A short range, explosive rocket shell arched perfectly into the hatch and exploded with a deafening roar, scattering the relief crews like ten pins and slamming the two-ton hatch cover clean off its swivel pins. The three League boats, with devastating surprise, zoomed in low and fast over the outlying gun positions, spraying a trail of Reezi powder which was ignited by their rockets. The countryside went up in a swirl and a flash. Another explosive rocket struck the _Albion_ amidships before the crews got the more cumbersome fixed guns into firing position. The lightning-fast boats were too small and swift to be speared by anything save a lucky shot. Back and forth they raked the almost helpless battleship. The attack waned momentarily as one of the black boats was caught and instantly charred by cross-fire from the _Albion_ one and four banks. The remaining two changed tactics, roaring in over the big ship, past the top of the cliff, only to spin back, hit and run. Five of the _Albion_ patrol boats skittered home only to be caught in the fray and immediately knocked down. Three more met the same fate and a fourth was dodging desperately for its life when Harrigan's eyes popped wide open with amazement. A pencil-like, silver destroyer escort, bearing the insignia of the Federation Forces, fell on the League boats from zenith position and in a screaming, twisting dive blasted one and rammed the other into flying rubbish. The silver ship climbed a few miles vertically to see if the field had been properly cleared, flashed down and dusted to a stop beside the _Albion_. Harrigan stepped over the smoking bodies in the main hatchway and dropped to the ground. O'Brien sprinted to join him, but before they could reach the other ship, an officer leaped from a belly-lock and walked briskly towards them. He snapped a salute. "Admiral Harrigan and the _Albion_?" he asked. "Right, Lieutenant," Harrigan smiled wearily. "You're very welcome." "Lieutenant Sanderson, sir, Third Fleet attack arm. I was supposed...." "Sanderson," O'Brien roared. "Yes, sir. I was assigned to the _Albion_, sir, but it took me ten weeks to walk halfway around Pluto from where the Ziths dumped me and catch a ship to Terra base. I take it they dubbed one of their beasties in for me?" "They sure did," Harrigan answered, "but there wasn't much harm done. I killed you on the bridge, Lieutenant." "Oh?" Sanderson looked puzzled for a brief moment, then smiled. "Oh, that's good." "What's the score now?" O'Brien asked. "Well, sir, the Third attack fleet is standing off Anton now. You have probably guessed that part of a League fleet attacked the base. We picked up a few survivors, but damned few. Then we picked up a weak distress signal from this area and Admiral Brands had us check on it." "Good thing he did," Harrigan admitted. "And now, Lieutenant, if you will be so good as to radio for a tub to pick us up, I will be most happy to leave this planet."