Edri said nothing. He waited.
Joris went on, as though he hated what he was saying, but had to say
it. "Look at it. As soon as I start deceleration the cruiser will begin
to cut our lead to nothing. And they're stressed for less deceleration
time than I can make without tearing the _Mirzim_ to pieces. What'll
happen? They'll be down on us before we can even begin our search."
Edri nodded. He leaned back against the bulkhead and closed his eyes.
He said, "They know now what we're after. What do you suppose Kerrel
would do if he found the ship of Orthis?"
Nobody answered that. There was no need to answer. A heavy silence
followed, during which Trehearne thought of the messages that had gone
out across the Galaxy from the cruiser's ultra-wave--guarded messages
that betrayed by their very spareness the desperate nature of this
mission, urgent requests for other Council cruisers to close up with
all speed. But those others were still too far away to matter. Whatever
happened would have happened before they could come up. Kerrel was
going to finish this alone.