"He's running, or will be, at about 3-G, I guess. We're roaring along at five and will pass Mars at better than four thousand miles per second. I think we'll catch and pass the _Black Widow_ at the quarter-point, and Murdoch will be going at about nine hundred miles per. We'll zoom past, and set the finder on him, and then continue until we're safely away. If he gets tough, we'll absorb his output, though he's stepped it up to the point where a spacecraft can't take too much concentrated input." "That's how he's been able to blast those who went out with absorbers?" "Right. The stuff on the Station was adequate to protect, but an ordinary ship couldn't handle it unless the ship were designed to absorb and dissipate that energy. The beam-tubes would occupy the entire ship, leaving no place for cargo. Result: A toss-up between paying off and not carrying enough to make up the difference." "This is Freddy," spoke the communicator. "The celestial globe has just come up with a target at eight hundred thousand miles." "O.K., Freddy. That must be the _Black Widow_. How'll we pass her?" "About thirty thousand miles." "Then get the finders set on that lithium-coated hull as we pass." "Hold it," said Walt. "Our velocity with respect to his is about three thousand. We can be certain of the ship by checking the finder-response on the lithium coating. If so, she's the _Black Widow_. Right from here, we can be assured. Jim! Check the finders in the torpedoes on that target!" "Did," said Jim. "They're on and it is." "Launch 'em all!" yelled Franks. "Are you nuts?" asked Channing. "Why give him a chance to guess what's happening? Launch 'em!" "Freddy, drop two of the torpedoes and half of the interferers. Send 'em out at 10-G. We'll not put all our eggs in one basket," Channing said to Walt. "There might be a slip-up." "It'll sort of spoil the effect," said Don, "But we're not here for effect." "What effect?" "That explosive will be as useless as a slab of soap," said Don. "Explosive depends for its action upon velocity--brother, there ain't no explosive built that will propagate at the velocity of our torpedo against Murdoch." "I know," said Franks, smiling. "Shall I yell 'Bombs away' in a dramatic voice?" asked Freddy Thomas. "Are they?" "Yup." "Then yell," grinned Walt. "Look, Don, this should be pretty. Let's hike to the star-camera above and watch. We can use the double-telescope finder and take pix, too." "It won't be long," said Channing grimly. "And we'll be safe since the interferers will keep Murdoch's gadget so busy he won't have time to worry us. Let's go." * * * * * The sky above became filled with a myriad of flashing spots as the rapidly-working meteor spotters coupled to the big turret and began to punch at the interferers.