that and we can also concede a tailor-made ego."

"I don't mind admitting I'm scared, Doctor," Brent Taber said.

"I think it's a time to be scared."

"But if a race of people were that advanced, if their intention is
hostile, why do they pussyfoot around this way? Why don't they just come
down and take us over?"

"I've wondered that, too. And yet, a race on some planet out there in
the universe might not evolve according to what we consider a logical
pattern."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that while they can create a synthetic man, their interests, and
therefore their progress, may have stayed in peaceful channels. For
instance, they may not have bothered with anything as elementary as the
atom bomb."

"It's a thought."

"A wishful thought, I'll admit. But it does have some validity. Also, it
has a fact of some possible value to back it up."

"What fact?"

"That they _haven't_ come down and taken us over."

"You almost cheer me, Doctor. Almost, but not quite."

"Actually," Entman said, "I've been wondering about something else."

"What's that?"

"When and how they came here before."

"You mean, where did they get the model for the ten androids?"

"Yes. They had to have not only a model, but also some knowledge
concerning our geographical and atmospheric conditions. The two hearts
indicate that they knew the elements contained in our air--the pressures
and so forth necessary to our existence--and were unable to construct a
working model that would function under our conditions with a single
heart. So they put in two."

"It looks as though they missed on some other things, too. Seven of the
androids have expired."

Entman shrugged. "Still--a remarkable job, particularly since they would
have no chance for a trial-and-error test under the conditions that
would prevail. It's surprising that _any_ of the androids were able to
keep functioning."

"The eighth one is pretty sick. He may be gone by now. And about their
earlier coming, I can give you one point. They came quietly, probably at
night, grabbed their model, and moved out fast."

"How do you know that?"

"Because, obviously, they think all men on earth look alike. Or, at
least, we can assume that. Else how did they expect to get away with ten
identical androids?"

Entman's eyes widened. "I never thought of that," he muttered.

* * * * *

Senator Crane, a doggedly determined man, had listened to the replay