A tray was blocking the cabinet so Boyette shoved it to one side. Immediately a shrill raw sound cut across his nerves like a hot knife. He saw where a protruding piece of the tray had scraped along the metallic table top. A low moan froze him and he saw that the Teddy Bear had squeezed against a wall and lay there quivering. The animal was seemingly in agony for a short while but quickly recovered and sat up. Boyette frowned thoughtfully. Even though the aliens strongly resembled small bears, their characteristics were proving to be more like those of canines. At least he was learning more about them and might be able to put it to good use in the future. He filled a hypodermic needle with the truth serum, not even so much as looking at the Bear down the workbench. Then, casually walking by the animal, he suddenly turned and grasped it by one hand. The creature exploded into action, almost knocking the needle from his hand. Boyette shifted his left hand to the loose skin around the neck of the animal. The needle was then efficiently planted at the base of the skull. There was a brief struggle, then the Bear slowly lay down, a glaze coming over its eyes. The effect would last for an hour, long enough for his purpose. Boyette next obtained a magnetic recorder from the electronics lab. Speed was essential and he was thankful that the ship was empty. The recorder would enable him to save the innermost thoughts of the telepathic beasts. This would be necessary, he well knew, to convince a skeptical Commander Kellews of his suspicions. His own lab contained the Brain Emanation Indicators. One cap was fitted over the erstwhile _pet_, the other over his own head. The recorder would transcribe the electrical waves so that they could be played back through the Analyzer at a later date. The apparatus was still a recent enough invention to give Boyette a thrill whenever he used it. There was no actual exchange of words but the illusion made it seem that there had been. Neither had he ever _seen_ a picture of what was being thought in another brain. Rather he sensed what the other would have said if he'd spoken in an understandable language. This would be very valuable in the communication between the alien's and his brains. "What happened to crew-members of all the other Earth-ships on your planet?" was the first question Boyette put to the drugged creature. "They all jumped into the lake of fire," came the reply. "Why?" asked Boyette. There was no hesitation in the Bear's return thought. "Because it was suggested by us and their minds were unable to resist. Our Council decided that it was the only way to save our planet from being over-run by the peoples of Earth." "Then why haven't the members of this last Expedition suffered the same fate?" Boyette inquired.