Planet Wrecker

-57-

The hours passed as the cyborg torpedoes built up velocity. The Zenos continued their advance to combat. Finally, the two sets of projectiles neared proximity. One after another, the Zenos detonated. After the sixth big missile blew its thermonuclear warhead, only two enemy torpedoes survived. One accelerated at half its former speed. The last one homed in on the Meteor-ship Spartacus.

“Warm the main laser,” Marten said.

The fusion core increased power. On the ship’s surface, a large focusing mirror began to move. The calibration took five minutes of careful preparation.

“Fire!” said Marten.

Fusion power surged through the coils. Coherent light flashed through the focusing mirror. A thick beam of laser-light stabbed through the darkness of space. It struck the torpedo. The torpedo jinked out of the path of destructive light. It took another three minutes of calibration and retargeting. Then the laser stabbed again. Again, the torpedo jinked. At the third attempt—

“It detonated!” shouted Nadia.

Marten cursed softly under his breath. But the distance was too great for more than minor x-ray damage. Those x-rays burnt out a point-defense cannon and two space marines who had disobeyed orders and remained on the surface.

“What were they doing out there?” Marten shouted.

“Boredom,” said Omi.

“That’s two casualties we shouldn’t have taken.”

“It will be a lesson to the others,” Omi said.

“I want that other torpedo,” Marten said. Two dead space marines. He had a feeling they were going to miss those two soldiers before this was through.

“The laser is ready,” Osadar said.

“Kill it,” Marten said.

The laser fired, and the enemy torpedo didn’t jink out of the path of killing light. Maybe the blasts from the Zenos earlier had damaged a critical component. Whatever the case, they slagged the last torpedo of the first cyborg salvo.