Larz came to stand next to Margaret and she slipped her hand inside his. She'd be angry with him later.
Six aliens stood at attention and Zacar went to stand in front of them. They all had huge packs on their shoulders and, in each arm, carried a large, steel, oblong crate.
For the first time, she noticed the circle made up of various pieces of equipment toward the back of the cave. A kind of force field separated it from the aliens and humans. Lights mounted on high poles shone down on the middle of the circle.
One-by-one the six aliens walked through the force field and stood just outside the circle. Zacar grunted and Margaret assumed he spoke to them in Zyrgin. She knew what this scene was all about. Whether in a human setting or a Zyrgin headquarters, sending soldiers into danger had the same ceremony everywhere, though this one lacked Parnell's pompous self-importance. The six aliens saluted Zacar and then one of them walked into the circle.