a
planetary situation as agreeable as Earth's. Our sun is far feebler, the
orbital paths of our moons act drastically upon our waters, causing
generations of drought and centuries of flood ..."

"What are you talking about?" Tom said hoarsely.

"I speak of home," Livia Cord said. And her eyes gleamed.

"Antamunda is the name we give it," John Andrusco said cordially. "A
world very much like your own in size and atmosphere, Mr. Blacker. But
tragically, a world whose usefulness has been gradually coming to an
end. Our ancestors, who were scientists of much ability, foresaw this
some hundreds of years ago. Since that time, they have been seeking a
solution to the problem."

"I don't believe this!"

"We have," Livia said carefully, "excellent evidence."

"Some five hundred years ago," Andrusco continued, "our people
despatched an exploratory space vessel. A home-hunting force, seeking to
relocate the surviving members of our race. It was a long, trying
odyssey, but it finally culminated in the selection of a new home. I
needn't tell you that the home is in your own solar system."

Tom shot to his feet. "You mean Earth? You mean you want to take over
here--"

Andrusco looked shocked. "Certainly not! What a violent thought, Mr.
Blacker!"

"The planet you call Mars," Livia said coolly, "was the selected
destination. A planet with only limited facilities for the support of
life. But a planet even more like our own dying world than Earth, Mr.
Blacker. So you needn't cry havoc about alien invaders." She laughed
sharply.

"Then what are you doing here?"

"Merely waiting," Andrusco said. "We are the offspring of the surviving
members of the expeditionary force from Antamunda, placed here on Earth
as a vanguard of the immigration that will shortly take place to this
system. But your own world is in no danger, Mr. Blacker. That you must
believe. Physically, our people are not your equals. Scientifically, we
are advanced in certain fields and shamefully backwards in others.
Biologically--" He frowned. "This is our greatest weakness. To the
Antamundans, your breeding capacity is nothing short of grotesque." His
handsome lip curled. He enjoyed watching Tom's reaction.

* * * * *

Tom swallowed hard. "How long have you been here?"

"Some four generations have been born here. Our duty has been merely to
await the arrival of our people. But in the last fifty years, we found
ourselves faced