[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]of the Mayflower II as well as the planet
Yes, Simmonds?
It could still detach, even without Sterm
That s a gamble we ll have to take, Sirocco said. Sterm will hardly order them to fire on the rest of
the ship if he s in it.
Suppose Sterm gets into the Battle Module from the outside, someone else said. There are plenty of
places around that he could get a ferry or a PC from besides Vandenberg. He s only got to hop across a
couple of miles. It wouldn t need a surface shuttle.
Sirocco hesitated for a moment, then nodded reluctantly.
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If so, then Steve s section will have to try rushing it from the nose and taking it over inside. But that s
only as a last resort, as I said. He looked across at Colman, who returned a heavy nod.
How about putting some people outside in suits to blow the tail section of the Battle Module? Carson
suggested from the second row back.
We re looking into that. It will depend on how many people Steve can spare. Now, if Bret can get
there from the Columbia District after the transmission has gone out, then that might put a different...
Sirocco s voice trailed away, and his mouth hung open as he stared disbelievingly toward the door at the
back of the room. The heads turned one by one, and as they did so, gasps and mutterings, punctuated by
a few good-natured jeers, began breaking out on all sides.
Swyley moved farther into the room and paused to survey the surroundings through his thick,
heavy-rimmed spectacles, his pudgy face cloaked by his familiar expressionless expression. Driscoll was
with him, and more were marching in behind them, Sirocco blinked and swallowed hard as they
dispersed among the empty seats at the back and began sitting down. Harding, Baker, Faustzman,
Vanderheim, Simpson, Westley, Johnson all of them. They were all back. We heard you could use
some help, chief, Driscoll announced. Couldn t leave it all to the amateurs? Ribald comments and
hoots of derision greeted the remark.
Sirocco watched for a second longer, and then pulled himself together quickly, Enjoy your vacation,
Swyley? he inquired with a note of forced sarcasm in his voice. Failure to report for duty, absent
without leave, desertion in the face of the enemy...the whole book, in fact. Well, consider yourselves
reprimanded, and sit down. There s a lot to go over, and we re all going to need some rest today. The
situation is that Sirocco stopped speaking and looked curiously at the figure that he hadn t noticed
before an unfamiliar face by the side of Swyley, who was still standing. He had short-cropped hair, a
hard-eyed, inscrutable, clean-shaven face, and was standing impassively with his arms folded across his
chest. Who s this? Sirocco said He s not from D Company,
Ex-sergeant Malloy of the SDs, Swyley said. He decided he d had enough and quit over a month
ago. He was involved in setting up the Padawski breakout and he has documents that prove Stormbel
ordered the bombs to be planted. He wants to go public. Swyley shrugged. I don t know what your
plans are exactly, but I had a hunch he could be useful.
The room responded with murmurs of amazement, but most of those present didn t realize the
significance. Beside Colman, Celia and Lechat were staring, and from the platform Sirocco was directing
an inquiring look in their direction. Celia turned her head to look at Colman. I don t believe this, she
whispered. Who is that corporal?
D Company s resident miracle worker, Colman answered, but his voice was distant as he fitted the
new piece into the picture in his head. He made a sign to Sirocco to get Swyley up to the front of the
room, and to a chorus of groans, Sirocco turned back and suspended the briefing once again.
Five minutes later Swyley and Malloy had gone into conference in a corner with Celia and Lechat, and
Colman stood apart with Sirocco and Hanlon, discussing tactical details. We might have enough now to
put a demolition squad outside to take out the Battle Module drive section like Carson suggested,
Hanlon said. Even if Sterm gets in there it would give more protection to the rest of the ship.
I ll have to keep that option open until we see how things shape up. Colman said. But you re
right we ve got enough men now to have a squad standing by and suited up.
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The ten more in Armley s section will help the Vandenberg situation, and I should be in better shape in
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkajaszek.htw.pl
