The energy pack was at full power, connected to the still-functioning alien systems. The exotic engines throbbed. The embedded circuit lines in the rock walls carried the necessary power to the flat trapezoid that held only an opaque stone surface.

Margaret hurried to the symbol tiles that framed the smooth trapezoidal plane. She thought out loud as she ran her fingers along the tiles, tracing the individual symbols. “If each one of these indicates the coordinate of a Klikiss world, then perhaps we can travel to Llaro or Corribus. Did we leave any equipment there, transmitters or supplies?”

Louis shrugged in dismay. “You’re the organized one, dear. I never keep track of details like that.” Outside in the corridor he heard the Klikiss robots approaching, treading heavily on clusters of fingerlike legs. Louis saw DD standing all alone, pitifully small as he blocked the way against the three ominous machines.

At the portal wall, Margaret looked at the coordinate tiles. “According to the records on the other Klikiss worlds, some of the tiles were destroyed, especially the ones containing these particular symbols.” She pointed to a convoluted glyph high on the frame. “Were the robots trying to hide something to prevent travel somewhere?”

“Well, they missed this one,” Louis said. “Until now.”

In the tunnel, DD took a step forward and held up his metal arms. Sirix paused, surprised at the boldness of the Friendly compy. “I cannot allow you to harm my masters,” DD said. “Please go away.”

In response, Ilkot lurched forward. With four segmented insectlike forelimbs, he grabbed the small compy and lifted him bodily out of the way. DD struggled uselessly. A bright red fire blazed in the ruby-crystalline eye in the center of Ilkot’s black head. He looked ready to destroy DD by ripping his body core into small components.

Sirix interrupted, though. “Do not harm the compy. He has no choice. He does not understand his own bondage.”

The three Klikiss robots buzzed and hummed as if in argument, and then Ilkot turned. Gently, but with firm command, he carried DD away, taking the struggling compy prisoner. DD’s protests and struggles grew fainter as the black beetlelike machine moved back toward the cave overhang.

Within seconds, Sirix and Dekyk had knocked aside the insignificant makeshift barricade and lumbered into the stone-window chamber.

Margaret did not turn around, though she must have heard the struggle in the corridor. She stared with her hands on her hips as if demanding an explanation from the portal wall. “Come on! There must be some way to open this window.”

Finally, she stood on her tiptoes, stretched out her arm, and pushed hard against the tile containing a symbol that had been routinely obliterated in the other Klikiss ruins.

The portal wall hummed and crackled. The gray stone plane shimmered. “Louis! Something just happened!”