"I admit it is peculiar, for the breeders they seek are women of that planet."
"Women?"
"Yes. However, the Earthmens' minds indicated a strong tendency to refuse cooperation."
"I see. Do you think our probe was detected?"
"No. I withdrew it immediately when the Earthmen were taken aboard the Ihelian destroyer."
There was a long moment of silence. The commander's eyes stayed unwaveringly on the control sphere mounted in gimbals before her. They remained concentrated on it when she spoke again.
"Women, you say. Hardly conceivable, Daleb, unless—unless it was not simply a penal planetoid which we destroyed!"
"A startling thought, Lady!"
"Yes. And the Earthmen, you say, did not have cooperative thoughts?"
"That is correct. They are not taking the Ihelian craft to their planet of their own volition."