Midge wanted to say something encouraging and affectionate, but her
voice stuck in her throat.
After a moment, a doorway dilated at the end of the pictured room and
something hopped in. For the benefit of the listening Harlow at H.Q.,
Midge began to describe it. "About a meter and a half tall--must be an
oxygen breather, I can't see any mask--it's a uniped. Moves partly by
hopping, partly by contracting its foot. Rather thick trunk and four
limbs besides the foot, two at the very top, two where the trunk joins
the leg. A lot of flabby fingers, can't tell how many. Three eyes in a
horizontal line, vertical mouth under them. No clothes. Whole thing a
dull tan color, with dark pa--"
[Illustration: A doorway dilated and something hopped in.]
She broke off, as Samson began to speak. He was evidently replying to
the Kassid's speech of welcome. "I'm very happy to be here. My people
have heard great things of you from your pupil, David Jackson."
Another long pause, during which Midge said, "Dark patches, apparently
at random--no pattern. I would guess the thing to be recently evolved
from an undersea stage, tail altered to a foot. Don't know whether
there are any exterior organs on the other side--there, it turned
around for a minute. No organs. Now the KenilFours are leaving...."