o the table and
scooped up the birth certificates. "I hope one of these fits."

"Walt!" Julia cried. "If it doesn't!"

"... they were my friends," he said. "I was raised with them. Maybe
they'll believe me anyway. Bob and Jim and Dave and Reg and Willy...."
Walt shrugged.

He crossed to the doorway. He left the laboratory.

Just outside he waited. One of the five saucer ships approached. He
could see Julia's face at the window. It was drawn and pathetic. He
wanted to go back and comfort her and tell her everything was going to
be all right.

How sweet she was! Now that she was no longer infinitely wise and
superior, now that she was dependent and helpless: how sweet she was!

He wanted to protect her. His heart swelled with sadness and with joy.

The saucer ship hovered. He motioned it closer. It drew in toward him
like a nervous colt.

He waited.

He motioned it closer.

At last, just in front of him, it jolted down.

Willy got out.

Walt watched as the horror of openness flickered across his face.

_You'll get used to it_, Walt thought. _You'll like it, when you get
used to it._

Willy clutched the side of the ship for support. _I'm, I'm all right,
inside the ship.... You come inside._ He clambered back out of sight.

Caution counseled refusal. But Walt approached the entrance. His
increased knowledge made him confident. He had learned much--just in the
last day. He was more than a match for a single mutant from the space
station. If he had known as much last Monday as he knew now, Julia would
never have escaped. He entered.

Willy pulled the door closed. He was breathing heavily.

_Take off your shoes!_ Walt commanded. Walt knew Willy was going to try
to start the ship, try to move it away so that Walt's shield would no
longer cover the laboratory. Once that happened, the mutants on the
outside could blast the laboratory in a second.

_What?_

Slowly, Willy was moving the starting lever by teleportation. Walt
located the focus rod.

_Take your shoes off!_

* * * * *

Suspiciously Willy glanced back mentally at the other saucer ships a
short distance behind. Willy hesitated. Then he sat down and removed his
shoes. He watched Walt closely. The starting lever continued to inch
into position.

Walt knew Willy wouldn't risk a sudden motion.

But Walt was wrong. As he bent down, the lever snapped in place. The
saucer shuddered.

And Walt, using the focus rod