"Quite a sensible attitude." Dusty nodded again. "Fact is," he said deprecatingly, "we would probably be quite a bit more advanced in our space operations if our sister planets were not so inimical to human life. As it is, our extra-planetary operations are limited and will be limited until we can provide the necessary conversions to terrestrial conditions." Gant Nerley nodded back. "Man is not an adaptable animal," he observed. "He does not change himself to suit his environment; he changes his environment to suit himself." "That's what I mean." "Then why do you object so much to this barytrine field?" asked Gant Nerley. "We can always pick you a stellar group less inimical to human life and thus advance you faster." Dusty grunted under his breath. He had talked too much. "Buster," he said angrily, "logic like that will only get you a fat lip." Gant Nerley blinked. "Tell me, Dusty, was Scyth Radnor hurt in some altercation over this beacon?" * * * * * By this time Dusty figured that he might as well let Gant Nerley have it cold and hard. It would show Gant that the mighty Marandanian was no more distant from the lusty chimpanzee than the terrestrian. "No," he said flatly, "Scyth was plugged for monkeying around another man's woman." Gant said, "Deplorable," in a tone of voice that indicated an amused disgust, but not easily identified as to whether over the act itself or the business of being caught at it. "What happened?" "The other guy shot first," said Dusty, feeling that this was no time to point out that it was he that pulled the trigger. "I'm not surprised. Most primitives are inclined to be both hot-headed and impulsive." "Tell me," asked Dusty in a cooing voice, "did Scyth confine his amours to primitives, or is it the custom among Marandanians to consider your mate unattractive unless she can prove it by bedding down with an impressive list of lovers?" "I don't understand," replied Gant Nerley stiffly. "Against primitives I can understand Scyth carrying a weapon to his assignation, for protection against the irate cuckold. Tell me, Gant Nerley, has your emotional balance become so stable that you can take a more scholarly view of promiscuity? Or," added Dusty sharply, "do you have big black headlines about triangle slayings and love-nest scandals just like the rest of humanity?" "Well, now, we--" "Then don't blame us primitive souls for slugging a guy that's caught off base!" snapped Dusty. "Now, what are we going to do about Scyth?" "Regardless of his depredations against propriety, he must be given medical attention." "This I will go along with. How shall we start? I can always take him to one of our hospitals." "No. No! You must not." "Why not? We're quite competent on gunshot wounds. We're probably more used to them than you are, as primitives with impulse and hot blood." "Please. Let's not be facetious over any man's misfortune."