She gritted her teeth and headed for the stairs and the next floor below.
Parr shattered the glass from the emergency deep space suit. He ripped the suit from the hangar and struggled into it with anxious fingers.
It was a minute after the hour.
He hesitated, holding the helmet in his hands.
The force field at the door was nearly gone. The radio crackled with Knoug attack orders.
And then—with infinite relief—he heard her voice, crackling over the other voices. She sounded short of breath and excited.
"What's that?" someone roared in Knoug, and Parr realized they did not understand English, the common language they had used on the planet.
"Idiots!" Parr shrieked. "Fools! Can't any of you understand!"
"I'm going to destroy your Advanceship," Lauri said breathlessly. "I am an Oholo. I'm...."