"I have not introduced myself. I am known as V'Naric. If you wish to know more about us I think your friend there can tell you. It would be amusing to hear about us from his lips." The men were amazed as the creature gestured toward Devries with the pistol. Again the eyes changed color, this time to a soft green which must have signified amusement.
Had the creature read Devries's mind? Yes, he knew them, or rather he'd heard something about them; this was the first one he'd actually seen.
"We're in a spot now," he said in a low tone to his friends. "Those are the Proktols, inhabitants of the single moon of Neptune! They usually stick pretty close to home, but once they go on the warpath, or rather the space-path, you can bet something's up."
"Yes, yes, go on," said V'Naric in his clipped voice, his eyes still green with amusement.
But at that moment the men heard the inner-lock clang shut, and a sudden roar of the rockets. Too late, they realized V'Naric had held their attention with conversation while a few of his men sneaked off to get the spacer under way.
They leaped to the ports and saw the Wasp drifting free. They saw something else. A flame leaped from this ship, touched the Wasp and lingered there. A circular spot on its silvery hull glowed suddenly red. Ross was frantically trying to swing the Wasp away.
"Good Lord! Ross!" Janus sprang toward V'Naric and clutched at him. "Stop it! One of our men is still aboard back there!"
V'Naric deliberately turned his back.
They saw the thin shell of the Wasp burst outward.
"You murdering devils!" yelled Ketrik, suddenly berserk. He leaped toward V'Naric in blind fury, reaching out with his hands.