"Of course not! I checked the trajectory, saw that the Hell Bat would hit my freighter dead center, then started after you."
She hadn't looked back then. She had been too intent on not losing sight of him to look back. Larry grinned. The grin became a chuckle.
"I'll make a hash slinger out of you yet, blonde," he said softly. The radio became silent. Too silent....
"That was close," Pwowp said as the Hell Bat disintegrated. "Almost too close. The female will notice it in another moment and try to get a warning back to Earth."
"Not for a while," 2615 said. "See? She's already going after the man. Until she rescues him she won't think of anything else.
"I have an idea," the robot continued. "Your weapon germinated it. You may have the science necessary to make it possible. You say you have the means to blank out radio and prevent her from sending such a message. Could you capture that ship or cripple it in such a way that you could get the girl and the man alive?"
There was a silence while 2615 looked from one face to another in the room.
"You still want them alive?" Pwowp said.
"Yes." The robot moved its metal fingers suggestively.