"That will come in time."
"Well, let's hit it," said Lane. "What do we do first?"
"First," said Hotang Lu, "is to beware. The Loard-vogh are warned. Knowing their psychology, attack will be imminent."
"Then we'd best prepare to repel boarders?"
"Yes."
"Hotang Lu has the right idea," said Lane. "If they're warned, they'll clip us first."
Kennebec objected. "Why?" he asked. "Why do you expect them to hit us? After all, they're swarming through the galaxy in this direction. If they are that powerful, why should they attack Terra?"
"We constitute a threat," said Downing. "We are a powerful threat, or I miss my guess."
"Terra is a most powerful threat," said Hotang Lu. "Terra, well, it is known to the Loard-vogh as the Planet of Terror."
"Gratifying in a nice, lethal way," smiled Kennebec. "Mind telling us why?"