The following pulses were more potent, their energy scales quite respectable, even by the colonies’ standards; however, only three of the blazing-white charges were thrown into space this time, unlike the normal salvoes of six or more they had registered.

The computer also noted that they were fired sequentially this time, and the lasers were aimed at the single healthy Drasin ship.

The final pulses of energy registered between the other two and were also an underpowered salvo, leaving Tanner to wonder just how badly the Odyssey was hurt.

“All weapons away.”

“Good,” Weston nodded, eyeing the plot. “That’s it, we’re spent. No sense getting wasted in the cross fire while we’re holding an empty gun. Flip the ship, Daniels.”

“Aye, aye, Captain.”

Without waiting for the results of their attack, the NACS Odyssey fired its thrusters once more, flipping its nose up and over in a graceful maneuver, taking it around to, once more, point in the opposite direction. Then its main reactors fired again, and the ship began to accelerate down the gravity well of the red giant star.

Behind them, their parting shots continued on, unperturbed by the ship’s change of course.

“Launch SAR shuttles,” Weston ordered. “I see we have three beacons from downed Archangels. I want them back.”

“Aye, Captain.”

“All right, we’re going to rejoin the Odyssey,” Stephanos said as they watched the ship roll back. “Loop out and around that big mother, though. I don’t feel like getting bug-zapped today.”

A few chuckles, mostly very weary ones, were heard, but the flight got back underway again as the fighters responded to their pilots’ desire to get back home.

Jennifer Samuels, Cardsharp, flexed her shoulder muscles gingerly, afraid in spite of herself that she might somehow twitch the sensor needles imbedded in her neck. Her shoulders felt so tightly corded that they were made of stone, and her neck was on fire from the tension, so all she could think of was heat—as much of it as she could get, in whatever way it was available.

A shower would do, she decided, but a soak was what the doctor was demanding.

Unfortunately, the Odyssey being what it was, she didn’t think that a soak was going to happen.

A shower, then, a badly needed one.

God help those aliens if they started anything before she got her shower.

The laser was a clean miss, Tianne noted as the results of the Odyssey’s final shot registered on her sensors. Unsurprising, of course, firing with only one beam at distances greater than a few light-seconds.

The follow-up strike from those energy bursts, however, didn’t. At first, they seemed off course, but at the last moment, they spiraled across her sensors and slammed into the Drasin hard and fast, ripping its hull apart.

She had to admit, it was to good effect.