His gaze swung on me. His hollow voice, deep from the capacious shell of chest, echoed and blurred in the room.
"I think Wandl has no rotation now. Or almost none."
He was not as taciturn, as he had seemed, and presently we had him talking. We learned several things regarding the gravity-controls of Wandl, by which at will the planet could be rotated on its axis; and by which also it could navigate space. We learned that the great control station contained these gravitational mechanisms, as well as the mechanism by which the Earth had been attacked. But we could not discover where on Wandl that station was located.
Then, with our meal finished, Snap rose to his feet. "Those arms of yours, seem very strange to us. But they must be mighty useful."
Snap had taken a cautious, shoving step. It wafted him directly toward the guard.
The weird, brown-scaled face of Wyk, with its popping eyes upon stems and its upended mouth, contorted with surprise.
"Back! Don't come near me!"
He flung himself back, but struck the wall of the room. All his arms were writhing. Alarm was in his voice. It was the first time either Snap or I had made an unexpected move, and it startled Wyk.
"Wait! Let me go!" Snap cried.
Wyk's longest arms were around Snap, like the tentacles of an octopus, and Snap was struggling, fighting. We had not intended this at this time, but the opportunity was here.