chasing two cutters that broke off from the group
they were following, and she's blown an engine. The cutters are turning
back, making a fight of it!"
19 "Who's the nearest ship?" North asked, turning to Firing Control.
20 "We are, sir," Firing Control announced.
21 "Helm," North snapped.
22 "Course programmed and going in, sir! We're coming around now, going
to full thrust; three minutes to target!"
23 "Three minutes!" thought North, "With two cutters chopping at a
crippled destroyer could be forever!"
24 Two minutes later the three targets appeared on their screen. "The
Lancer's in serious trouble!" Firing Control announced. "She's on fire!
She's dropped her escape pods and it looks like the cutters are coming
in after them. The Lancer's not out yet, she's still firing, trying to
keep the cutters off her pods."
25 "Get that Godden slime!" North screamed.
26 ''Yes, sir! They've picked us up. They're turning away, trying to
get out of our range. Got the first one.... NOW!”
27 The deadly beams from The Morning Star crossed over the first cutter
and it vaporized. Moments later they again lit the darkness of space
and the second ship, too, disappeared in a bright flash. "Bring us
around," ordered North, "get us back to The Lancer!"
28 "The Lancer, sir," announced Helm, "just blew up. I counted twelve
pods, three didn't get away. I did not see the one from the command
deck launch.
29 A sick feeling came over North. "Open our bay hatches," he ordered,
"Pull the pods in by tractor beam. As soon as they're all on board shut
the hatches. Let's get back to the main battle. Signal Medical to get
everything they've got back to the bays."
30 "Already on their way, sir," assured Communications.