"The environment on the planet where we transplanted our colony of humanoids was ideal for our purpose—harsh and savage. Several species of bipeds with rudimentary intelligence already inhabited the planet, but our own culture speedily wiped them out and were happily warring among themselves...."
A suspicion began to grow in Saxon's mind. He blurted, "On what planet did you introduce this culture?"
The Moderator paused, stared Saxon coolly in the eye.
"Earth!" he said.
Saxon and Ileth looked at each other incredulously, unable to comprehend the significance of the Moderator's answer.
"Earth?" repeated Saxon. "I don't understand."
The Moderator wrinkled his brow, and said, "I don't know how to put it any more clearly. We transplanted our biological sports to Earth. The two sub-human races which our humanoids exterminated were the Cro-Magnards and the Neanderthalers."
Saxon's brain reeled. "Do you mean that man as we know him, homo sapiens, originated in your laboratories as—an experiment?"
He heard Ileth laugh hysterically.