Звездный десант
Chapter 13
andwhenitwasover,wewereturnedaround."
Istartedtoaskaboutcasualties,thendecidedthatbadnewscouldwait;Iwantedtogetmyplatoontogetherandgetoutofthere.ABugtownwithnoBugsinsightwassomehowmoreupsettingthantheBugswehadexpectedtoencounter.BrumbycoachedusthroughthenexttwochoicesandItossedtanglefootbombsdowneachcorridorwedidnotuse."Tanglefoot"isaderivativeofthenervegaswehadbeenusingonBugsinthepast—insteadofkilling,itgivesanyBugthattrotsthroughitasortofshakingpalsy.Wehadbeenequippedwithitforthisoneoperation,andIwouldhaveswappedatonofitforafewpoundsoftherealstuff.Still,itmightprotectourflanks.
InonelongstretchoftunnelIlosttouchwithBrumby--someoddityinreflectionofradiowaves,Iguess,forIpickedhimupatthenextintersection.
Buttherehecouldnottellmewhichwaytoturn.Thiswastheplace,orneartheplace,wheretheBugshadhitthem.
AndheretheBugshitus.
Idon’tknowwheretheycamefrom.Oneinstanteverythingwasquiet.
ThenIheardthecryof"Bugs!Bugs!"frombackofmeinthecolumn,Iturned--andsuddenlyBugswereeverywhere.Isuspectthatthosesmoothwallsarenotassolidastheylook;that’stheonlywayIcanaccountforthewaytheyweresuddenlyallaroundusandamongus.
Wecouldn’tuseflamers,wecouldn’tusebombs;weweretoolikelytohiteachother.
