“That's all right. When you think they should all be dead, wake up the Telepath and have him check.” The Captain continued to brush his fur, killing time. “You know, if they hadn't been so completely helpless I wouldn't have tried this slow method. I'd have cut the ring free of the motor section first. Maybe I should have done that anyway. Safer.”

The A-T Officer wanted all the credit he could get. “Sir, they couldn't have any big weapons. There isn't room. With a reaction drive, the motor and the fuel tanks take up most of the available space.”

The other ship began to turn away from its tormentor. Its drive end glowed red.

“They're trying to get away,” the Captain said, as the glowing end swung toward them. “Are you sure they can't?”

“Yes, sir. That light drive won't take them anywhere.”

The Captain purred thoughtfully. “What would happen if the light hit our ship?”

“Just a bright light, I think. The lens is flat, so it must be emitting a very wide beam. They'd need a parabolic reflector to be dangerous. Unless—” His ears went straight up.

“Unless what?” The Captain spoke softly, demandingly.

“A laser. But that's all right, sir. They don't have any weapons.”

The Captain sprang at the control board. “Stupid!” he spat. “They don't know weapons from sthondat blood. Weapons Officer! How could a telepath find out what they don't know? WEAPONS OFFICER!”

“Here, sir.”

“Burn—”

An awful light shone in the control dome. The Captain burst into flame, then blew out as the air left through a glowing split in the dome.

Steve was lying on his back. The ship was spinning again, pressing him into what felt like his own bunk.

He opened his eyes.

Jim Davis crossed the room and stood over him. “You awake?”