To the observatories,
the cruiser would have been only a tiny speck, too small to be noticed.
Or, if they had noticed it, the astronomers probably decided it was just
a very tiny sunspot.
The Planeteers worked with increased speed. Kemp welded the final plug
into place, then hurried to the crater from which they would set off
the charge. Dominico and Dowst connected wires from the rocket head to
a reel of wire and rolled it toward the crater. Nunez got a hand-driven
dynamo from the supplies and tested it for use in setting off the charge.
Santos stood by the rocket launcher, with Pederson ready to put another
rack of rockets into the device when necessary.
Rip and Koa watched the Connie cruiser. It decelerated to a stop for a
brief second, then started moving again, with no jets showing.
"That's the sun pulling," Rip said exultantly.
"They'll have to keep blasting to maintain position."
The Consops commander didn't wait to trim ship against the sun's drag.
His air locks opened, clearly visible to Rip and Koa because that side of
the cruiser was brilliant with sunlight. Ten snapper-boats sped forth.
Rip was certain now that this was the enemy cruiser they had fought off
back in the asteroid belt.
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