s."

"Oh? I never heard of such a thing. Where can you be from?"

This took much explanation, since the Arpalone had never heard of
inter-galactic travel. "You are willing, then, to fight side by side
with us Arpalones against the enemies of humanity? You have actually
done so, at times, and won?"

"We certainly have."

"I am glad. I am expecting a call for help any time now. Will you please
give me enough of your mental pattern, Doctor Garlock, so that I can
call you in case of need? Thank you."

"What makes you think you're going to get an S.O.S. so soon? Where
from?"

"Because these Ozobe invasions come in cycles, years apart, but there
are always several planets attacked at very nearly the same time. We
were the first, this time; so there will be one or two others very
shortly."

"Do they always ... kill all the people?" Lola asked.

"Oh, no. Scarcely half of the time. Depends on how many fighters the
planet has, and how much outside help can get there soon enough."

"Your call could come from any of the other solar systems in this
neighborhood, then?" Garlock asked.

"Yes. There are fifteen inhabited planets within about six light-years
of us, and we form a close-knit group."

"What are these Ozobes?"

"Animals. Warm-blooded, but egg-layers, not mammals. Like this," and the
Inspector spread in their minds a picture of a creature somewhat like
the flying tigers of Hodell, except that the color was black, shading
off to iridescent green at the extremities. Also, it was armed with a
short and heavy, but very sharp, sting.

"They say that they come from space, but I don't believe it," the old
fellow went on. "What would a warm-blood be doing out in space? Besides,
they couldn't find anybody to lay their eggs in out there. No, sir, I
think they live right here on Groobe somewhere, maybe holed up in caves
or something for ten or thirteen years ... but that wouldn't make sense,
either, would it? I just don't know...."

* * *

Garlock finally broke away from the lonesome Inspector and the
_Pleiades_ started down.

"That's the most utterly _horrible_ thing I ever heard of in my life!"
Lola burst out. "Like wasps--only worse--_people_ aren't bugs! Why don't
all the planets get together and develop something to kill every Ozobe
in every system of the group?"

"That one has got too many bones in it for me to answer," James said.

"I'm going to get hold of that Engineer as soo