Buzz, and he did!
"I'm corroding."
"Exude some chrome as I told you."
"I think I hear mother calling, anyway. Let's go before she—"
They were too late. A third bumpy ball-bearing materialized behind the two aliens, and instantly a barrage of maternal scolding dominated the ether. "I've been searching the whole continuum for you two! What are you doing back here?"
"We were just about to return, Mother."
"That's the truth, Mother. We just broke through here so we could practice our advanced—"
"Practice!" Mother exclaimed. "Practice on this poor, primitive, organic creature?"
I felt poor and primitive indeed. Paralyzed with fear, my only wonder now was that apparently I had retained my sanity throughout this waking nightmare.