tow.
Resting upon the ground, it seemed absurd that such a structure could
possibly move under her own power. For two miles that enormous mass of
metal extended over the country-side, and while it was very narrow for
its length, still its fifteen hundred feet of diameter dwarfed
everything near by. But Rovol and his aged co-workers smiled happily as
they saw it, erected their keyboards, and set to work with a will.

Meanwhile a group had gathered about a conference table--a group such as
had never before been seen together upon any world. There was Fodan, the
ancient Chief of the Five of Norlamin, huge-headed, with his leonine
mane and flowing beard of white. There were Dunark and Tarnan of Osnome
and Urvan of Urvania--smooth-faced and keen, utterly implacable and
ruthless in war. There was Sacner Carfon Twenty Three Forty Six, the
immense, porpoise-like, hairless Dasorian. There were Seaton and Crane,
representatives of our own Earthly civilization.

Seaton opened the meeting by handing each man a headset and running a
reel showing the plans of the Fenachrone; not only as he had secured
them from the captain of the marauding vessel, but also everything the
First of Psychology had deduced from his own study of that inhuman
brain. He then removed the reel and gave them the tentative plans of
battle. Headsets removed, he threw the meeting open for discussion--and
discussion there was in plenty. Each man had ideas, which were thrown
upon the table and studied, for the most part calmly and
dispassionately. The conference continued until only one point was left,
upon which argument waxed so hot that everyone seemed shouting at once.

"Order!" commanded Seaton, banging his fist upon the table. "Osnome and
Urvania wish to strike without warning, Norlamin and Dasor insist upon a
formal declaration of war. Earth has the deciding vote. Mart, how do we
vote on this?"

"I vote for formal warning, for two reasons, one of which I believe will
convince even Dunark. First, because it is the fair thing to do--which
reason is, of course, the one actuating the Norlaminians, but which
would not be considered by Osnome, nor even remotely understood by the
Fenachrone. Second, I am certain that the Fenachrone will merely be
enraged by the warning and will defy us. Then what will they do? You
have already said that you have been able to locate only a few of their
exploring warships. As soon as we declare war upon them they will almost
cert