NOW, THE FIRST OF THE big colony planets was to be taken. When the protecting Earth fleet was reduced to tatters, the Kerothi would go on to Houston’s World as the first step in the big push toward Earth itself.
But MacMaine wasn’t thinking of that phase of the war. That was still in the future, while the hellish space battle was still at hand.
He lost track of time as he watched the Kerothi fleet take advantage of their superior tactical position and tear the Earth fleet to bits. Not until he saw the remains of the Earth fleet turn tail and run did he realize that the battle had been won.
The Kerothi fleet consolidated itself. There was no point in pursuing the fleeting Earth ships; that would only break up the solidity of the Kerothi deployment. The losers could afford to scatter; the
