“What needs to be done. My God, don’t you people realize what’s happened here? What these filthy creatures portend? We always knew it might come, but not with such subtlety, not with such deviousness.”

“What might come, Weldon?”

“The invasion, of course. All these centuries they’ve been watching us, waiting. Now they’ve duped us into bringing one of ’em back with us. He’s the advance scout. Somehow he’s even managed to hypnotize you all into taking him back Back with the vital information they need. Centaurus will be the first. After that, they’ll probably go straight for Earth itself.”

“Weldon, you just said yourself we’ve all been under a strain. Ryo is—”

“Don’t call it that!” he screamed. “Don’t give it a name. Things don’t have names!”

“He’s a friend. We’re the ones threatening him, not the other way around.” She took a step toward him and the muzzle of the gun moved ever so slightly to one side.

“Don’t try it, Captain. I said I’ve got nothing against you, and I don’t, but by Heaven I’ll shoot every one of you down to save the rest of us if you force me to.” His gaze, wild and fanatic, turned to the one who’d been standing behind her.

“It will only take a second.” His finger started to tighten on the trigger. “Messier than a spray, but just as effective—”

“Don’t do it, Weldon!” Loo stepped sideways, waving his hands. “We can!—”

The gun made a slight hissing sound. Something struck Loo in the chest and knocked him backward. His arms, already disconnecting from his brain, flopped loosely in the air. Bonnie screamed. Taourit pulled something from his jacket pocket. Weldon turned to face him, brought his pistol around as the dart from the little gun struck him in the forehead. His eyes glazed instantly and his body went as rigid as if he’d been frozen. He made a loud thump when his head hit the floor.

Bonnie was kneeling next to Loo. She was not crying. Alexis was pulling at her.

"Come on. It’s too late.” He put a hand over the man’s chest. There was a very large hole in it. “It’s too late, Bonnie.” The others were looking down at them.

Ryo touched his antennae to the back of Bonnie’s neck. She jerked at the airy caress, looked back at the sharp mandibles, the great faceted eyes.

“I am sorrowed, friend Bonnie. He was my friend too. The minute of lastlife is gone and cannot be recaptured.”

For a moment sanity left her gaze; Then reason and reality flooded back in. “We’re wasting time here.” She stood, disdaining Alexis’ offer of assistance. “Let’s not waste everything.”