One of the birds quickly picked up the plastic ribbon and carried it to the other, and dropped it near the leg. Then both took it in their beaks and together they tied it around the leg. It was done so quickly that Ingomar stood there aghast, surprised into immobility. He had never before seen birds tie knots. "It would not be wise to destroy us," Pisces I said. "We can help you." "How?" "You need help," Pisces II said. "A storm is coming." "A cosmic storm?" Ingomar asked. "I'm not worried about that. I'll stay here until it moves on." Pisces I shook his head. "A planetary storm." "When?" "Sometime tonight." "Okay," Ingomar said. "Thanks. I'll stay inside." "It's not so easy as that. You must blast off and put your ship in orbit for the night." "Why? Do you know how much fuel it takes to get into orbit? I have none to spare." Pisces II scratched in the sand with his claws, thinking. Then he said, "Only one alternative exists. If you remain, the storm will wreck your ship. Take us aboard now, and blast off for your home planet. To stay here means death." Ingomar snorted and turned back toward his ship. He thought, "Take them aboard my ship? Not in a million years." He saw their plan, now. They wanted to get into his ship. Then, by some means he could not now foresee, they would take the ship away from him. * * * * * He was so shaken by this conclusion that he quickly retreated to safety, closing the airlock. The birds stayed outside. They were arguing between themselves. He could tell by the gesticulations they made with their heads. Once Pisces I attacked Pisces II viciously, raking him mercilessly with sharp talons. Pisces II fought back ferociously. They rolled over and over in the sand. Ingomar threw a switch that gave him communication outside the ship, and yelled at them. They stopped fighting at once. He said, "Have you two lost your minds?" Pisces II laughed. "Now how could one lose his mind? It goes with him everywhere." "All right," Ingomar said. "I meant, have you become insane?" "Of course not," Pisces I said. "We are peaceful entities. We intentionally developed this argument to break the monotony of life here." "Is it so bad as that?" "It is terrible. Will you take us aboard?" Ingomar did not answer, but switched the communicator off and busied himself with recording his observations. He took advantage of their continued presence and took photographs. Finally, after several hours, they leapt into the air and flew away toward the distant mountains. Ingomar was sorry to see them leave, and more than once checked his instruments for signs of a coming storm in case they were right. But nothing outside had changed.