e turned quickly as the door opened, and a man
came in. He was only slightly taller than Gloria and he nodded, smiled
brightly, bowed a little, moved forward. He carried a big bouquet of
flowers and presented them to her.

She took the flowers, smiled, thanked him, and put them on the table.
The man said. "So sorry, darling, to intrude. But I felt I had to see
you for a few minutes. I left the children with John, and dashed right
up here. I thought we might have lunch together."

"You're so thoughtful, dear," she said.

The man turned a distasteful look upon Bowren. He said. "My dear, what
is _this_?"

"A man," she said, and then added. "From Earth."

"What? Good grief, you mean they've found a way--?"

"I don't know. You'd better go back home and tend the yard today, Dale.
I'll tell you all about it when I come home this evening. All right?"

"Well I--oh, oh yes, of course, if you say so, darling."

"Thank you, dear." She kissed him and he bowed out.

She turned and walked back toward Bowren. "Tell me," she said. "How did
you get here alive?"

Why not tell her? He was helpless here. They'd find out anyway, as soon
as they got back to Earth on the cargo run. And even if they didn't find
out, that wouldn't matter either. They would be on guard from now on. No
man would do again what Bowren had done. The only chance would be to
build secret spaceships of their own and every time one blasted, have
every member of the crew go through what Bowren had. It couldn't last.
Too much injury and shock.

As he talked he studied the office, and he thought of other things. An
office that was like a big beautiful living room. A thoroughly feminine
office. Nor was it the type of office a woman would fix for a man. It
was a woman's office. Everything, the whole culture here, was feminine.
When he had finished she said, "Interesting. It must have been a very
unpleasant experience for you."

He grinned. "I suffered. But even though I've failed, it's worth all the
suffering, if you'll tell me--where did all the ah--men come from?"

She told him. It was, to say the least, startling, and then upon
reflection, he realized how simple it all was. No aliens. No native
Martians. A very simple and thoroughly logical solution, and in a way,
typically feminine.

Hormone treatment and genetic manipulation, plus a thorough
reconditioning while the treatment was taking place.

_And the women had simply turned approximately half of thei