"Wait," advised Dr. Kang. "Not so swiftly. Let us try every peaceful means to win them over first. Dr. Bryant—where is Dr. Bryant?"
"Below," said Muldoon. "He went below a little while ago. I don't think the old man feels so good. He looked sort of funny. Kind of a sick expression around his mouth. And his eyes were glazed, like he was sort of dopey, or something."
"Well, let us send for him. We will need his advice. And bring Borisu from his cell, too. We must attempt to communicate with the Magogeans by radio. We will need Borisu to interpret for us."
Lieutenant MacDonald said, "Yes sir. Right away, sir," and hurried from the room.
Warren, closely scanning the vision plate, muttered, "Six ... eight ... a dozen of them. If they're friendly, all right. But if they're hostile—"
"You have turned on the force-shield?" asked Dr. Kang.
"No, but I'll do it now." The skipper pushed the black button. "That should take care of any tricks they try to pull. Say—" His voice broke in a sudden exclamation of astonishment. "Say, that's funny! Where did that come from?"
"That? What?" demanded Gary.
"Why—why, it looked like a life skiff. Matter of fact it looked like one of the Liberty's auxiliary craft. It just scooted across the vision plate for a minute and then—I'll try to pick it up again."
Warren twisted the scanning device deftly, succeeded in centering it upon the foremost of the approaching Magogean spacecraft. He leaned forward, studying intently the scene revealed.