And, in that moment, the Company ship blasted with all its guns. The Vulcan rocked under the blow of solid energy. A vast eruption tore out a section of rear plating. The Benson Drive quit.
Then they were out of range.
Lodar was on the interphone. "Get on that damage!" he roared. "Campora, keep those guns ready. McVane! Hello, McVane!" He slammed down the instrument. "Some day I'll kill that McVane with my own hands!"
"Maybe he's hurt," Ray snapped.
Lodar grunted and picked up the phone again. "Hello, Williams, get a first aid crew out and look for casualties."
He turned to pace the floor, aroused, thirsting now for action. Up and down, up and down, as if the pent up energy flamed within him.
For the present the engagement was over. Both ships were damaged. They would drift thousands of miles apart before either could resume flight. At least the Vulcan was fairly safe. And space was a vast hiding place.
"They'll never take us now," Ray said, trying to divert Lodar's ceaseless activity. The man positively burned with energy.
"Not alive, anyway!" The captain turned. "Not for their brand of justice! You know why I was cashiered from the Earth Fleet? I was an upstart. I didn't belong to the right clique. So when someone stole the club funds they refused to hold a trial. Sure, they just asked me quietly to resign so as to avoid a scandal." He ground his teeth. "I was no thief!"
"That's when my wife left me," he added flatly. "Can you expect justice from scum like that?" He glared. "Take all you can, my boy, and die like a man when the time comes!"