The "Killing Time" continued to brake, oriented towards the fast vanishing war fleet and the region of the Excession. Its engine fields were gouging great livid tracks in the energy grid as it back-peddaled furiosly.

"Well, damn me", it thought, as it slowed. "I'm still alive".
This was one outcome it hadn't anticipated.

It felt excited, energised, re-purified by the engagement it had undergone. Its appetite was whetted. A further pass would be no-holds-barred multi-destructional, not a series of semi-defensive side-actions while it concentrated on searching for one individual ship.

This time it could really get nasty ...