e at many light years per minute is what you might
call a space station--but on a scale you've never dreamed of. Five of
your miles in diameter, it is a fortress of terrible strength, a
storehouse of half a million years of weapon development. It has been
arranged that the one man running this station--"

"Just one?" Temple asked.

"Yes. You will see why when you get there. It has been arranged that
he will leave, ostensibly on a scouting expedition. You see, I am not
alone in this venture. At any rate, he will report that the space
station has been taken--as, indeed, it will be, by the two of you. The
only ships capable of overtaking your station in its flight will be
the only ships capable of reaching your galaxy before cultural
development gives you a chance to survive. They will attack you. You
will destroy them--or be destroyed yourselves. Any questions?"

The whole thing sounded fantastic to Temple. Could the fate of all
Earth rest on their shoulders in a totally alien environment? Could
they be expected to win? Temple had no reason to doubt the former, as
wild as it sounded. As for the latter, all he could do was hope. "Tell
me," he said, "how will we learn the use of all the weapons you claim
are at our disposal?"

"Can you answer that for him, Sophia?" Arkalion wanted to know.

"Umm, I think so. The same way I had all sorts of culture crammed into
me on Jupiter."

"Precisely. Only take it from me our refinement is far better, and the
amount you have to learn actually is less."

"What I'd like to know--" Sophia began.

"Forget it. I want some sleep and you'll learn everything that's
necessary at the space station."

And after that, ply Arkalion as they would with questions, he slumped
down in his chair and rested. Temple could suddenly understand and
appreciate. He felt like curling up into a tight little ball himself
and sleeping until everything was over, one way or the other.

CHAPTER X

"It's all so big! So incredible! We'll never understand it! Never...."

"Relax, Sophia. Arkalion said--"

"I know what Arkalion said, but we haven't learned anything yet."

Hours before, Arkalion had landed them on the space station, a
gleaming, five-mile in diameter globe, and had quickly departed. Soon
after that they had found themselves in a veritable labyrinth of
tunnels, passageways, vaults. Occasionally they passed a great glowing
screen, and always the view of space was the same. Like a magnificen