"When?"
"Sometime tonight."
"Okay," Ingomar said. "Thanks. I'll stay inside."
"It's not so easy as that. You must blast off and put your ship in
orbit for the night."
"Why? Do you know how much fuel it takes to get into orbit? I have none
to spare."
Pisces II scratched in the sand with his claws, thinking. Then he said,
"Only one alternative exists. If you remain, the storm will wreck your
ship. Take us aboard now, and blast off for your home planet. To stay
here means death."
Ingomar snorted and turned back toward his ship. He thought, "Take
them aboard my ship? Not in a million years." He saw their plan, now.
They wanted to get into his ship. Then, by some means he could not now
foresee, they would take the ship away from him.
* * * * *
He was so shaken by this conclusion that he quickly retreated to
safety, closing the airlock. The birds stayed outside. They were
arguing between themselves. He could tell by the gesticulations they
made with their heads. Once Pisces I attacked Pisces II viciously,
raking him mercilessly with sharp talons. Pisces II fought back
ferociously. They rolled over and over in the sand. Ingomar threw a
switch that gave him communication outside the ship, and yelled at them.