"And now the Irrians have stolen a march on you," Birrel said. Kara had explained the significance of that probe-ray record, and he had to admit that it seemed to make sense. "They've decided to steal fissionable material from Earth. So they sent Vannevan and his men here to spy out our installations preparatory to raiding them. And if that doesn't constitute a threat to Earth I don't know what does." "But the weapons they make won't be used against you!" she cried. "They'll be used against us, and unless we can mobilize in time we won't have a chance." "Look," said Birrel. "Connor will see to it that our installations are so heavily guarded that no one can raid them. Then there's no threat to either of our worlds." * * * * * She groaned, as though in despair at trying to deal with an idiot. "Your prison was strong and carefully guarded. Did we have trouble breaking into it? Would we have trouble breaking in anywhere? Guards consist of men and electronic devices. We can blank them both, in many different ways. So can the Irrians. Your defenses wouldn't hold." And Birrel realized with a sinking heart that that was true. "But we've got to fight. We've got to do what we can." "Yes. Of course you do. And there is only one way." Her voice was eager now, forceful, hammering home her points with relentless logic. "Come back with us to Ruun. Tell the authorities what you know, what you have actually seen. That will be enough to make them believe and mobilize. Vannevan and his men are only the forerunners here. A small fleet must come from Ir for the actual raid. Ruun can stop them, you cannot. You understand? Your defense is out there!" And she pointed at the glittering sky above the trees. Birrel followed her gesture and thought, _Oh Lord, I can't! I'm scared. How far is Wolf 359? I never even heard of it._ And then he thought, _But she's right. Connor, all our armed forces--we'd be like babies against a fleet from Ir. We have atomic weapons but we'd never have the chance to use them. It would be just as it was at the prison--_ He listened to the owl and the crickets and the gurgle of running water, and smelled the cool sweetness of the summer night and dug his fingers into the grass because he wanted to hold on to Earth and all that was familiar. But overhead the stars glittered and shone, and there was a decision to be made. "If you want to fight for your world and your people," said Kara softly, "you must have courage to do what you know is right, even if it is against orders." Yes, thought Birrel. Yes, indeed. Have courage.