"I have a message to get off first, Miss Meuhl," Retief said sharply. "I've been to the Foreign Ministry," he added. "I'll tell you all about it later."
"At this hour? There's no one there...."
"Exactly."
Miss Meuhl gasped. "You mean you broke in? You burgled the Foreign Office?"
"That's right," Retief said calmly. "Now—"
"This is absolutely the end!" Miss Meuhl said. "Thank heaven I've already—"
"Get that sender going, woman!" Retief snapped. "This is important."
"I've already done so, Mr. Retief!" Miss Meuhl said harshly. "I've been waiting for you to come back here...." She turned to the communicator, flipped levers. The screen snapped aglow, and a wavering long-distance image appeared.
"He's here now," Miss Meuhl said to the screen. She looked at Retief triumphantly.
"That's good," Retief said. "I don't think the Groaci can knock us off the air, but—"