"If we could _convince_ them, like I was convinced ... if we could show them you _were_ strong and peaceful...." "But we aren't strong, Parr. They caught us unprepared. If we had a year or two...." "How long would it be before you could get reinforcements here?" Lauri bit her lower lip. "At least a month. We'd have to organize the units and everything. No sooner." "Oh." "What were you thinking?" "I thought," Parr said. "... I thought I might hold the attack off ... for as much as a couple of hours." "That wouldn't help." Parr swallowed and cleared his throat nervously. "I don't know. Maybe it would give the Oholos more time to prepare. It might help a little." "How?" "I'm going to try that. I've got to do something, Lauri." He flipped open the comset and started to speak, but the channel was already busy. It was filled with crackling explosive Knoug language. Parr began to listen intently. It was a conversation between the Flagship and one of the other ships of the Fleet. "... Parr's right," the other ship said. "So they're down there. They say they've fought Oholos, and he's probably right...." "How many are there?" the Flagship demanded. "Thirteen. All in the engine room." "Tell them Parr was bluffing," the Flagship ordered. "I already did." "Tell them they're guilty of mutiny!" "I did, and they still won't come out. They're the bunch that were in the assault at Coly. They've been hard to handle ever since." "All right. Go after them with guns...." "What is it?" Lauri asked. "Shhhh!" Parr cautioned. A third circuit opened. "No other ship reports trouble. It's just this one bunch." * * * * * There was a harsh curse, guttural and nasty. "These channels are open! The whole Fleet knows about that Coly bunch now!" "What in hell! _God damn it, get them off!_ We've got to isolate...." Click. Parr stared at the comset in his hand. Parr smiled thinly. "I did a little good, at least. A bunch of veterans must have been listening in on me.... One of the Fleet ships has a little trouble." "Maybe ...," she began excitedly. "No," Parr said. "It was only thirteen Knougs. It's scarcely a ripple. It might make the rest of the Fleet a little uneasy--but they'll still take orders. I'm sorry Lauri, but it's not going to help much." "How do you know it won't?" she insisted. The bitter smile was still there. "I've seen something like it before. In five minutes it will all be over." "Oh." "Well," he said after a moment, "I better try to get the Ship. I'm going to hold them off as long as I can." He clicked open the comset again. "Kal," he lied icily. "Advanceman Kal." For the first time he was glad of the tinny, voice disguising diaphragm. "Get off!" the Advanceship ordered. "This is the Commander. We're under communication security, damn it!" * * * * *