17: The Enemy Revealed
FOR NEARLY seven days, the convoy of seven NME freighters and twelve
Space Command warships had sped away from the Earth-Moon system. The
warships flew in a spherical configuration about five miles in
diameter, at the center of which were the unmanned freighters in
compact formation. The urgency of the mission gave the convoy no choice
but to utilize the most direct route to the site of deployment, so that
the probes could be put into action at the earliest possible time.
There was simply no time to follow any evasive flight plan. On the
success of the microwave net rode the hope of Earth's survival from the
threat of impact with the enormous asteroid Lurton Zimbardo had
unleashed.
"There they are!" announced Mr. Lather, pilot of the Silver Cloud, as
he looked at the radar screen. He was followed closely by five other
pirate spacecraft. Two other groups of six pirate ships were nearby,
also searching the area of space in front of them for the convoy.
"Inform Bolcher and Crass and give them the coordinates. Tell them that
since I was the first to locate the freighters, I will attack first.
Their ships will follow me according to our plan."
"Yes sir, Mr. Lather," responded the Silver Cloud's navigator. The
communication was completed and the details of the plan agreed upon.
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