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ets through with him 。 。 。 I was instantly sick at the pit of my stomach。 I had to sit down quickly on a stool to keep from doubling over。
They had finally finished。 Crobe had a thick sheaf of notes。 〃You；〃 said Crobe to Heller； like it was an indictment； 〃are from the Planet Manco。 Weight； height； densities 。 。 。 yes； Manco。〃 Well； Hells； anybody would know Heller was from Manco just glancing at him。 It's not that Voltarians from Manco are so different： any one of its five races has a special look； but that's also true of any planet's population。 Then I had a sudden realization。 The Countess Krak was from Manco！ They were of the same race exactly！
Crobe was rattling through his reference books on Blito…P3。 He hummed and hawed and scrubbed his jaw。 Then he said； 〃The weight difference between Manco and Blito…P3 is not that extreme： Blito…P3 is about one…sixth less gravity。 That means you'll have to practice walking and running before you go out in public。
〃Hmmm。 Oh； yes。 Atmosphere。 The atmosphere is less dense and so you will have to remember to aerate yourself regularly…about once a day。 Just breathe more heavily。 And oxygenate yourself well before any strenuous exercise。 Otherwise you will feel tired after a while。
〃What's the local name of this planet。 Earth？ Oh； yes。 Well； your bone density is greater than theirs； due to the gravity difference。
〃Now as to nutrition； you'll have no real trouble。 Their water and food is digestible by you。 Hmm。 But there is something here on nutrition you must pay attention to。 For some reason； their food doesn't meet normal nutrition standards and especially not for you。 Now； what I would advise is that you eat more often and don't let yourself go hungry。 Hmm。 Yes。 They have a food called 'hamburgers。' You can eat most anything you please but hamburgers provide a balanced ration for you。
〃Drinks。 Hm。 Water； all right。 Ah； yes； alcohol。 They heavily imbibe alcohol。 Don't touch any drinks called 'strong spirits。' They disorganize the cerebral orientation。 Hmm。 Beer。 They have something called 'beer。' You can drink that without trouble but not 'strong liquors；' whatever they are。〃 Crobe pulled his notes together and I was feeling better。 〃So；〃 he said； 〃you be sure to exercise every day。 Otherwise； in that low gravity； your muscles and tendons will get flabby。 And oxygenate yourself。 And eat hamburgers and drink beer and you'll be fine。〃 I felt a surge of relief for some reason。
Then suddenly Crobe's voice was very sharp。 〃Are you listening to me？〃 Heller was still abstracted； glancing now and then at the shelves。 But why should he listen？ Crobe； whether he knew it or not； was talking to a spacer who had to do all these things anyway…except the hamburger and beer。
〃I go to all this work；〃 snapped Crobe； 〃and you don't even listen！〃
〃Oh； I heard you；〃 said Heller。 〃Learn to walk； oxygen； exercise； water； nutrition； hamburger and beer。 I appreciate it。〃 He bent over and picked up a book that had big color plates； pictures of people； the races of Earth。 He tapped them with the back of his hand。 〃I was just struck by the appearances of these races on Earth。 You wouldn't happen to have here the book In the Mists of Time； would you？〃 That really annoyed Crobe。 〃No； of course not！ This is the anthropology library！〃 I got sick at my stomach again。
The old crone held up her hand in a gesture to wait and snuffled off。 She came back carrying a scuffed…up volume about two feet thick。 〃It was in the history library；〃 she said with a toothless smile at Heller。
He put it down on the table。 Crobe was gathering up his papers with some hostility。
The volume cover tabs said； Abridged Edition。 In the Mists of Time； Legends of the Original Planets of the Voltarian Confederacy； piled by the Lore Section； Interior Division。
I wondered what the unabridged editions must be if the abridged was this huge tome。
〃Fables；〃 Crobe was muttering to himself。
Heller had found what he wanted。 He had turned to the Manco Section。 His finger was poised at Folk Legend 894M。
〃Got it；〃 he said。 〃Haven't seen it since nursery school。〃 He read： Folk Legend 894： And it is said that some thousands of years ago； during the Great Rebellion on Manco； that Prince Caucalsia； finding his cause irretrievably lost； did flee Manco with the remnants of his fleet； taking with him numerous followers and their families and did depart the Manco System。 And it is further related； nine years having passed by； that two transports did return to Manco； landing at the Fortress City of Dar。 They were treacherously betrayed； it is said； by a woman named Nepogat and apprehended in the night。 The crews were interrogated by the Apparatus and it was later claimed that they revealed a landing by Prince Caucalsia upon the Planet Blito…P3 after his escape from Manco。 And it is further said that the Prince had founded a colony named Atalanta with all his numerous followers and they did prosper there。 But failing all but little fuel and lacking some supplies； two freighters had been sent in hope of peaceful return and even engagement in trade。 But it was decreed that mercy be given not。 Blito…P3 colonization was deemed illegal at that time and in violation of the Holy Invasion Timetables of Voltar。 At the insistence of the woman Nepogat the freighter crews were put to death。 The turmoil of the times foreswore any further campaign to punish Prince Caucalsia； the Fortress City of Dar was burned in the Great Overthrow of the succeeding year and all records that could substantiate the legend have vanished from view。 This folk legend forms the background of the child fairy tale： Nepogat the Damnable and is found in the Manco child's song 〃Bold Prince Caucalsia。〃
〃Rubbish！〃 said Crobe。 〃I will have you know； whatever your name is； that the moment fable enters the world of solid science； we are lost！〃 Crobe was almost frothing。 〃You are overlooking one important fact！〃 he told Heller。 〃Humanoid forms are the monest sentient forms in the universe！ They prise 93。7 percent of all populations discovered to date。 The humanoid form is inevitable from the basic survival demands of any reasonable carbon…oxygen planet： if sentient life is to appear and succeed； the adeptness of hands； the articulation of feet； the symmetrical right…left body construction and flexible skin are needed。〃 Why you old fraud！ I thought。 You know all that and yet you make freaks and pretend they are other populations！
〃The facts are built into the structure of cells！〃 harangued Crobe。 〃But every sentient population of a planet evolved there。 And that's the scientific fact。 Forget your religions and fables！ Oh； of course；〃 he said； modifying his view； 〃the blood cells are different； humanoid race to humanoid race； and these are the one channel by which you can identify crossbreeding between planets。〃 Heller said mildly； 〃I was just interested in the similarity between the facial bone structures of the races on Earth； some of them； and the races on Manco。〃
〃I'll show you！〃 snapped Crobe as though Heller had been arguing with him。 The cellologist rushed out。 I had an idea where he was going： the deep freeze body vats。 And sure enough I shortly heard from ther