They listened while Ryo repeated the phrase and added several others. “It is difficult, but by no means impossible,” he said. “They do seem, however, better able to master our language than we theirs. Yet I venture to say it can be done. I’ve no doubt an experienced linguist such as yourself,” and he gestured at the Thranx who’d asked him to repeat the sounds, “could do far better.”

“Let me try.” The researcher listened. On his second attempt he made the noise comprehensible. It had taken Ryo many more attempts than two to voice the term that clearly, but communication was the elder’s specialty. He should have thrown away his machines.

The others had to break in or the discussion would have quickly been monopolized by an impromptu language lesson.

“Pressure of circumstances,” the elder commented. “Foolish of us not to realize it.”

“They are mammalian,” said one of the younger scientists, whose name was Repleangel. “We’ve already established that. However, they are almost completely bare of fur. Most extraordinary.”

“We thought at first,” one of the other scientists said, “that it might be due to a seasonal variation.”

“I don’t think so,” Ryo said. “I saw no evidence for it Devoid of fur or not their ability to withstand extreme cold is unarguable.”

“From our point of view, not necessarily theirs,” said Rep.

“They were always cold, but never dangerously so,” Ryo continued. “I often saw them remove portions of their extensive clothing to expose their naked, furless bodies to the air while they cleaned themselves. I would guess that the climate they would consider ideal must average some ten to twenty degrees cooler than our own. Furthermore, they seem to have no need whatsoever for moisture in the air. They must therefore find the environment you have produced in their room both overly hot and humid.”

“Are you certain of this lack of need for humidity?”

“All I can say is that in this polar region my lungs would have cracked without the moisture pack I wore. The monsters had no such device and seemed to thrive. I still shudder to think of their breathing that untreated air. I venture to say they could even survive on the worlds of the AAnn, which are notoriously dry if pleasantly warm. That is another factor which makes them valuable allies.”

As he said the last his gaze went sideways to the sixth questioner. So far the military representative had asked nothing. He did not react visibly to Ryo’s last comment any more than he had to any of the previous ones. He simply sat in his saddle and monitored his instruments.

Ryo let it pass. At least the thought had been planted.

The questions went on and on. “How many sexes do they have?”

“Two, like us.”

“Male and female?”

“Yes.”

“Do they lay eggs or bear their young alive?”