"And will likely discover it there," Ahnu agreed reluctantly. "And from that point," continued Ullo, "they will discover both our location in space and the interstellar subspace drive in its finished form. After that, they can get at _us_!" "The opposite extreme of my dilemma," confirmed Zoya. "Silence!" ordered Ahnu. "Let me think!" All of them--Supervisor, assistant, technicians, and the image on the screen--considered the situation gloomily. The government of Yaradir would take a dry view of having to combat an invasion, should one develop from this. The race of Yaradir, because of their personal requirements and life conditions, were not as numerous as most of the races they had found in their explorations. The great distances between their colonies and the growing number of these were due to the comparative rarity of the type of planet that suited them. "Can you reach the ship in your local rocket in time to escape in it?" asked Ahnu. "After all, subspace ships are costly; if we leave a deserted base, what can they find out?" "It is possible," admitted Zoya doubtfully, "but risky." "What do you mean?" "They may intercept me on the way, for their ships are faster than my rocket. They may even catch the big ship before I gain enough speed to shift into subspace drive." "For all we know," interrupted Ullo, forgetting his place, "they may be able to keep up with you even then." Ahnu bubbled angrily at the idea, but they all were silent for another unhappy period of cogitation. "Perhaps," admitted Ahnu in the end, "you will have to destroy the subspace ship, but only in the last extremity!" "I could blow it up from space, if I get within range." "Not so fast; that ship is a major item in the budget!" Ahnu told him angrily. "The first thing is to try to get aboard unseen and return to pick up what you can from your base." "And if these _Earthmen_ are nearby?" Ullo asked. "Then Zoya must forget the base and escape with the ship, which is the main thing." "But if they have already found it?" inquired Zoya. "All right, all right! _Then_ destroy it! And you had better start immediately unless you wish to find such action necessary. Somehow,"--here one eyestalk was deflected rather pointedly toward Ullo--"somehow, too many mouths always speed up the clocks." Ullo did a little neck-swelling himself at this example of bias. _Just because he couldn't get my job for his youngest brother_, he thought resentfully. _Serve him right if I'd resigned! Where'd he be if I didn't stick here to push his snout into the obvious every time he slides over it?_ "Yes," repeated Ahnu, complacent at having found his solution, "that is what you must do. If anything goes wrong, you can still use your rocket to return to your base." "Which I hope," sighed Zoya, "to find undisturbed." * * * * * At that, Ahnu fell silent. After a tense moment, he heaved himself around to direct both eyestalks at Ullo.