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Arranger," the lead administrator stated.  "We will discuss this further and let you know what the Executive decides.  In the meantime, keep us apprised of the situation."
    "Yes, Administrator," Oiloo replied.  The Circle of Administrators wavered, faded, and finally evaporated as the communication link was severed.
    The trade arranger knew it would take his superiors time to get back to him with a decision—more time than they had if they were to affect the outcome favorably.  Nothing happened quickly, regardless of how critical the situation was or threatened to become.
    Oiloo decided he would have to take matters into his own hands.  Although he could not support the Minith directly with battle cruisers or legions of soldiers, he could aid them in other ways.  In fact, he had already begun doing so. 
    The Minith General and four of their motherships were already headed to Earth at Oiloo's urging. 
     
    *     *     *
     
    General Soo commanded his mothership with an iron fist.  He intended to command the other three motherships, which were also en route to Earth, in the same fashion.  With luck, those craft would join him at the edge of the planet's solar system within days of his own arrival.
    His orders had been issued by his brother's mate, Rala, prior to leaving his position outside the Telgoran atmosphere.  As directives went, they were remarkably clear.
    "Grab Earth by the throat and choke the life from it."
    Those were words that any Minith commander could appreciate.  They were especially comforting after having to watch the humans defeat his soldiers on Telgora.  His inability to help his forces defend their positions, and the clear view he had of their ultimate elimination, fueled his anger and his desire to grind the humans under his heel.  Striking Earth while their army was fiddling about on Telgora would be extremely gratifying.

 
     
    CHAPTER 3
     
     
    "Overriding the system was simple.  The real problem is deciding how close to Waa we want to be when we drop out of interstellar speed."
    "As close as possible, Gee.  I want to be right on their doorstep."  The engineer stared at Grant with a blank expression.  Grant sighed.  Apparently that idiom was no longer in use in the twenty-seventh century.  "Just get us as close as you can."
    "Grant, the failsafe the Waa put in place is there for a reason.  I can plot a course that should deliver us to the planet, but there are no guarantees.  We're talking about decelerating from much faster than light speed to an interplanetary speed of only twelve million kilometers per hour."
    " Only twelve million?" 
    "Relative to the interstellar speed we are traveling now , that's like standing still.  But it's much too fast to be traveling with a planet nearby.  The closer we try to get to the planet before decelerating, the higher our risk of… um… impact.  Plus, we need time to decelerate from that speed before entering the planet's atmosphere."
    Grant was getting a headache trying to keep all the numbers and possibilities in his head.  He had never been great at math.
    "So, how long will that take?"
    "Typically, the process of slowing the mothership from interplanetary speed to a speed that will allow a controlled descent to the planet's surface begins a day or more out."
    "We can't give the Minith a day's notice, Gee."  Grant paused to consider the timing.  He did not know how prepared the aliens would be to defend against an unexpected mothership that suddenly appeared in the sky and then attempted a surprise landing outside a major city.  The fact that the city also happened to be the one where their leader resided would expedite their response.  He just didn't know enough about their capabilities.
    In his time, he could land a large force outside of just about any city in America and have at least a half a day to operate before military units could be assembled in any significant numbers.  Local law enforcement would respond