Bill took his eye from the telescope. The blue globe, bright under the rays, with the sapphire mist sparkling about it, was only twenty miles away. He could see it with his naked eye, drifting swiftly among the familiar stars of Scorpio.
It grew larger very swiftly.
With the quickness of thought, the purple sparks moved out alternately to right and to left. They never missed. Each one exploded in purple flame, crushed a sunship.
"Three fliers left," Bill counted, eyes on the growing blue globe before them. "Two left. Good-by, Brand." He grasped the bluff Captain's hand. "One left. Will we have time?"
He looked forward. The blue globe, with the dancing, sparkling haze of sapphire swirling about it, was swiftly expanding.
"The last one! Our turn now!"
He saw a tiny fleck of purple light dart out of the expanding azure sphere that they had hoped to ram. Then red-violet flame seemed to envelope him. He felt the floor of the bridge tremble beneath his feet. He heard the beginning of a shivering crash like that of shattering glass. Then the world was mercifully dark and still.
CHAPTER III
The City of Space