"We're through, John! We did it!"
Thorn's ship had crashed in between the other two, forcing its way through and breaking the grapple-lines.
"Blast away, Lana!” yelled Thorn into the audio. “You're clear now!"
Like a streak of light, the silvery cruiser of the pirate girl shot upward. And with it cometed the battered Cauphul, and old Stilicho Keene's black ship. The other pirate craft that had tried to help Lana counterattack the League cruisers had been riddled to helpless wrecks by the heavy fire of the enemy.
But the main body of the pirate fleet had had time to cut away from their prey during the few minutes of the furious fight below. They were shooting out like startled hawks of space, joining Lana Cain's cruiser and the other two as they sped upward.
"Up to the Zone!” pealed the girl's voice from the audio.
Rising together as they soared through space, the pirate ships streaked upward through the vault. Hot after them raced the League cruisers, which now outnumbered the pirates.
"What in the devil's name's going on?” roared Gunner Welk's voice. “That crash strained our sides! It looks down here as though the ship will crumple any minute."
"If we can get into the Zone, we can lose those cruisers,” Sual Av was muttering. “If she'll just keep going until then!"
Thorn could hear the Cauphul groaning and creaking beneath the fierce thrust of her blazing rocket-tubes. The hull of the ship, weakened by shell-fire and badly strained by the side-swiping collision, threatened to crumple up without notice.