 What would have likely happened if Thig had allowed the crew to return information to Ortha that Earth was habitable?
His task now was to bring a native, intact if possible, back to the carefully buried space cruiser where his two fellows and himself would drain the creature's mentality of all its knowledge. "With a psychic relay we will transfer the Earthman's memories and meager store of knowledge to the brain of Thig! Men had no mates on Ortha, sex had been overthrown with all the other primitive impulses of barbarism; so he was incapable of understanding the emotions that swept through his acquired memory. Tonight or tomorrow night at the latest he must contact his two fellows and report that Earth was a planetary paradise. An expeditionary force to wipe the grotesque civilizations of Earth out of existence would, of course, be necessary before the first units of new Hordes could be landed.
 The people of Earth would have been wiped out and Ortha would take over.
 He would have had to forget all about Ellen and continue life on Ortha as before.  The Orthans would have made the voyage to Earth and lived in harmony with the people of Earth.  Earth would have been blown away by Orthans and no longer be habitable.  The people of Earth would have been wiped out and Ortha would take over.