"How do we know he's changed?" a voice bleated. "Maybe he's still in league with Thusca!"
Stan turned, the blue of a heat gun shining in his fist. "I have no time to argue—but it's not true." To the pilot: "Take it down!"
"You forget that I'm the leader here," Elal said quietly.
"You've abdicated your position," Stan said softly. "A leader is a man who can lead. You can't. I can." His eyes blazed.
"We're going down!"
CHAPTER XIV
They plummeted through space, towards the lead ship in the Thuscan fleet that was circling ever closer to the planet below. Stan glanced at his watch. Barely an hour remained before the planet below would be fighting a hideous, futile battle.
Barely an hour left in which he had to accomplish the impossible.
"Look!" somebody shouted. "Look at the screen!"