to get into position for their attack. When they
were ready The Son's Pride and The Lord's Vengeance moved in. They
began throwing bolts at the very limit of their range.
39 At first the mechanical monster ignored them, but when a couple of
bolts started coming too close, she started destroying them with her
beams. But finally one got through and hit one of the crippled
battleships. The ship disappeared in a bright flash.
40 The mechanical battleship moved over to where it had been, then shot
out into space at incredible speed. Morn and North didn't sit and wait.
They turned about and put as much distance between them and the sun as
they could, before this streaking menace overtook them.
41 Then, as it attacked one of them, the other would angle in and fire
on it, trying to get at a vulnerable spot. This went on for several
hours with neither the mechanical or them doing the other any damage.
42 Finally, a blinking light on their communication's panel told both
North and Morn that Gray Mountain was going in. Now, they pressed their
attack even harder, trying to keep the mechanical monster out of line
with their approaching friends so it would not detect them.
43 But the mechanical menace must have suspected some trickery, for it
suddenly broke off and sped to a position where its sensors could see
what was happening by the planet far in system. A sudden angry screech
filled every communication band, as it picked up the hyper speed
impulses that indicated negative-positive fuel explosions.
44 It started to head in-system, but North jumped it and would not get
off its tail, despite the heavy fire it was pouring out against him,
and Morn came in from the side, but finally one of North's star drive
engines took a near miss and he was forced to cut back.
45 The mechanical, free of this stinging hornet on