"We're not out of it yet," the pilot replied. "There's a CID hilocar on our tail."
A glance behind confirmed the pilot's statement and Savage said:
"My hand blaster won't do any good against the stuff they carry. Can you get away from them?"
"I'm using full power, but they're gaining. There's a high powered heater mounted behind you. I'll bring it up."
A section of the fuselage slid open and a long, turret-mounted heat gun rose into view. At the same time the seat back slid down to permit entry into the turret. Savage climbed in and settled himself over the sights.
"All right," he said, "cut your speed."
At full aperture this weapon didn't require supreme accuracy. Savage pressed the firing stud and the other hilocar was engulfed in flame and then it exploded. Savage's pilot dived to ground level and after half an hour of maneuvering between, over and sometimes almost through hills and trees they were deep in the mountains south of the city.
They landed in a mountain clearing. Then the trees in front of them slid apart and they rolled down into a ferro-concrete cavern; the Terran stronghold repeated.
Larhana greeted him as he alighted.