Dr. Gerard climbed upon the table, and with Randall's and McClellan's help, pulled himself up into the opening. He hung outside by his hands for a moment, then dropped to the ground below. McClellan was next, pulling his lanky body up to the opening, with Randall boosting.
Settling himself on the sill, he reached a hand down to Randall.
Just then a giant Kralon stepped into the room. Its faceted eyes regarded them for a moment in almost ludicrous surprise. It turned its head, clacked a message to companions in the hall, then scurried rapidly toward Randall, two more Kralons close behind it.
Randall had just touched McClellan's hand when the foremost Kralon caught the table with a hooked foreleg, sliding it and Randall away from the opening.
"Hurry up!" he told McClellan. "Jump!"
McClellan hesitated.
"You can't help me alone," Randall urged. "Get back to the stockade and get help!"
McClellan was still undecided. He started to drop back into the room, then as if realizing the truth of Randall's words, he turned and leaped from the opening to the ground below.
Randall stepped calmly from the table to the floor and held his hands above his head in universal gesture of surrender.
"Okay," he said quietly. "Now what?"