Stagnation tomorrow. But as yet, the fear and hysteria had not really begun. Parr shuddered, sickened. "What have I _done_?" It would take months to unmuddle the chaos. Earth was ripe for invasion.... * * * * * Parr aroused from a heavy stupor. The pressure was back. He moaned, and the knock on the door jolted him into startled animal movement. The knob turned. Parr tensed, although he could tell that the Oholo team was still distant. "Who is it?" The door opened and a disguised Knoug slipped through. Immediately behind him a simian-like Earthman towered. "Come in," the Knoug said. When they were inside, he shut the door. "The Ship sent me over," the Knoug said. "You wanted help? My name's Kal. You probably remember me on Ianto?" Parr swung his legs from the bed and stood up. "You feel the pressure?" Kal rumbled angrily. "Two Oholos," Parr said. "I've been dodging them." "Two, eh? Okay. It's a good thing I brought Bertie along. Two, you say. Well I'll be damned." Kal turned to the Earthman. "There'll be two, Bertie. So watch yourself...." Bertie grunted noncommittally. "Okay. Now like I told you, shoot when I give you the mental signal. You'll see the ones." "Uh-huh," Bertie said, chewing complacently. "Go on downstairs then." Bertie hunkered forward and leered at Parr. "Sure. Sure." "Hurry the hell up," Kal said. Bertie shuffled to the door, opened it, left the room. Parr swallowed uneasily. Kal chuckled. "Good one, Bertie. Useful. Damn this pressure. Glad I brought him. They won't be looking for an Earthman, eh? So when they try to come in here after us, he'll drop 'em, eh?" Parr wet his lips. "They're getting nearer." "Relax," Kal said. He crossed to the bed and sat down. "The Fleet's out. It just came out. Did you hear?" * * * * * Parr felt a shock of surprise. He imagined the hundred powerful ships of the fleet coming, one by one, from the dead isolation of hyperspace. In his mind's eye he could see the faint glimmer of the static shield--the protective aura--form slowly in real space; he could imagine the ships safe within their electric sheaths which caught the hull-wrenching force of transition and dissipated it from the heavy steel plating. He could imagine one ship--perhaps one--popping out, shieldless, battered by the force vortex, and perhaps leaking air or ruptured entirely because the protective aura had collapsed under pressure. Then he saw the ships neatly pulling into formation, grouping for instructions, waiting for the attack signal. "Day after tomorrow they attack," Kal said. "They're closer," Parr whispered. Kal concentrated. "Yeah. I feel them. Come to the window." He stood up and crossed the room in quick cat-like strides.