rown and yellow.
Russian and British and French and German and Chinese and Spanish. They
were chosen for technical background rather than emotional stability."

"Rot!" Armitage said like drums beating. "It's some alien bug, some
toxin. We've got to isolate it, find an antibody."

He went to work.

* * * * *

_January 22_

I'm scared.

It's taken three days to finalize the atmospheric tests. Oxygen,
nitrogen, helium, with trace gases. Those trace gases are stinkers.
Bishop discovered a new inert gas, heavier than Xenon. He's excited. I'm
currently checking stuff that looks like residual organic, and am not
too happy about it. Still, this atmosphere seems pure.

Armitage is chafing.

"It's in the flora," he insisted today. "Something, perhaps, that they
ate." He stood with a strained tautness, staring feverishly at the
chronometer. "Senator Farragut's due to make contact soon. What'll I
tell him?"

"That we're working on it," Bishop said dryly. "That the four best
scientists in the Galaxy are working toward the solution."

"That's good," Armitage said seriously. "But they'll worry. You _are_
making progress?"

I wanted to wrap a pestle around his neck.

We were all in the control room an hour later. Armitage practically
stood at attention while Farragut's voice boomed from the transmitter.

It was very emetic. The Senator said the entire hemisphere was waiting
for us to announce the planet was safe for immigration. He said the
stars were a challenge to Man. He spoke fearfully of the Coming World
Crisis. Epsilon was Man's last chance for survival. Armitage assured him
our progress was satisfactory, that within a few days we would have
something tangible to report. The Senator said we were heroes.

Finally it was over. Max yawned. "Wonder how many voters start field
work at once."

Armitage frowned. "It's not funny, Cizon. Not funny at all. Inasmuch as
we've checked out the atmosphere, I suggest we start field work at
once."

Taylor blinked. "We're still testing a few residual--"

"I happen to be nominal leader of this party." Armitage stood very tall,
very determined. "Obviously the atmosphere is pure. Let's make some
progress!"

* * * * *

_February 2_

This is progress?

For the past ten days, we've worked the clock around. Quantitative
analysis, soil, water, flora, fauna, cellular, microscopic. Nothing. Max
has discovered a few l