Звездный десант
Chapter 1
Theturbulencebrakesofthesecondshellbitinandtheridegotrough...andstillrougherastheyburnedoffoneatatimeandthesecondshellbegantogotopieces.Oneofthethingsthathelpsacapsuletroopertolivelongenoughtodrawapensionisthattheskinspeelingoffhiscapsulenotonlyslowhimdown,theyalsofilltheskyoverthetargetareawithsomuchjunkthatradarpicksupreflectionsfromdozensoftargetsforeachmaninthedrop,anyoneofwhichcouldbeaman,orabomb,oranything.It’senoughtogiveaballisticcomputernervousbreakdowns—anddoes.
Toaddtothefunyourshiplaysaseriesofdummyeggsinthesecondsimmediatelyfollowingyourdrop,dummiesthatwillfallfasterbecausetheydon’tslough.Theygetunderyou,explode,throwout"window,"evenoperateastransponders,rocketsideways,anddootherthingstoaddtotheconfusionofyourreceptioncommitteeontheground.
Inthemeantimeyourshipislockedfirmlyonthedirectionalbeaconofyourplatoonleader,ignoringtheradar"noise"ithascreatedandfollowingyouin,computingyourimpactforfutureuse.
Whenthesecondshellwasgone,thethirdshellautomaticallyopenedmyfirstribbonchute.Itdidn’tlastlongbutitwasn’texpectedto;onegood,hardjerkatseveralgeeanditwentitswayandIwentmine.Thesecondchutelastedalittlebitlongerandthethirdchutelastedquiteawhile;itbegantoberathertoowarminsidethecapsuleandIstartedthinkingaboutlanding.
ThethirdshellpeeledoffwhenitslastchutewasgoneandnowIhadnothingaroundmebutmysuitarmorandaplasticegg.
