"I need not, I feel, tell you who this is." His manner was somewhat stiff and formal. "A skull, fully human in every detail—as far as it is possible to ascertain by X rays, anyway." Danchekker traced along the line of the jaw with a ruler he had picked up from one of the tables. "Note the formation of the teeth—on either side we see two incisors, one canine, two pre-molars, and three molars. This pattern was established quite early in the evolutionary line that leads to our present day anthropoids, including of course, man. It distinguishes our common line of descent from other offshoots, such as the New World monkeys with a count of two, one, three, three."

"Hardly necessary here," Hunt commented. "There's nothing apelike or monkeylike about that picture."

"Quite so, Dr. Hunt," Danchekker returned with a nod. "The reduced canines, not interlocking with the upper set, and the particular pattern of the cusps—these are distinctly human characteristics. Note also the flatness of the lower face, the absence of any bony brow ridges . . . high forehead and sharply angled jaw . . . well-rounded braincase. These are all features of true man as we know him today, features that derive directly from his earlier ancestors. The significance of these details in this instance is that they demonstrate an example of true man, not something that merely bears a superficial resemblance to him."

The professor took down the plates and momentarily flooded the room with a blaze of light. A muttered profanity from one of the scientists at the tables made him switch off the light hastily. He picked up three more plates, set them up on the screen, and switched on the light to reveal the side view of a torso, an arm, and a foot.

"Again, the trunk shows no departure from the familiar human pattern. Same rib structure . . . broad chest with well-developed clavicles . . . normal pelvic arrangement. The foot is perhaps the most specialized item in the human skeleton and is responsible for man's uniquely powerful stride and somewhat peculiar gait. If you are familiar with human anatomy, you will find that this foot resembles ours in every respect."

"I'll take your word for it," Hunt conceded, shaking his head. "Nothing remarkable, then."

"The most significant thing, Dr. Hunt, is that nothing is remarkable."

Danchekker switched off the screen and returned the plates to the pile. Caldwell turned to Hunt as they began walking back toward the door.

"This kind of thing doesn't happen every day," he grunted. "An understandable reason for wanting some . . . er . . . irregular action, you would agree?"

Hunt agreed.

A passage, followed by a short flight of stairs and another passage, brought them to a set of double doors bearing the large red sign STERILE AREA. In the anteroom behind, they put on surgical masks, caps, gowns, gloves, and overshoes before passing out through another door at the opposite end.