The unstoppable force and the immovable object. The effect of each other's attack cancelled out the other, a zero sum stalemate that brought the two mortal enemies directly to the other. The energy shed from their efforts took the ship itself as a casualty, as the durasteel of the floor, corridors, and ceiling bent and groaned with the explosive force.

In the midst of the destruction, Zem Vymes and Vega Van Derveld grappled, a contest without grace but with urgency, fury, and immediacy. Unable to separate from each other to attempt a decisive blow, they resorted to a tangle of body shots, contorting rolls, and any means at their disposal.