Part 32 (1/2)
”Aye, aye, sir!”
”Head for the _Avenger_. Close in!”
”You mean we're going to lead the attack, sir?” Tom shouted in a sudden burst of enthusiasm.
”From the looks of things, I don't believe an attack will be necessary,”
replied Strong. ”We're going alongside to accept c.o.xine's surrender.
Start blasting!”
”Aye, aye, _sir_!”
As Tom's voice was heard over the intercom speaker, issuing orders to Astro for change of course, Strong turned back to Roger.
”Open up the audioceiver to all-wave transmission!”
”You going to talk to c.o.xine, sir?”
”Yes. And I hope he'll listen. If he doesn't, I'll do my talking with six-inch blasters!”
Roger quickly adjusted the settings on the audioceiver and then turned to his skipper.
”She's all yours, sir. Give it to him good!”
Strong smiled thinly and picked up the microphone.
”Attention, Bull c.o.xine! Attention, Bull c.o.xine!” Strong's voice was cold and hard. ”This is Captain Strong of the Solar Guard! You're surrounded. You haven't a chance of escape. I demand your unconditional surrender! Acknowledge immediately!”
Strong flipped the key to open the receiver and waited for the reply.
Roger moved closer, his eyes glued to the image of the pirate s.h.i.+p looming larger and larger on the scanner.
Fifteen seconds pa.s.sed. Thirty. There was no sound over the receiver.
Sweat began to bead Strong's forehead and he opened the transmitter key again.
”Listen, c.o.xine! I know you can hear me! I'll only talk to you once more! Surrender or you'll be blasted into protons! I'll give you exactly thirty seconds to make up your mind!”
Again Strong opened the receiver key and waited, but as the seconds ticked by, there was no answer.
”Sir, do you think he's sucking us into a trap?” Roger whispered.
”Maybe,” replied Strong grimly. ”But he knows what would happen to him if he opened fire.”
”Captain Strong! Captain Strong!” Tom's voice suddenly blared over the s.h.i.+p's intercom.
”Don't bother me now, Corbett,” replied Strong irritably.
”But, sir,” Tom persisted, ”that isn't the _Avenger_!”