At the first faint touch of Kim's mind, the Eich reacted. Tentacles like steel whips lashed out to bind and hold him, to drag him into the frowning fortress—
"Ah!" exclaimed Eichmil. "Our visitor has arrived and is awaiting us in the Delgonian hall of question. Shall we meet again, there?"
They did so; they of the Eich armored against the poisonous oxygen, the Overlord naked. All wore screens.
"Earthling, we are glad indeed to see you here," the First of Boskone welcomed the prisoner. "For a long time we have been anxious indeed—"
"I don't see how that can be," the Lensman blurted. "I just graduated. My first big assignment, and I have failed," he ended bitterly.
A start of surprise swept around the circle. Could this be?
"He is lying," Eichmil decided. "You of Delgon, take him out of his armor." The Overlord did so, the Tellurian's struggles meaningless to the reptile's superhuman strength. "Release your screen and see whether or not you can make him tell the truth."
After all, the man might not be lying. The fact that he could understand a strange language meant nothing at all. All Lensmen could.
"But in case he should be the one we seek—" The Overlord hesitated.