Linda made tiny adjustments over her controls, and flicked her fingers forward. “Plasma away,” she said.
	The bridge lights dimmed. The main hologram showed Bloodied Spirit as its lateral lines flared and plasma detached and accelerated away, but not toward the enemy frigate, rather toward the rapidly approaching plasma bolts.
	Steering spheres appeared on Linda’s plasma lines. Her hands twisted and turned.
	The plasma oscillated back and forth in response.
	The enemy lines started to move as well.
	Fred understood what she was trying to do: fight fire with fire. But at these velocities hitting one plasma beam with another was like shooting a bullet out of the air.
	Linda’s trancelike motions slowed.
	The plasma bolts raced toward one another. The enemy’s plasma veered out of the way.
	Linda brought her hands together in a blur—both of Bloodied Spirit’s bolts spiraled about the enemy’s line of fire, tighter and faster, and connected.
	Three lines smeared into a blob and jets erupted across the dark of space, fading to a haze of red.
	“Got it,” Linda whispered.

Ghosts of Onyx Ch 25