Larry cursed in a monotonous undertone without being aware of uttering a sound. Stella was fifteen hundred miles ahead of him and already matching speed with the planetoid. It would take him at least a half hour to be in position to do anything. By then it would be too late.... * * * * * 2615 had watched the planetoid move closer like some ponderous dream out of Freud. Ship and planetoid came to rest against each other without a bump. That could only mean magnetic grapples and cushioned springs. It was no surprise, therefore, when Pwowp led the way to the belly hatches and opened them into a shaft that led downward. The robot drew back at what it saw below. "Don't be alarmed," Pwowp said. "They are fifteen of my race, also wearing human-like bodies. There are more of us. We have built quite a station out here--a sort of advance base of operations. I've already told them about you, so you're expected." 2615 was introduced around. "We're very glad to have you join us," one of them said. "We've been having some trouble. You're just what we need to complete the last step in our plans." The robot said nothing. It watched the way they stood around, not talking to one another. Whenever any of them spoke, it was to him. "I told you I would show you a dog," Pwowp said. "Follow me." The robot followed him. They rode a travelwalk that emerged on the inner surface of the planetoid. In the vast space were two spaceships as large as battle cruisers but of a design 2615 had never seen. Anchored between the two ships was a spinning cylinder several hundred feet long and as great in diameter. It was similar to standard space station living structures where gravity was induced by centrifugal force. The travelwalk carried them out to the spinning cylinder. They entered the axis lock. At once a motley of sounds could be heard. Sounds that brought almost an appearance of expression to the robot's sensory assembly, as it slowly turned on its short neck. "Does that sound mean anything to you?" Pwowp asked. "Yes. I can _remember_ that sound." They entered the giant cylinder. They looked down on its inner perimeter. There were living creatures there. "Those are dogs," Pwowp said. "All breeds of dogs. Do they look like your memories?" "Yes," the robot said without expression. "I was like those over there. What kind are they?"