He returned to the lab and laughed at the bewildered expressions on rough-and-ready crewmen. Even the normally belligerent Exec meekly looked to him for an explanation. Boyette explained the train of events since the alien animals had been contacted and what had happened to the crews they had come seeking.
Only Commander Kellews questioned his explanation, sharply inquiring, "Just a moment. How could you discover all this?"
"I'll show you," Boyette said. Before long the amazed Commander was receiving the much amplified telepathic confession of the alien.
At the end he grimly took off the helmet and announced, "Mr. Snead, have all hands go to their battle stations and stand by for takeoff. As soon as we're ready systematic destruction of every living thing on this planet will commence. Their invasion of Earth is going to backfire."
"Are you sure that such a policy of destruction would be wise, sir?" Boyette asked quietly.
The Exec's mouth dropped open in horrified astonishment at this questioning of a military order. The Commander raised a hand to forestall what he knew would be an outburst.
"That's all right, Mr. Snead. Since the Doctor was instrumental in saving all of us I believe he has a perfect right to raise an objection." He turned to Boyette, "Now then, why shouldn't we destroy them? After all they did their damnedest to destroy us."
"Well, sir," began Boyette confidently. "This is the first alien intelligent life we've run across in our space expansion. What happens now could very well determine our relations with other forms of life contacted later on."
He paused, then added, "Actually they were just defending themselves against what they considered an invasion."