Zoya reached out to touch a button, and the scene changed to what was evidently the dissecting laboratory of his base. Behind a transparent bulkhead hung several sorts of carcasses in various stages of dismemberment. Ullo suspected that the storeroom was simply left at the temperature of the moon's surface.
"Very well!" exclaimed Ahnu as the scout reappeared. "You seem to be operating a sort of butcher shop with some of the most ugly specimens ever seen. What about it?"
Ullo felt sorry for the scout. Even he—indeed, as he saw by the twitch of their eyestalks, even the technicians—had realized the problem. Zoya patiently explained, forbearing to mention that his instructions were laid out by Ahnu.
"If you will refer to descriptions in my preliminary report, Great One, you will see that certain of the specimens are Earthmen themselves. Should their explorers discover them, I have reason to believe they would be resentful. It is my opinion that they are a belligerent race."
Ahnu was silent for a moment.
"Well ... yes ... that is possible," he admitted.
"It would appear," he continued in another moment, "that you must either abandon your base or dispose of your specimens if, as you say, the Earthmen have so soon reached your vicinity."
Zoya waited. Ullo stirred in his tub.
"If I may suggest, Great One—?"
"Yes?"