"They're bolting in all directions," came over the radio. "Some of them are even running deeper in."
The Space Patrol was regrouping above the spot where the parade had disintegrated. Officer da Cunha, though, was hanging well back. "You boys are on your own from here," she radioed. "If you want to call in our District Squad they might be able to help you." If you'd like to run away, anyhow, but it was better not to say that on the open channel. Maria had read the manual.
The rest of the Air Safety officers were thinking the same thing: they chose to regroup at a safer distance. "We can circle the perimeter if you like," she offered. Her tone made it clear that this was her final offer.
So the pursuit of Captain Bonnie Scarlet fell on the brave and unconcerned Space Patrolmen who spent their own days dodging asteroids, battling space pirates, almost - but not quite - falling into the Sun, being eaten by things with the wrong number of eyes, and otherwise having a pretty easy time of it, the way Maria saw things. They had no idea what they were getting themselves into down here.
She and her fellow officers circled the District at a very wide radius and left the flyboys to i
 |  |
