"Peculiar," commented Rhadampsicus. "Very peculiar. If I were a sociologist, I might find it less baffling. But they must have a very queer sort of social system. They actually intend to harm your pets, Nodalictha, because the male now knows how to supply them all with food and energy! Isn't that strange? I wish the _Rhinthak_ screen did not block off scanning.... But it will fade, presently." "You will keep the others from harming my pets," said Nodalictha confidently. "Do you know, darling, I think I must be quite the luckiest person in the Galaxy, to be married to you." * * * * * The space yacht landed at the field outside Cetopolis. Inhabitants of the tiny town flocked to the field to see new faces. They were disappointed. One man came out and the airlock closed. No visitors. The skipper went into Carson's office. He closed the door firmly behind him. He had very beady eyes and a very hard-boiled expression. He looked at Carson with open contempt, and Carson felt that it was because Carson did the Company's dirty work with figures and due regard for law and order, instead of frankly and violently and without shilly-shallying. "This Lon Simpson's got those gadgets, eh?" asked the skipper. "Why--yes," said Carson unhappily. "He's very popular at the moment. He made something on his barn roof that kept the sun from burning us all to death, you know--that still keeps us from burning to death, for that matter." "So if we take it away or smash it," observed the skipper, "we don't have to worry about anybody saying nasty things about us afterward. Yeah?" Carson swallowed. "Everybody'd die if you smashed the gadget," he admitted, "but all the _thanar_ plants in existence would be burned up, too. There'd be no more _thanar_. The Company wouldn't like that." The skipper waved his hand. "How do I get this Simpson on my ship? Take a bunch of my men and go grab him?" "Wh-what are you going to do with him?" "Don't you worry," said the skipper comfortingly. "We know how to handle it. He knows how to make some things the bosses want to know how to make. Once I get him on the ship, he'll tell. We got ways. Do I take some men and grab him, or will you get him on board peaceable?" "There--ah--" Carson licked his lips. "He wants to get married. There's no provision in the legal code for it, as yet. It was overlooked. But I can tell him that as a ship captain, you--" The skipper nodded matter of factly. "Right. You get him and the girl on board. And I've got some orders for you. Gather up plenty of _thanar_ seed. Get some starting trays with young plants in them. I'll come back in a couple of days and take you and them on board. The stuff this guy has got is too good, understand?" "N-no. I'm afraid I don't." * * * * *