Regin Naylo looked puzzled. "Could it be that they've discovered how to tell when an infrawave receiver is being used?"
Faren Twill shook his head, "If they knew that they'd have developed a more efficient infrawave detector."
Linus Brein agreed vigorously.
Viggon Sarri seated himself self-confidently. "Gentlemen, you have before you a race with dogged determination, the grit and will to go on, even though they have tasted failure."
"Right," said Faren Twill.
"So now I know," said Viggon. "And now we go in!"
Regin Naylo looked hopeful. "To let 'em have it?" His face fell. "Or to make friends of them?"
Faren Twill started to speak, but Viggon silenced him with a wave of his multiflexed hand as he went on. "We go in prepared for anything. Naylo, you will, as usual, set up our forces for battle. That means an all-man alert at all stations. Complete alert, Naylo."
Naylo nodded.
"With one exception. No attempt to clear the space charge in the projectors with a preliminary blast."