Iron John sat down again and crossed his legs。 He either painted his toenails or they were naturally rusty。 I let it pass since there were a lot more things I would like to know first。
〃All here in Paradise were possessed of a great depression when you were arrested；〃 he said。 〃Falsely of course？〃
〃Of course！〃
〃I thought so。 But the galaxy's loss is our gain。 We are pleased since we now have； you might say； a monopoly on your talents。〃
This had an ominous sound which I ignored for the moment； cocking an ear as he rumbled on。
〃The galaxy is so filled with guilt； sorrow and wrongheadedness that we chose； out of disgust； not to watch most of what is disseminated by television。 I am sure that it will cheer you to know that； since your arrest and incarceration； we have canceled normal programming and have been running recordings of your numbers； day and night。 Now； soon； we will be happily blessed with the originals themselves！〃
This was greeted by cries of enthusiasm and we replied with nods； grins and handshakes over our heads。 When the shouts had died away old Rusty boomed out what they all wanted to hear。
〃It is our hope that you will now … play for us！〃 More shouts。 〃What a pleasure to hear live our favorite favorite ‘Nothing's Too Bad For the Enemy。' But while you are setting up we will broadcast a recording to warm up our nation…wide audience； to prepare them for your first live performance。〃
Which was not a bad idea since； although we could get going fast； their TV technicians were another thing altogether； Very much on the antique side。 They dragged in arm…thick Cables； antique…looking； homemade cameras and lights and other gear that belonged in a museum。 While this was happening a screen dropped down from the ceiling and lit up with lively color when the back projector came on。
The recorded program did not have what might be called the galaxy's most inspiring opening。 About a thousand suntanned bodybuilders drove heavy stakes into the ground with sledgehammers； backed by the thud of a beating drum。 The drum died away but the hammers kept hammering silently as the voice…over spoke。
〃Gentlemen of Paradise…we now bring you the special occasion that was announced a few minutes ago。 I know that all of you； right across the land； are riveted to your sets。 I think that we are going to get a hundred…percent rating on this one！ So while The Stainless Steel Rats are warming up for their first ever live performance here； we are privileged to play for you their special version of…‘The Spaceship Way'！〃
And it really was special。 We watched ourselves attacking the song with our usual gusto； listened once again to those lovely lyrics 。 。 。
Working on the engines； in the engine room；
Wirin' and firm' an' waitin' for the boom。
When the cannons blast like the sound of doom；
You know you're a…sweatin' in the engine room。
Captain on the bridge his fingers on the triggers
All the guns loaded by the spaceship riggers。
Swoopin' on the enemy； million miles an hour
Callin' to the engine room for power； power； power。
Power； Power； Power make the electrons whirl；
Power； Power； Power…hear them protons swirl！
Power； Power； Power will win the day
Power； Power； Power； that's the SPACESHIP WAY。'
We nodded and smiled with fixed grins。 Good…quality picture； good sound as well。 The audience was looking at the screen instead of at us for the moment。 Floyd looked at me； then raised his extended index finger to the side of his head and rotated it in a quick little circle。 The universal hand signal for insanity。 I nodded glum agreement。 I couldn't understand it either。
There we were on the screen playing on a familiar set； wearing our regular concert costumes。 Only one thing was wrong。
Until this moment none of us had ever seen the tenor who was right there with us； singing the song。
Tenor？
It had always been sung in sensuous contralto by Madonette。
CHAPTER 14
After the TV intro we played our number； pretty mechanically I must say。 Not that our audience noticed； they were too carried away simply by being in the Presence。 They swayed and waved their hands in the air and fought to keep silent。 But when Iron John joined us in the 〃Power〃 chorus they cheered and howled and sang right along with him。 When the last power had been overpowered they broke into lusty shouted applause that went on for a long； long time。 Iron John smiled beneficently at this and finally stopped it with a raised russet finger。 There was instant silence。
〃I join you in your enthusiasm for our honored guests。 But we must give them time to rest after their strenuous day。 We will surely hear them sing for us again。 You must remember they are with us now forever。 It is their rare privilege to be admitted to Paradise as full citizens； to live until the end of time in our fair land。〃
More cries of masculine joy。 We concealed our overwhelming pleasure at this life sentence and kept our silence as we packed up our instruments and handed them to the waiting servants。 Our audience moved out； still throbbing slightly with musical passion。
〃A moment please；〃 Iron John said； waiting for the others to leave。 When we were alone he touched a button at his side and the tall doors swung silently closed。 〃A fine song。 We all enjoyed it。〃
〃The Stainless Steel Rats aim only to please；〃 I said。
〃Wonderful。〃 His smile vanished and he stared at us grimly。 〃There is one more thing you must do to please me。 Your stay here will be a long one and we want you to be happy。 You will make us all happy； yourselves included； if you show a certain selection in topics of conversation。〃
〃What do you mean？〃 I asked…although I had a good notion of what he was leading up to。
〃We are very satisfied here。 Adjusted and secure。 I do not wish to see that security threatened。 You gentlemen e to our land from a very troubled outside world。 The galaxy is at peace…or so you say。 While ignoring the eternal war without end。 The conflict of duality that we are free of here。 You are the products of a society that is ego destroying instead of being ego building。 You suffer from the negativity that blights lives； weakens cultures； sickens even the strongest。 Do you know what I'm talking about？〃
Neither Floyd nor Steengo answered so it was up to me。 I nodded。
〃We do。 Although we might quibble with some of your conclusions the object of your attentions is quite clear。 I can promise you that while we are enjoying your hospitality； neither I nor my associates will talk to anyone about the other sex。 That is girls； women； females。 It is a taboo topic。 But； since you raised the issue I assume that you can discuss it 。 。 。〃
〃No。〃
〃Right； answer enough。 We will therefore enjoy your hospitality and not spoil it。〃
〃You are wise beyond your years； young Jim；〃 he said； and a trace of a smile returned。 〃Now you must be tired。 You will be shown to your quarters。〃
The doors opened； he turned away。 End of interview。 We strolled out as nonchalantly as we could。 Old Goldy led us out as he had led us in； to some pretty luxurious； although still red brick； quarters。 He turned on the TV； checked that the faucets worked in the bathroom； raised and lowered the curtains； then bowed himself out and closed the door。 I touched my finger to my lips。 Floyd and Steengo waited in twitching silence while I used the detector； borrowed from Tremearne； to sweep the room for bugs。 After what we had seen on TV I had a great admiration for the electronics in this place。
〃Nothing；〃 I said。
〃No women；〃 Steengo said。 〃And we can't even talk about them。〃
〃I can live with that for awhile；〃 Floyd cut in。 〃But who was that singing our number？〃
〃That；〃 I said； 〃was a very nifty example of some first…class electronic dubbing。〃
〃But where did that joker e from？〃 Floyd said。 〃There I am playing right beside him…and I swear that I have never seen him before。 Maybe we really did blow baksheesh and this whole planet is a drug…inspired nightmare！〃
〃Keep cool； keep calm。 That guy was nothing but a bunch of electronic bytes and bits。 Some really good techs digitalized that entire song； with all of us playing it。 Then they animated a puter…generated male singer to follow all of Madonette's movements。 Wrote her image out； wrote his in…then re…recorded the whole thing just as if it were going out live。 Only with a him instead of a her。〃
〃But why？〃 Steengo asked； dropping wearily into one of the deep lounges。
〃Now you have asked the right question。 And the answer is obvious。 This side of Paradise is for men only。 Not only haven't we seen any women here…but pretty obviously they have been edited out of TV and presumably everything else going。 It's a real man's world。 And don't say why again because I don't know。 You saw how high that wall is when we were on our way here。 And we know from views of the thing from space that the city is on both sides of the wall。 So the women…if there are any women…might very well be on the other side。〃
No one said why again but that was the only thing on our minds。 I stared at their worried faces and tried to think of something nice。 I did。 〃Madonette；'；' I said。
〃What about her？〃 Steengo asked。
〃We've got to tell her what has ha