aid to; so we
get to kill them for him."

"You got it wrong; you always get things wrong. We are killing earthmen
for ourselves."

"Oh, yes," Calvin nodded. "I forget."

"Forential is a friend," Walt said. "He helps the Lyrians from the
goodness of his heart."

"Earthmen are very bad."

"That's right."

"They are a great evil," Calvin said excitedly.

"They must be killed."

"Yes, yes, yes!" Calvin agreed. "I will kill them with my hands." He
fell silent, thinking.

"... there is a Lyrian on Earth," Walt said slowly "I have been hearing
her thoughts."

"I can think to you," Calvin said proudly. "Listen." He concentrated.
Muscles in his jaws quivered, "... not today," he said sadly. "My
brain ... sometimes ... you know? ... sometimes...."

"I am hearing thoughts from a Lyrian on Earth," Walt said in dull
amazement. "Do you understand?"

"No; no."

"It's a female."

"All the females are on Lyria.... This is a man's work. We are ... are
going to fight for females, isn't that right?"

"I tell you," Walt said, "she's down there. The first time, _I_ thought
I was mistaken."

Calvin shook his head and flipped the ball toward an unseen mutant. "I
can do that good," he said. The ball whistled back at him through the
cubicle wall--leaving the wall unmarked as the atoms of one passed
through the atomic spaces of the other. Happily, Calvin stopped it in
mid flight.

"She's down there," Walt said. "I'll have to tell Forential about her."

Calvin tapped his head and smiled. "I think funny thoughts some times,
too. You go see Forential. He can't help, but you go see him, Walt."

"I wasn't sure until just before you came in," Walt said.

"You go see him," Calvin said.

Walt stood up. "I was thinking with her just a little while ago. I don't
understand it."

"I can think to you ... some times."

"I'll be back," Walt said.

* * * * *

At the steel ladder leading up toward the alien section, Walt stopped
and pressed the emergency-audience button. He waited for permission to
ascend the ladder. Under no circumstance would he have ascended without
it. The permissive light blinked.

He began to climb. At the ceiling hatch, he grunted and pressed against
it with his shoulders. The hatch lifted away. He continued upward.
Gravity lessened. His feet made soft, rustling noises.

He paused to rest at the first landing. He was in familiar territory.
Fierut let the mutants from the