Page 106 (1/2)

The couches shifted again as ainst theof PDCs and report of round ht Alex’s attention

“The bad guys,” he said “They stopped shooting”

“Huh,” Bobbie said Then aaction, then?”

“What I was thinking”

“Well How long do you want to stay in these couches before we go try to scare up some weapons?”

“Five minutes?”

“Works forout her hand terminal “I’ll set a timer”

The door of theroom cycled open at three h in light battle ar assault rifles at their sides The first one – a thin-faceddown the side of his nose – uys, whoever they were, had Martian warships, they probably also had Martian arainst the desk

“Mister Kaeant Draper My na, so we’ll need to be careful, but I need you to come with me now”

“Roger that, sir,” Bobbie said, popping the straps on her couch loose and shifting to launch for the door Alex was only a beat behind her

The htless halls with practiced efficiency, cover to cover with one always in firing position at the back, another at the front, and Bobbie and Alex in the center of the formation Twice, the ship lurched with Alex in the middle of a juht himself on a different support, but the second, he bounced off a bare length of deck, spinning through the air until one of the rabbed hirew first louder and thenvacuum on the other side, and they had to backtrack Like a restless dreao on forever and also be over alun

On the bridge, the captain was strapped into her couch, the prime minister in the couch beside her All around, the crew inforht bits of it, hisa picture of their situation al what exactly he’d heard to inform it The main drive was down The comm array was unable to

transhtbea, the are Missiles could still be fired, but the guidance systeates that had been flying with the ship since the ured that meant they were dead

“We are under attack and being boarded,” the captain said, her voice reinal escort force is also now under concentrated attack, and will be unable to come to our relief We have put out a broad distress call, but it seems unlikely in the extreme that anyone could make it here in ti to offer a vigorous defense, but if we are unable to assure your safety, it may become necessary for you to evacuate”

“Into the ht?” Alex said