"They're too smart to keep electrocuting themselves," said MacAloon tersely. "They must have a plan."
"But what is it?"
"I don't know," Mac admitted.
The first ten lines halted within a foot of the flashing barricade. The next nine marched forward and mounted the backs of the first lines. Then each succeeding rank climbed those in front.
"A pyramid!" Al yapped.
The fishmen gaped up at Mac, then back at the 'pedes. They were close to cracking.
"Wait!" Mac ordered. "Wait till boss-limpy says they're almost to the top of the fence. Then fire low. Don't keep firing after the pyramid falls!"
The sporadic firing ceased. Immense gaps had appeared in the pyramid, but the fence had heated red. The drain on the generators would be enormous, and this MacAloon had feared more than the few invaders that might drop across.
Swiftly, the pyramid grew until it was as high as the fence. Then, up in the lookout room, Limpy barked a signal.
Flame leaped out at the lowest line of 'pedes, slashed back and forth. All in an instant, the pyramid collapsed. The centaurpedes retreated, leaving a ring of charred bodies around the fence. But the survivors were as numberless as ever.