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       I set off with the full power of the drive jets to the stuck cannon. 
       I didn't want to risk the blackbirds noticing me: so I stayed in the shadows under Dron's
belly.
       Attack missiles arrived at intervals of a few seconds.
       Hydron eliminated them all in time.
       It was actually beautiful: action - reaction. Shot - beam - explosion.  Absolutely silent
dance of lights and fire. Sparkling cosmos and nearness of death.
       The cannon was about five meters from the shaded area.   I turned off the jets:  and very
slowly crawled forward.
      "Alia:  an unknown vessel is approaching us:  can you hear me?"  said Butterfly so loudly:
that I was petrified with fright.
      "Don't shout!"
      "And fighters. They are almost here. They must have some new kind of camouflage."
      "Army?"
      "I do not think so."
      I unlocked the small cover on the side of the turret:  held the yellow button under it for
a moment: counted to ten and pressed it again.
      "Ok: It's booting up: come back!" Robert growled impatiently.
      I closed the cover and slowly started backing into the shadows.    The movable part of the
turret made a sharp turn: the cannon extended halfway: froze: and .. exploded.
      For the first fifty somersaults: I concentrated only on not throwing up to my helmet: then
I lost consciousness: because I was again with Peter: in the middle of the night: "how many hair
do you have: Alia?" he asked me softly  - I was silent:  but as if through someone else's mouth:
and holding his hand tightly:  so that he wouldn't slip away:  I quickly turned to face him:  "I
miss you:" I finally said - into the empty night.
       I woke up.
       The stars twirled in a crazy carousel.
       "Butterfly: can you hear me? Hydron: the captain speaking.."
       Nothing.
       Suddenly: a fast moving shadow flashed beside me.   I tried turning on the jets and after
a minute of chaotic maneuvering: stopped in position: that my brain considered vertical.
       Hydron floated motionless to my right.
       A large spaceship looming formidably behind him - its long new shapes giving it a magical
supernatural appeal.      About a dozen emerald-colored thrushes flew out of its open hangar and
joined the escort formation.
       Three flashes blinked at me from different places on the Hydron's body:     and the light
engulfed me.