The guards moved over with me. I sat by her. She began questioning me about my world. The size and the extent of the surface up there. She said nothing of her plans--nor asked me anything personal of myself. They seemed idle questions; generalities. I told her as well as I could, things about our civilization. Our mode of life. Things at random as they occurred to me. But I kept clear of anything which might be of military value to her. She listened with an eager, absorbed interest. Once, when I paused, she said: “You talk always of men. Your men must be very strange. Your friend they call Tad, spoke of them the same--men like women--” I laughed. “Not like women.” “I mean, born to command. To leadership, like women.” I said: “Ours is a man-made world. But we realize, we men are what our mothers make us. There are things in life more important to women then trying to run the world.” She raised her heavy eyebrows. “You think so?” “Yes. Things only women can do. The best of our women think so, too.” She said decisively: “It is not so here.” It amused her. “A world run by men! How absurd it must be!” I could read her thoughts. She was going to war against men; she felt it a very simple thing. She added: “You, Geoffry Grant, do not like women born to command?” She said it with a smile, but there was an edge under it; a tigress’s claws lying within the soft paws. I parried cautiously: “Did I say that? We have had women who were queens and empresses. Women who stood alone at the head of nations.” “So? And they ruled well?” “Some did. Some did not.” She purred: “You do not like commanding women--like me?” She was toying with one of her dangling ornaments. I could have said I liked Nereid somewhat better, but I did not. I retorted: “I am only a man. You embarrass me.” * * * * * She seemed annoyed at herself. At her weakness perhaps, for asking a man’s opinion. She said: “You are a fool. Conceited because you are big and strong. I will show you--” She stood up quietly. “Sit still, Geoffry Grant.” The chains on her wrists were looped up around her arms to be out of the way. She began unfastening them. I think it was her intention to flog me. I had been all this time surreptitiously watching my three guards. If I could get one of them near me--snatch his weapon. Or by a sudden rush knock them down-- Rhana unloosed the chains. “I will show you!” Her eyes were abruptly blazing with anger at me. A sound behind made her look around. A man blundered into the room through the farther doorway. He had seemingly come in not realizing where he was. A Gian from another city perhaps. Her anger turned on him. She leaped at him. My guards rushed for me; one stood with a weapon pressed against me. I remained docile.