The ship had stopped accelerating, so that the pilot might have the fullest co-operation from his reflexes while passing the ionosphere.
"Call me Jimmy," Lorre said succinctly. "Everybody does. What is it?"
The pilot motioned toward the complex mechanism that stood between them and annihilation in the turbulent ionic sea they were swiftly approaching. "I wanted you to be on hand in case anything goes wrong. Even without the polari-neutralizer, the hull will stand up a few minutes, in case a wire comes loose in your machine, or something."
Lorre nodded. The pilot, always a thorough man, was taking no chances.
Hammond, at the controls of the New Hope, watched the chronometer like a hawk. If the shield were applied too soon, the power would not last; if too late, the ship would be destroyed.
He signaled the physicist. Lorre flipped the switch, gaining satisfaction from the humming drone that came from the generators. An instant later, they hit the Layer.
Livid sheets of flame danced outside the portholes as the surging ions fought to break the shield that enveloped the ship with the intrepid band of spacefarers aboard. Could they cheat nature with their science? The hull began to grow hot. Lorre increased the power.
Lurid sheets of flame danced outside the portholes as the surging ions sought to break the shield.