"Invisible barrier! A force-shield!" Gary Lane spun swiftly to their Martian comrade. "Dr. Kang, it must be something like the force-shield you installed on the Liberty!"
Kang nodded slowly. "Very likely. I know now why Borisu never questioned me so eagerly about the activation of my device as he did the Jovian engineers about their quad warp. It was because he already understood it."
"You mean," demanded the Gogean, "you comprehend this mechanism?"
Kang nodded.
"But then no one need enter Khundru!"
"Unfortunately, someone must. There is no way to rupture an entropic force barrier from without. If your divisions are to storm Khundru, the wall must be broken from the control room inside that city."
Gary drew a deep breath. "O.Q. We're elected. Lark ... Hugh ... Flick...."
"A moment, Gary," interrupted Lark. "Just how are we to effect entry into Khundru? Will there be questions to ask or answer?"
Tsalnor puzzled briefly. "It would be best," he decided, "to pass yourselves off as common serfs. We shall teach you the Magogean language and acquaint you with its customs. But it would take too long a training to enable you to pass yourselves as members uff the ruling class. There are but two divisions uff Magogeans. The common people, serfs who are little more than feudal slaves; and the kraedars, or overlords—"