"We can afford to let one go," Vale said. "If we redefine what our objectives are, then it's simply the slaying of four ships. Or three, if we dismiss the one that we wish to capture. That only means that we need to punch a hole through three of the enemy ships. Perhaps that will be quicker than trying to dismantle the entirety of their crew."
By now, as Vale continued her explanation, Vol was very well aware that a certain number of eyes were looking his way. If it came to the task of simply wounding an enemy ship enough that it might sink, there were few that could probably do it quicker than him.
"You're all imagining the Commander dealing with the problem with his hammer," Harland said. "But even if we manage it, that would only be good enough for a single ship. The rest won't give Vol the time he needs to break through. They'll expect it."
