." The slim Torio shrugged. "The fighting was in the mountains only, when I was there. I think those rebels will not make out too well." "Rebels," I said. "If they lose, they will be traitors, worthy of death. But if they win, I expect you'll call them patriots?" That made the hulking Martian laugh. "Human behavior is practical, never idealistic. The original right or wrong will be forgotten. It is only results that count." "I pay little attention to it," Torio said blandly. "Venus should be for love, for romance. I have no stomach for killing." "Speaking of romance," Dr. Frye interjected. "Here comes our Earth version of it." We were all on our feet as the small, black and white clad, trousered figure of Nina Blake emerged from the end corridor of the superstructure. She hesitated; then took a seat among us. Her cloak was off; the moonlight and starlight bathed her with its silver. Was the terror still upon her? I could not at first tell. She was quiet, composed. We men were all smoking little white arrant cylinders. She told us smilingly to continue. But as she stretched herself in the cushioned chair, between me and Torio, it seemed that the flash of her gaze upon me carried relief--as though in me she had her only protector here on the ship. "The little Earth-lady is very gracious," Torio commented with Venus smoothness as he lighted one of the cylinders. "I have always maintained that in the lush forests of Venus are the only really beautiful women in the Universe. I shall have to revise that now, Miss Blake."