And how was Fred to give her this information? Add it up--but it wouldn't add. JoAnn Chase, semantics, deeply taken with the planet; Beth Rosen, data coordinator, in a state of lassitude but not as strongly influenced as Jo; John Charlesworth, captain, highly enthusiastic; Richard Lodgesen, chemistry-physics, showing more joyous emotion than the cold fish could possibly be expected to; and Fred Kirr, anthropology, who tended as far toward dislike as Beth did like, possibly as far as Jo. Item: no one acted abnormal. Item: on the basis of very bad statistical sampling, it seemed the women were reacting far more than the men to this particular encounter. Item: you, Fred Kirr, are the only one to have an anti-reaction. Are you insane? No, you've always been this way. In school, the times you got good grades were when you were sure you'd flunked. Or, take your Tanganyika discovery in 1965: a complete skeleton of the Dryopithecinae, showing anthropoid differentiation by late Miocene. The scientific world hailed this as strong evidence that, in _Life's_ words, "the evolution of that primate called 'man' began fantastically farther back than we'd ever before dreamed." Your reaction was discouragement; there was too much conclusion jumping; nothing at all had been proved. Come to think of it, all 28 of your years have been spent with reverse reaction. And now you have a situation that must soon be resolved. * * * * * Fred shook his head. The change in the others seemed so sudden. It was only a few hours ago that the ship had come out of hyper. He'd been watching the newly visible star system wondering, Will you be the one? Somewhere in your depths, is there the key to our mystery? "Hi, Gloomy Gus!" JoAnn joined him, excited pleasure bubbling from her. "Gloomy--" "All right, you weren't being gloomy, just concentrating. You're still known to the rest of us as Gloomy Gus...." She giggled. "I was thinking about intelligent life," Fred said. "I'll bet," the girl added, "you were thinking I wouldn't have a job because, as usual, we won't find it. But we're _bound_ to, eventually, so why not now?" He had to smile; her attitude was infectious. "Matter of fact, I _was_ thinking we'd miss. I even wonder what we're doing out here--" Charlesworth's voice, on the intercom, broke in: "Attention, please. We have come out of hyperspace in the constellation Taurus. As you know, nothing has been said about our destination; this is done to avoid prejudicing you. I'll now play the recorded instructions from General Anderson." A new voice took over, sounding even more mechanical. "Ladies and gentlemen, you are making history. Whatever you do will make history, United States' history--" Fred, the only member who'd been out before, said, "They always begin that way. You'd think--"