Звездный десант

           Ididn’tknowwhatitwasIhadcrackedopen.Acongregationinchurchaskinnyflophouse—maybeeventheirdefenseheadquarters.AllIknewwasthatitwasaverybigroomfilledwithmoreskinniesthanIwantedtoseeinmywholelife.

           Probablynotachurch,forsomebodytookashotatmeasIpoppedbackoutjustaslugthatbouncedoffmyarmor,mademyearsring,andstaggeredmewithouthurtingme.ButitremindedmethatIwasn’tsupposedtoleavewithoutgivingthemasouvenirofmyvisit.Igrabbedthefirstthingonmybeltandlobbeditin—andhearditstarttosquawk.AstheykeeptellingyouinBasic,doingsomethingconstructiveatonceisbetterthanfiguringoutthebestthingtodohourslater.

           BysheerchanceIhaddonetherightthing.Thiswasaspecialbomb,oneeachissuedtousforthismissionwithinstructionstousethemifwefoundwaystomakethemeffective.ThesquawkingIheardasIthrewitwasthebombshoutinginskinnytalk(freetranslation):"I’mathirty-secondbomb!I’mathirty-secondbomb!Twenty-nine!...twenty-eight!...twenty-seven!—"

           Itwassupposedtofrazzletheirnerves.Maybeitdid;itcertainlyfrazzledmine.Kindertoshootaman.Ididn’twaitforthecountdown;Ijumped,whileIwonderedwhethertheywouldfindenoughdoorsandwindowstoswarmoutintime.

           IgotabearingonRed’sblinkeratthetopofthejumpandoneonAceasIgrounded.Iwasfallingbehindagain—timetohurry.

           Butthreeminuteslaterwehadclosedthegap;IhadRedonmyleftflankahalfmileaway.HereportedittoJelly.