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ll have to talk her into an abortion。 At a table next to them； a male creature was seated alone。
They promised me。 They said the race was fixed； that I couldn't lose； and like a fool； I turned all my monry over to them。 I've got to find a way to put it back before the auditors e。 I couldn't stand it if they put me in jail。 I'll kill myself first。 I swear to God； I'll kill myself At another table； a male and female were in the middle of a discussion。 。。。。。 it's nothing like that。 It's just that I've got this beautiful chalet in the mountains； and I thought it would be good for you to get away for a weekend and relax。〃 We'll spend a lot of time relaxing in my bed； cherie。
〃I don't know； Claude。 I've never gone away with a man before。〃 I wonder if he believes that。
〃Oui； but this is not a sex thing。 I just thought of the chalet because you said you needed a rest。 You can think of me as your brother。〃 And we will try some good； oldfashioned incest。
The Graceful One was unaware that the various peopIe were speaking in different languages； for she was able to filter them all through her consciousness and understand what they were saying。
I must find a way to get in touch with the mothership； she thought。 She took out the small； hand…held silvercolored transmitter。 It was a divided neuronet system； half of it consisting of living organic material and the other half of a metallic pound from another galaxy。 The organic material was posed of thousands of single cells； so that as they died off； others would multiply； keeping the connections constant。 Unfortunately； the dilitheum crystal that activated the transmitter had broken off and was lost。 She had tried to municate with her ship； but the transmitter was useless without it。
She tried to eat another leaf of lettuce； but she could no longer stand the stench。 She rose and started toward the door。 The cashier called out after her； 〃Just a minute； miss。 You haven't paid for your meal。〃
〃I'm sorry。 I do not have your medium of exchange。〃
〃You can tell that to the police。〃
The Graceful One stared into the cashier's eyes and watched her go limp。 She turned and walked out of the feeding place。
I must find the crystal。 They are waiting to hear from me。 She had to concentrate to focus her senses。 But everything seemed blurred and distorted。 Without water； she knew； she was going to die soon。
Day Five Bern； Switzerland
Robert had e to a dead end。 He had not realized how much he had counted on obtaining Mothershed's list of names。 Up in smoke； Robert thought。 Literally。
The trail was cold now。 I should have gotten the list when I was in Mothershed's fiat。 That will teach。 me t~teach。 Of course！ A thought that had been in the back of his mind suddenly came into focus。 Hans Beckerman had said； 〃Affenarsch！ All the other passengers were excited about seeing the UFO and those dead creatures in it； but this old man kept plaining about how we had to hurry up to get to Bern because he had to prepare some lecture for the university。〃 It was a long shot； but it was all Robert had。
He rented a car at the Bern airport and headed for the university。
He turned off Rathausgasse； the main street of Bern； and drove to Langgassestrasse； where the University of Bern was located。 The university is posed of several buildings； the main one a large four…story stone building with two wings and large stone gargoyles adorning the roof。 At each end of the courtyard in front of the building are glass skylights over classrooms； and at the rear of the university is a large park overlooking the Aare River。
Robert walked up the front steps of the administration building and entered the reception hall。 The only information Beckerman had given him was that the passenger was German and that he was preparing his lecture for Monday。
A student directed him to the Office of the Administration。 The woman seated behind the desk was a formidable figure。 She had on a severely tailored suit； blackframed spectacles； and she wore her hair in a bun。 She looked up as Robert entered her office。
〃Bitte？〃
Robert pulled out an identification card。
〃Interpol。 I'm conducting an investigation； and I would appreciate your cooperation； Miss…〃
〃Frau。 Frau Schreiber。 What kind of investigation？〃
〃I'm looking for a professor。〃 She frowned。
〃His name？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃You do not know his name？〃
〃No。 He's a visiting professor。 He gave a lecture here a few days ago。 Montag。〃
〃Many visiting professors e here every day to give lectures。
What is his discipline？〃
〃I beg your pardon？〃
〃What does he teach？〃
Her tone was growing impatient。
〃What subject did he lecture on？〃
〃I don't know。〃
She let her exasperation show。
〃Tut mir leid。 I can't help you。
And I am too busy for frivolous questions like this…〃 She started to turn away。
〃Oh； it's not frivolous；〃 Robert assured her。
〃Es ist sehr dringend。〃 He leaned forward and said in a low voice； 〃I'm going to have to take you into my confidence。 The professor we're looking for is involved in a prostitution ring。〃
Frau Schreiber's mouth made a small 〃0〃 of surprise。
〃Interpol has been on his trail for months。 The current information we have on him is that he is German and that he gave a lecture here on the fifteenth of this month。〃 He straightened up。
〃If you don't want to help； we can conduct an official investigation of the university。 Of course； the publicity…〃
〃Nein； nein！〃 she said。
〃The university must not be involved in anything like this。〃 She looked womed。
〃You say he lectured here on…what day？〃
〃The fifteenth。 Monday。〃
Frau Schreiber rose and walked over to a filing cabinet。 She pulled it open and scanned some papers。 She extracted several sheets from a folder。
〃Here we are。 There were three guest professors who gave lectures here on the fifteenth。〃
〃The man I want is German。〃
〃They are all German；〃 Frau Schreiber said stiffly。
She shuffled the papers in her hand。
〃One of the lectures was on economics； one on chemistry； and one on psychology。〃
〃May I see those？〃
Reluctantly； she handed the reports to Robert。 He studied the sheets。 Each one had a name written down with a home address and a telephone number。
〃I can make a copy of these for you； if you wish。〃
〃No； thank you。〃 He had already memorized the names and numbers。
〃None of these is the man I'm looking for。〃 Frau Schreiber gave a sigh of relief。
〃Well； thank God for that。 Prostitution！ We would never be involved in such a thing。〃
〃I'm sorry I troubled you for nothing。〃 Robert left and headed for a telephone booth in town。
The first telephone call was to Berlin。
〃Professor Streubel？〃
〃Ja。〃
〃This is the Sunshine Tours Bus pany。 You left a pair of glasses on our bus last Sunday when you were touring with us in Switzerland and…〃
〃I do not know what you are speaking about。〃 He sounded annoyed。
〃You were in Switzerland on the fourteenth； were you not； Professor？〃
〃No。 On the fifteenth。 To give a lecture at the Univer