Звездный десант

           wehadreceiveddemonstrationsofrecordedBugnoises;thesefourpostswerepickinguptypicalnestnoisesofalargeBugtown—thatchitteringwhichmaybetheirspeech(thoughwhyshouldtheyneedtotalkiftheyareallremotelycontrolledbythebraincaste?),arustlinglikesticksanddryleaves,ahighbackgroundwhinewhichisalwaysheardatasettlementandwhichhadtobemachinery--theirairconditioningperhaps.

           Ididnothearthehissing,cracklingnoisetheymakeincuttingthroughrock.

           ThesoundsalongtheBugboulevardwereunlikethesettlementsounds—alowbackgroundrumblewhichincreasedtoaroareveryfewmoments,asifheavytrafficwerepassing.Ilistenedatpostnumberfive,thengotanidea--checkeditbyhavingthestand-bymanateachofthefourpostsalongthetunnelcallout"Mark!"tomeeachtimetheroaringgotloudest.

           PresentlyIreported."Captain—"

           "Yeah,Johnnie?"

           "ThetrafficalongthisBugraceisallmovingoneway,frommetowardyou.Speedisapproximatelyahundredandtenmilesperhour,aloadgoespastaboutonceaminute."

           "Closeenough,"heagreed."Imakeitone-oh-eightwithaheadwayoffifty-eightseconds."

           "Oh."Ifeltdashed,andchangedthesubject."Ihaven’tseenthatsappercompany."

           "Youwon’t.Theypickedaspotinthemiddlerearof‘HeadHunter’area.Sorry,Ishouldhavetoldyou.Anythingmore?"

           "No,sir.