ters."

* * * * *

They found Friday on guard where he had been stationed in the
laboratory. The big Negro, on recognizing the Eurasian, grinned from
ear to ear and gave him what he considered a witty greeting.

"Well, well!" he said with gusto, "--come right in. Dr. Ku Sui! Make
yourself at home, suh! Sure glad to have you come visitin' us!" He
laughed gleefully.

But his words were wasted on Dr. Ku. His eyes at once fastened on the
case of coordinated brains, standing at one side. Carse noticed this.

"No. Dr. Ku," he said. "I have not touched the brains. Not yet. But
that's what we're going to talk about." He motioned to one of the four
doors connecting the central laboratory with the building's wings.
"Into your living room please, and be seated there. And no sudden
moves, of course: I have a certain skill with a raygun. Friday, keep
doubly alert now. Better take off your suit. I will call for you in a
few minutes."

Ku Sui walked on silent feet into the first division of his personal
quarters, the softly-lit living room. A lush velvet carpet made the
floor soft; ancient Chinese tapestries hid the pastelled metal of the
walls; books were everywhere. It was a quiet and restful room, with no
visible reminder of the asteroid and its controlling mechanics.

Dr. Ku sank into a deep armchair, linked his fingers before him and
looked up inquiringly.

"We were going to talk about the brains?" he asked.

* * * * *

Carse had closed the door behind him, and now remained standing. He
met the masked green eyes squarely.

"Yes." He was silent for a little, then, quietly and coldly he went to
the point.

"You'll be interested to hear that I have talked with the brains and
been relieved of my premise to destroy them. They requested something
else. Now I have committed myself to attempt their restoration into
living bodies."

"So?" murmured the Eurasian. "So. Yes, Captain, that is very
interesting."

"Very." The Hawk spoke without trace of emotion. "And some courtroom
on Earth will find more than interesting the testimony of your
re-embodied brains."

Dr. Ku Sui smiled in answer. "Oh, no doubt. But, my friend--this
transplantation--you accept its possibility so casually! Won't it
prove rather difficult for you, who have never even pretended to be a
scientist?"

"Not difficult. Impossible."

"And Master Scientist Eliot Leithgow--I have unbounded re