"But I'm interested in Ades," said Kim. "And after all, it was Ades which punished the murderers of the men of Khiv Five. A certain amount of gratitude is indicated." "Gratitude!" said the untidy woman harshly. "We'd have been grateful if you men of Ades had turned those Sinabians over to us! We'd have killed them--every one--slowly!" "But the point is," said Kim, "that something has happened to Ades. It might happen to Khiv Five. If we can find out what it was, we'll take steps so it won't happen again." "Just leave us alone!" said the untidy woman fiercely. "We can get along without men or Ades or anything else. Go away!" 3 _Dangerous Trip_ Dona plucked at Kim's arm. He turned, seething, and went out. Outside he vented his bitterness. "I thought men were crazy!" he said. "If she's the head of the planet government, I pity the planet." "She could talk to another woman quite rationally," Dona said with satisfaction. "But she's had to persuade herself that she hates men, and you had me with you, and I'm prettier than she is, Kim, and I have you. So she couldn't talk to you." "But she's unreasonable," Kim said stubbornly. "We'll go back to the ship," said Dona brightly. "I'll lock you in it and then go find out what we want to know." She smiled comfortably all the way back to the _Starshine_. But the staring women made Kim acutely uncomfortable. When he was safely inside the ship, he wiped perspiration from his forehead. "I wouldn't want to live on this planet!" he said feverishly. "I wouldn't want you to," said Dona. "Stay inside, darling. You'd better not even show yourself at a vision-port." "Heaven forbid!" said Kim. Dona went out. Kim paced up and down the living quarters of the ship. There was something in the back of his mind that would not quite come out. The disappearance of Ades was impossible. Men had conquered one galaxy and now started on a second, but never yet had they destroyed a planet. Never yet had they even moved one. But nevertheless, only thirty-six hours ago the planet Ades had revolved about its sun and men and women had strolled into its matter-transmitter with no hint of danger, and between two seconds something had happened. Even had the planet been shattered into dust, its remnants should have been discoverable. And surely a device which could destroy a planet would have had some preliminary testings and the Galaxy would have heard of its existence! This thing that had happened was inconceivable! On the basis of the photographs, Ades had not only been destroyed, but the quintillions of tons of its substance had been removed so far that sunlight shining upon them did not light them enough for photography. Which simply could not be.