Звездный десант

           ButIhadalreadyusedtwomentoguardourescapehole;ifIleftl0percentofmyforceateachintersection,mightysoonIwouldbeten-percentedtodeath.

           Idecidedtokeepustogether...anddecided,too,thatnoneofuswouldbecaptured.NotbyBugs.Farbetteranice,cleanrealestatedeal...andwiththatdecisionaloadwasliftedfrommymindandIwasnolongerworried.

           Ipeeredcautiouslyintotheintersection,lookedbothways.NoBugs.

           SoIcalledoutoverthenon-coms’circuit:"Brumby!"

           Theresultwasstartling.Youhardlyhearyourownvoicewhenusingsuitradio,asyouareshieldedfromyouroutput.Buthere,undergroundinanetworkofsmoothcorridors,myoutputcamebacktomeasifthewholecomplexwereoneenormouswaveguide:

           "BRRRRUMMBY!"

           Myearsrangwithit.

           Andthenrangagain:"MR.RRRICCCO!"

           "Notsoloud,"Isaid,tryingtotalkverysoftlymyself."Whereareyou?"

           Brumbyanswered,notquitesodeafeningly,"Sir,Idon’tknow.We’relost."

           "Well,takeiteasy.We’recomingtogetyou.Youcan’tbefaraway.Istheplatoonsergeantwithyou?"

           "No,sir.Wenever—"

           "Holdit."Iclickedinmyprivatecircuit."Sarge—"

           "Ireadyou,sir."Hisvoicesoundedcalmandhewasholdingthevolumedown."BrumbyandIareinradiocontactbutwehavenotbeenabletomakerendezvous.