"No!" Fith gasped. "I must correct this terrible false impression at once."
"False impression, hell," Retief said. "They were Terrans! A simple narco-interrogation would get that out of any Groacian who saw the parade."
"Yes," Fith said weakly. "It is true, they were Terrestrials. But there was no killing."
"They're alive?"
"Alas, no. They ... died."
Miss Meuhl yelped faintly.
"I see," Retief said. "They died."
"We tried to keep them alive, of course. But we did not know what foods—"
"Didn't take the trouble to find out, either, did you?"
"They fell ill," Fith said. "One by one...."