The Engineer's lanky body was already through the control room door. Jon McPartland was grinning. A grin that didn't fade even when he looked back to his screen, to see the glinting silver sphere swinging serenely along beside them. He turned to Clemens.
"Tell Lieutenant Parek to close at full speed the second they start for us. No evasive action—straight course and let the spaceboat and cable take it!"
"Navigation acknowledges, sir." Clemens replied solemnly, and the Commander knew his Lieutenant had anticipated and given the order.
"All ray stations ready, sir," added the quiet Reynolds.
McPartland's grin broadened. "Give them the straight data, Mister Reynolds."
"Yes, sir."
It was only seconds later that a voice rang in Clemens' headphones, in accents loud enough to be heard through the silent, waiting control room. "McTavish reporting. All in readiness."
"Let them have it then," ordered the Commander. "But be sure you miss!"
With the suddenness of calculated surprise, a thin pencil of violet light stabbed out from the Earth ship. It knifed through space, scant yards behind the silver sphere, and winked out. A second beam reached forth, passed beneath the gleaming enemy.
Immediately, the sphere bobbed in space, began to weave an intricate course toward the Earth ship. It swelled in the viewscreen before McPartland.