They were free. But the tension was thick. It would not dissipate for a
long time.
Forty-two hours later, Marshal and Averette North witnessed the impact
of an asteroid that turned their atmosphere plant into rubble. Within
an hour of the impact, Lurton Zimbardo opened a channel that allowed
him to speak through nearly every communication system on Mars. Gene
had previously discovered a method for entering and using all
communication bands on Mars except those that were most closely
guarded. He had surreptitiously placed automatic signal points into the
Martian system without activating them until this moment. Now that the
moment had arrived, the voice of the pirate leader was heard throughout
Mars.
"This is Lurton Zimbardo. The atmosphere plant at New Emmaus has just
been destroyed by an asteroid impact. You were not able to detect the
asteroid by radar. It struck without warning. This is to prove that I
am able to render asteroids invisible and send them wherever I wish.
You cannot see them and you cannot stop them. Within a day the four
remaining atmosphere plants on Mars will be similarly destroyed. This
will convince you that I have more power than you can imagine, and that
you are helpless to oppose me. After the last asteroid has struck your
planet, I will announce my demands.
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