Звездный десант
Chapter 13
BehindmeIheard:"Section!"
"Firstsquad!"—"Secondsquad!"—"Thirdsquad!"
"Bysquads!Followme!"—andCunhajumpeddown,too.
It’snotnearlysolonelythatway.
IhadCunhaleavetwomenattheholetocoverourrear,oneonthefloorofthetunnel,oneatsurfacelevel.ThenIledthemdownthetunnelthesecondsectionhadfollowed,movingasfastaspossible—whichwasn’tfastastheroofofthetunnelwasrightoverourheads.Amancanmoveinsortofaskatingmotioninapoweredsuitwithoutliftinghisfeet,butitisneithereasynornatural;wecouldhavetrottedwithoutarmorfaster.
Snooperswereneededatonce—whereuponweconfirmedsomethingthathadbeentheorized:Bugsseebyinfrared.Thatdarktunnelwaswelllightedwhenseenbysnoopers.Sofarithadnospecialfeatures,simplyglazedrockwallsarchingoverasmooth,leveldoor.
WecametoatunnelcrossingtheonewewereinandIstoppedshortofit.Therearedoctrinesforhowyoushoulddisposeastrikeforceunderground--butwhatgoodarethey?Theonlycertaintywasthatthemanwhohadwrittenthedoctrineshadneverhimselftriedthem...because,beforeOperationRoyalty,nobodyhadcomebackuptotellwhathadworkedandwhathadnot.
Onedoctrinecalledforguardingeveryintersectionsuchasthisone.
