"That language is far too strong for me. I'd like to be able to go along with you, but on those terms, I simply can't." "I think you can, when you've thought it through. You've met Alonzo P. Ferber, haven't you? Read him?" "One glimpse; that was all I could stand. He pawed me mentally and wanted to paw me physically, the first time I ever saw him." "Check. So I'm going to ask you two questions, which you may answer as an anthropologist, as Lola Montandon, as Mrs. James James James the Ninth, as a member of our team, or as any other character you choose to assume. Remembering that Ferber's a Gunther First--and pretends to be an Operator whenever he can get away with it--should he, or anyone like him, _ever_ be allowed to visit Hodell? Second question: if there is any possible way for him to get there, can he be made to stay away?" "Oh ... Grand Lady Neldine and that perfectly stunning Grand Lady Lemphi they picked out for Jim ... they're such _nice_ people ... and the Gunther genes...." As Lola thought on, her expressive face showed a variety of conflicting emotions before it hardened into decision. "The answer to both questions--the only possible answer--is no. I subscribe; on the exact terms you stipulated. And you don't believe, Clee, that my thesis had anything to do with my holding out at first?" "Certainly I don't. Besides...." "What thesis?" Belle asked. * * * "For my Ph.D. in anthropology. I thought I had it made, but it just went down the chute. And I don't know if any of you realize just how nearly impossible it is to make a really worthwhile original contribution to science in that field." "As I started to tell you, Brownie," Garlock said, "I don't think you've lost a thing. There's a bigger and better one coming up." "_What_?" "Sh-h-h-h," Belle stage-whispered. "He's got a theory--such a weirdie that he won't talk about it to anybody." "It isn't a theory yet--at least, not ripe enough to pick--but it's something more than a hunch," Garlock said. "But what could _possibly_ make as good a thesis as those extra-galactic tapes?" Lola wailed. "They would have made my thesis a summer breeze." "More like a hurricane--the hottest thing since doctorate disputations first started," Garlock said. "However, as I started to say twice before, it still will be. Intra-galactic tapes will be just as good. In this case, better." "W-e-l-l ... possibly. But we haven't any."