ugh corridors, huddled in dark
corners; they whimpered and moaned and waved their tentacles in terror.

**Make peace!** one of them screamed shrilly.

**Surrender!**

**They'll kill us anyway! Don't be a fool!**

**No, no, _no_!**

Lycan embraced the Elder for protection. Trembling, he looked up into
the Elder's contorted face. They both sobbed dryly.

Forential could not think. He was paralyzed.

It was almost half an hour before they quieted.

**My mutants aren't jammed,** Forential told them for the dozenth time.
**Maybe there's still hope.**

**Send them all down; send them all--**

**No! Wait!** Fierut interrupted sharply. **Wait! Reason! Suppose there
_is_ interference on Forential's frequency. Suppose it just isn't strong
enough for us to detect it. Suppose they're throwing most of their power
into interfering with Lycan's transmitter. Suppose there is only local
interference with Forential's. We've got to take that into account.**

Great hopeless whimpers echoed in their minds.

**Wait, now, wait!** Fierut commanded. **We must assume it's true. But
if we throw all available power into Forential's transmitter, maybe we
can breach that purely local interference.**

**Yes? Yes? Yes?**

**Lycan: cut off your transmitter. Channel every unit of power to
Forential--**

**Madness--**

**Suicide--!**

**_They_ could change over--!**

There was a rising babble of protest.

**Earth can't tell it's off!** Fierut thought. **They must be using the
two mutants down there for negative tests. They couldn't possibly have
detection equipment for a displaced field.**

**It's, it's our only _hope_,** the Elder whispered.

* * * * *

Fierut scuttled out of his compartment and down the ramp to the
instrument room. He began to analyze and test and measure the beams of
interference pouring from Earth. He used a synchronized model of the
planet to pinpoint originating sites. He traced the beams back, Earth
transmitter by Earth transmitter, back to the originating site of least
distortion and sharpest harmonics. **There!** he cried. **I have located
their signal generator!**

**All the power is now on Forential's transmitter,** Lycan thought. **My
transmitter is off.**

**Send five of your charges down to destroy the signal generator!** the
Elder ordered Forential. **Hold the rest in reserve--in case of more
trouble--**

Forential dropped down the ladder to the rim level. He