Many new stars, previously invisible, now shone in great glory so that
the whole celestial field presented new aspects. Far away I looked
toward our Sun; it sparkled like a tiny star, and none of the planets of
our Solar System were visible.

I paused not at Dubhe, but sped onward to one of the busy worlds that
revolve around it, which I shall call Plasden. This is two hundred times
as large as our world, and "slin" covers seven-eighths of its surface.
Slin is a liquid much resembling water and serves practically the same
purpose.

Plasden is truly a wonderful water world. Its inhabitants are not
confined to the under-water life like those found in Stazza, neither are
they strictly compelled to remain in the atmosphere, although that is
their normal condition. The Plasdenites can sustain life under water,
but only with discomfort. They have three times as many ribs as we
possess, and between them are openings into which air or water enters
for life sustentation. These flabby ribs slowly rise and fall
continuously and involuntarily.

I would describe the upper portion of their bodies, but they would seem
so contrary to our ideas of beauty that I will pass on by saying that to
my eye, now trained in the larger school of interstellar harmonies,
these Plasdenites are lovely and lovable human creatures. They have
reached a high state of civilization and, being gifted with the spirit
life, they are still forging ahead toward perfection, unconsciously
competing with their fellow spirits in millions of worlds.

Plasden is an old planet. Human beings have lived thereon for thirty
thousand years, and consequently, ages ago, the land area became so