"Oh. Well, are both of you named Pisces? Oh, I see. That is your species. I am called Man; you are called Pisces." "Of course not," they said, "You were right the first time. Pisces is our name. You can say, 'Pisces, get me that ship.' And we would do so." "How can both of you have the same name? Are you actually one intelligence? And see that you keep your hands ... I mean, see that you leave my ship alone." One said, "We wouldn't think of touching your ship." The other said, "No, we are two separate entities." Ingomar passed a hand over his face, thinking. The two very Earth-looking birds stood quietly before him, their feet buried in the sand so that it looked like their legs were two stilts shoved into the ground. At last he said, "Well, I know what we'll do. I will call you Pisces I," he pointed to the bird on his left, "and your companion Pisces II." The identical birds glanced at each other, then leapt into the air. They circled high above his head. They swooped low. They engaged in marvelous aerial gymnastics wonderful to see. Ingomar made notes in his book concerning their agility. Finally they came to rest before him again, so suddenly that he stepped backward quickly, frightened. "Now," they said, "which one of us is Pisces I and which is Pisces II?" Puzzled, Ingomar studied them carefully. The one with the quick temper might show this characteristic in some way. He pointed to the bird on his right. "You," he said, "are Pisces I." They laughed. It was a verbal sound only. No expression showed in their eyes. * * * * * "All right," Ingomar said, after some thought. "I can fix that." He entered his ship and rummaged around in his clothes locker, then emerged with a brilliant red ribbon of plastic. "I'll tie this to your leg. That way I'll know that you are Pisces I. If you promise not to move it from one to the other." "We promise." He stooped over to tie the plastic on the leg of the one he thought was Pisces I, and was almost caught in the sudden flurry of slashing beaks and raking claws, like a mating fight in an aviary. "_I_ am Pisces I," one screamed, administering a resounding peck on the other's back. "No, you're not. I am." This one leapt into the air and landed on the other's back. He raked vicious, long talons across the well-groomed feathers. "I am more intelligent than you. _I_ should be Pisces I." From a safe ten feet away, Ingomar threw the ribbon at them. "Stop it!" he yelled. They obeyed instantly, and stood quietly side by side facing him. Ingomar drew his hand gun and pointed it at them. "Now stop your fighting, or I'll blow you to kingdom come." "Fine," they said. "Anything to get off this miserable planet. How far is it?" Ingomar smiled, in spite of his anger. "It's an expression. It means I will destroy you."