"And you'd better hurry! Unless my screens are out of order, your precious ten billion Prokymen haven't too much time left."
Jon looked at the screens again, and he knew his horror was reflected in his swollen face. Something writhed sickeningly inside him and he looked at the screen in which the Geejay swung. B-Haaq and his men were at last leaving it! Leaving it, giving up.
But he said nothing as Stine summoned Haine from in-ship, and kept his silence as the squat, burly man unshackled him while Stine held a hand weapon at Deanne's head.
"I'll need her to help," he bit out then. "On your guns, as well as on the Justifier. She's worked on double-A's before."
"She stays, Kane!"
"Very well, she stays. But if this outfit can't get the Geejay fixed either, people won't be too impressed, will they. I say I need her, Stine. That thing out there is too badly wrecked even for me, now, alone. But it's up to you. I'll rig your guns."
"All right, Kane! All right. The woman goes with you. But she stays right here until you've done a job on my batteries!"