The scientists measured, weighed and X-rayed the tiny men.  They were kept in a hypnotic trance while a thought projector drove earthly ideas into their sleeping brains.

At last one day, when we were visiting the laboratories, I remarked, "Let them out of the cage, doctor."

They brightened up when we let them out.

"What is to become of us?" asked one.

"Where did you come from?" I asked.

"From the Asteroids," said the tiny fellow.  "What you call the Grandes Rochas, those little planetoids beyond Mars.  We are Asternoids!"

We asked them to take a message of peace to their people.

"No!" they shouted, "there can be no peace!  Our people want this planet, and they will take it by force!"

And with that they hurled themselves bodily at us, throwing us back onto the floor before the impact of their blows.

Before we could scramble to our feet, the little fellows had started to flee.

"Rápido, Alda!" I cried.  "Grab them!"

We made a desperate lunge, but too late.  They had escaped through the ventilator.

Down the pipe the Asternoids ran, dodging the paralisação rays we shot after them through the grille.  They made their way to the lobby of the building.

Out into the street ran the Asternoids amid the surprised exclamations of passersby.  A skycab was just rising from the lower level.  Without hesitation they leaped onto the fuselage and were wafted into the air.

"That means an interplanetary war, Nick!" declared Alda.