"Not on our world. You see, the study of sea life is a specialized science on Earth. It is one of the faults of our technological civilization that almost everyone must specialize from the time he enters secondary school. Unless one specializes in marine biology, one generally knows little or nothing about it." "Odd. Very odd. But then, you Earthmen always were a peculiar race. Now, if I heard you right, I believe that you said there is an animal on your world which preys upon these oysters. A starfish?" "Yes." "Won't this animal be as destructive as the oyster?" "Bergdorf doesn't think so, and I trust his judgment." "Won't this animal also kill our Komal? They are like these oysters of yours in a way." "But they burrow, and the starfish doesn't. They'll be safe enough." Kron sighed. "I knew that association with you people would prove to be a mixed blessing." He shrugged his shoulders and turned his chair to his desk. A Niobian face appeared on the screen. "Call a Council meeting and let me know when it is ready," Kron ordered. "Yes, Councilor," the face replied. "Well, that's that. Now we can relax until the Council manages to get together." "How long will that take?" "I haven't the least idea," Kron said. "Several days--several weeks. It all depends upon how soon we can get enough Council members together to conduct business." I said unhappily, "I'd like to have your outlook but we're fighting against time!" "You Earthmen pick the most impossible opponents. You should learn to work with time rather than against it." He pulled at one ear reflectively. "You know, it is strange that your race could produce ethical philosophers like this one." He tapped the _Analects_ with a webbed forefinger. "Such contrast of thought on a single world is almost incredible!" "You haven't seen the half of it!" I chuckled. "But I'm inclined to agree with you. Earth is an incredible world." * * * * * Fortunately there was a battle cruiser in the Polar spaceport on a goodwill mission. We had no trouble about getting the detectors Bergdorf needed, plus a crew to run them. The Navy is co-operative about such things, and every officer knows the importance of the BEE on a planetary operation. We could have had the entire cruiser if we had wanted it. A week later the four Marine Lab ships, each equipped with a detector, started a search of Niobe's oceans. Their atomic powerplants could drive them along at a respectable speed. Bergdorf and I expected a preliminary report within a month. We weren't disappointed.