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used to coordinate acrobats； and it was going to a dance beat。 Heller was showing her the foot positions and the arm reaches。
She had killed a guard just reaching toward her。 And here it was happening。 In sort of like the frozen state where you watch an inevitable accident about to occur； I stood there and watched this。 Sooner or later he was going to touch her on a reach。 。 。 。
He did！ I expected sudden death。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃I have been here so long I am all out of date。 Let's see： when you lunge； I am supposed to roll； not just stand there like a ninny and get hit！〃 He lunged again and once more she didn't roll and his hand touched her shoulder。 The Countess Krak being clumsy？ Hard to teach？ Never！
And he finished the lunge by taking her in his arms and holding her close to him。 And they just stood there。
And then he kissed her！
I expected fireworks。 But the only fireworks was a sort of invisible glow that I could practically feel clear over where I was。 She dropped her head back and looked up at him。 〃Oh； Jet；〃 she whispered。
I came out of my daze。 This would never； never do。 I clapped my hands together three times sharply。 I had to do it again； louder； before they took any notice of me。
They finally walked over； holding hands； looking at each other like a couple of kids sharing some secret。
〃We're due；〃 I said severely； 〃for our appointment with Doctor Crobe。 e along right now； Heller！〃
Chapter 3
The biological section occupied a plex series of old stone vaults and rooms about a hundred feet below ground level。 Unlike the rest of the fortress and despite the black stone； the place was glaringly lit。 I never have been all the way through that section： it is too repulsive； but it consists of libraries； operating rooms； freeze banks and vast partments of vials； vials； vials and tanks； tanks； tanks。 If Spiteos smells bad； it is nothing pared to the biological section： they have a habit of spilling cultures which putrefy and leaving around discarded flesh and body parts that rot。 It is about as sanitary as a sewer。
In the first library an old crone was pottering about； shifting files and noisily snuffling back the snot which trickled onto her upper lip。 I waved one hand at an upper shelf； the other at Heller and yelled at her； 〃Blito…P3。〃 She is quite deaf； being over a century and a half old； but she heard me。 She moved to get a rickety ladder and so I left Heller standing there while I went off to find the chief cellologist。
Doctor Crobe was in a rear operating room。 The moment I entered he held up a filthy hand not to be disturbed。 I had to stop and watch。
He had a poor wretch strapped down on an operating table and was finishing up some work。 The man； who had probably been a perfectly normal person a few weeks ago； was getting the last touches needed to make a circus freak。
By means of reorganizing and grafting cells； Crobe had replaced the poor （bleepard's） arms and legs with big tentacles from some sea creature。 Bone had been grafted above the eyes to make a protrusion over each one。 Crobe was checking the growth and rooting of a 〃tongue〃 taken from some insect…eating animal； a tongue that could be flicked out half a yard； as though the new monstrosity lived on flying bugs。
Crobe's twist was making freaks but he never realized； I am sure； that with his overlong arms and legs and beaked nose he himself was a freak。 As he worked he had an eerie； ecstatic look on his face： a real； dedicated scientist！ He would give anyone the creeps。 Crobe really believed in what he was doing！
I caught a glimpse of the new freak's own eyes。 From their expression it was obvious that the poor （bleeper） had gone insane。 Oh； well； Crobe's freaks didn't live too long： when the old ones died； the circuses just bought new ones。 The public got tired of them anyway： good for business all around。
〃There；〃 said Crobe； standing up and getting the crick out of his back。 〃The one and only specimen of life from the unconquered Planet of Matacherfer…stoltzian！〃 I knew my astrography。 〃There is no such planet；〃 I said。
〃Well； maybe not；〃 said Crobe。 〃But here's a specimen of life from it anyway！〃
〃e on out；〃 I said。 〃I have a special agent for you to fix up。〃 Instantly； a pain hit me in the stomach！ I looked around。 Maybe it was the smell that was making me feel sick。 Very peculiar。 I've been on many planets and eaten lots of strange food； I had been in the Apparatus for years with all that entailed。 And I had never before had a pain in the stomach！
Crobe's assistants took over and I got the old loony out of there。
In the library； Heller had found a stool。 He was looking through some books the old crone had gotten him。 He nodded briefly when I introduced Crobe。
〃I never got down on the planet's surface；〃 said Heller。 〃All this is very interesting。 It's a beautiful planet； you know。〃 He had found some pictures of Earth people and was suddenly very thoughtful； looking up and then back at the pictures。
A couple of Crobe's assistants had followed us in。 One was carrying a portable table； the other had a tray of things。
Crobe sat down； 〃What planet you going to？〃
〃Blito…P3。 Earth；〃 I said。
〃Ah；〃 said Crobe； and one of the assistants started opening some file drawers and piling things on his desk。 Crobe looked at one of the references。 〃Blito…P3。 Humanoid。 Gravity 。 。 。 er 。 。 。 hmm 。 。 。 atmosphere 。 。 。 Styp； hand me that table of bone densities。〃 And the assistant did。 〃Ah；〃 said Crobe。
〃The agent；〃 I said； 〃must be undetectable by Blito…P3 planetary standards。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 said Crobe； brushing me aside。 〃Styp； no scales。〃 And Styp rushed out and returned rolling a dolly loaded with equipment。
〃Strip；〃 said Crobe； gesturing at Heller。 For some reason； I felt a twinge of nausea and pain。 What was wrong with me？
Heller； his attention more on the bookshelves than on Crobe； stripped。 He seemed to be looking for some title up there。 But he stepped on the scales and； although a bit distractedly； did what he was told。 The assistants punched and measured and recorded away with occasional grunts from Crobe。
Styp had forgotten to bring in a bone densimeter so he went out to get one。 Crobe didn't run a very organized show。 Shortly after Styp's return with the bone densimeter I heard some little mutters and motions at the door。
There were about five staff females standing there； peering in； whispering to one another。 I do not know what they were saying but their eyes were getting sort of round and they were excited and stirred up。
I looked back and saw they had their attention on Heller。 An assistant was making him bend and flex so as to measure potential foot…pounds of muscle power。 Yes； he was quite a figure。 He looked like some big woods God with a lot of little dirt Devils capering around。 He was as out of place here as a temple sculpture in a cesspool。 e to think of it； he resembled that statue in the Voltar Gallery； the famous one done by Dawvaug called The God of Dawn。 Hey！ I thought； what the Devils is the matter with me； I'm no man…lover： and when Crobe gets through with him 。 。 。 I was instantly sick at the pit of my stomach。 I had to sit down quickly