It would be nice, viewing the story from the perspective of the turn of the century, if the expedition to Mars would have included some women. The dynamics of the research group would probably change if it were a mixture of genders, although Childrey's foolish bullying might still manifest itself. The narrator touches on the problem with the mix of men when he asserts that "individually, each of us was the best possible man. It was a damn shame." He notes that each man was chosen for his skills and temperament, but he implies that the group as a whole did not function well.

He is positive that "Lear and Childrey did not belong on the same planet." Niven makes the point that creating a good team involves more than selecting each person for skills and temperament. It requires finding good people whose skills and personalities...