“In my sector?”
“It started in mine and you’re not in position to get it. Shut off that radio, Ted.”
The ship thundered through space, a thunder that could be heard only within the hull. And then Rioz cut the engines in stages large enough to make Long flail forward. The sudden silence was more ear-shattering than the noise that had preceded it.
Rioz said, “All right. Let me have the ’scope.”
They both watched. The shell was a definite truncated cone now, rumbling with slow solemnity as it passed along among the stars.
“It’s a Class A shell, all right,” said Rioz with satisfaction. A giant among shells, he thought. It would put them into the black.
Long said, “We’ve got another pip on the scanner. I think it’s Swenson taking after us.”
Rioz scarcely gave it a glance. “He won’t catch us.”
The shell grew larger still, filling the visiplate.
Rioz’s hands were on the harpoon lever. He waited, adjusted the angle microscopically twice, played out the length allotment. Then he yanked, tripping the release.