A shimmering, multicolored beam of coherent light lanced out from off-screen and missed the foremost hovering jump-jet by the thickness of a coat of paint. The heat flash of the beam’s passage through the atmosphere caused severe turbulence, and the fighter wavered, wobbling to recover its balance. Thumbs fired again, and the Eagle silently formed a fireball of truly impressive proportions. "Got one. I got one," said Thumbs.