Звездный десант
Chapter 1
Helookedatme,Ilookedathim,andhestartedtoraisesomething—aweapon,Isuppose—asJellycalledout,"Oddnumbers!Advance!"
Ididn’thavetimetofoolwithhim;IwasagoodfivehundredyardsshortofwhereIshouldhavebeenbythen.Istillhadthehandflamerinmylefthand;Itoastedhimandjumpedoverthebuildinghehadbeencomingoutof,asIstartedtocount.Ahandflamerisprimarilyforincendiaryworkbutitisagooddefensiveanti-personnelweaponintightquarters;youdon’thavetoaimitmuch.
BetweenexcitementandanxietytocatchupIjumpedtoohighandtoowide.It’salwaysatemptationtogetthemostoutofyourjumpgear—butdon’tdoit!Itleavesyouhangingintheairforseconds,abigfattarget.Thewaytoadvanceistoskimovereachbuildingasyoucometoit,barelyclearingit,andtakingfulladvantageofcoverwhileyou’redown—andneverstayinoneplacemorethanasecondortwo,nevergivethemtimetotargetinonyou.Besomewhereelse,anywhere.Keepmoving.
ThisoneIgoofed—toomuchforonerowofbuildings,toolittlefortherowbeyondit;Ifoundmyselfcomingdownonaroof.ButnotaniceflatonewhereImighthavetarriedthreesecondstolaunchanotherpeeweeA-rocket;thisroofwasajungleofpipesandstanchionsandassortedironmongery—afactorymaybe,orsomesortofchemicalworks.Noplacetoland.Worsestill,halfadozennativeswereupthere.
