"This is Kenton," I said. "I don't believe we received your message
correctly, general. In fact I'm certain we didn't! Over!"
"I said destroy him. And God help you, Kenton, if you can't hear me!"
No, I hadn't expected Kolomar to take anything back. He was still doing
everything by the books.
Loftus acked him out, and then just stood there.
"Okay," I said, "you heard him!"
"But he's going to die anyway, Ken! Going to--"
"Damn it, fire those torpedoes!"
Loftus spun away from me, something shiny in his eyes, and started
priming the two thin, long cylinders of hydrazine and HNO_{3} for the
make-shift torpedo tubes that maintenance had installed.
"Those aren't such hot looking jobs, are they, Loftus," I said. He
looked up me, and that hot shine was still blazing in his eyes. "I hope
you don't have any trouble aiming with those homemade tubes."
It took him a second, but he caught on.
The torpedoes missed McGinty's falling rig by a good three hundred
yards apiece.