"Perfectly normal!" Mel said before Hazel shooshed him.

Dex was insistent: "Any cop knows at least something about his
motorcycle. Was I right about the superconductor?"

"Yes. Now, get out of here, idiots, before there's no one left to form
the company!"

Hazel, perspiring freely, red hair shimmering, kissed me. "We figured
you out real, real early. We aren't ever wrong, and I'm glad we stayed
with you, Mr. Venus." She laughed joyously, "First time I've ever kissed
a Venusian!"

Frank, head close to mine, said softly, "I'm terribly sorry I said those
things, but you had to believe I was angry, so I could call the
others--"

"And I did everything possible to get you out...."

We were silent; then I said what I'd been fighting not to, for so long.
"Frank ... Francis?"

She understood, and stared horrified at me. I'd lost. Bowed my head,
feeling like the damned fool I was.

She looked around the room. "It's so strange!"

"And with ingrained racial conditioning, you couldn't respond to a
thin, sallow alien."

"I don't know," she said hesitantly.

"I do!" Mel said. "The oldest story in science fiction; it's true; I
can't write it."

"Why not?"

"No editor in right or wrong mind would buy the beautiful Earth damsel,
after whom lusts the Monster from Venus--"

Frank snapped: "He isn't a monster! And his manners are better than many
writers' I could name ..."

Her voice trailed off with awareness of Mel's tiny smile--a smile that
widened. He pulled her toward the door. "What a story! We'll hold the
wedding in a Turkish Bath."

Alone, I sighed, comfortable again after three years. I was grateful to
the GG, and would do anything, within limits, for them. Yet, my newly
adopted planet needed protection. Babes in the woods, they'd be torn to
pieces outside.

Fortunately, the GG didn't know my meaning of "policeman", my home's
highest order of intellect. I'd assure the group finally getting
anti-gravity and use of planetary lines of force. But not the hyperspace
drive, not for a good long while.

I certainly couldn't destroy the GG's confidence. I couldn't hurt them.
They were so sure about me--so sure they were never wrong. How could I
explain I'd been looking for a decent, habitable planet like Venus to
discharge my captive, that I was from another galaxy?

THE END

Transcriber's Note

This etext was produced from _Amazing Science Fiction Stories_ March
1959. Extensive research did not unc