Грань будущего
Chapter 4
YonabarugrabbedmyJacketedarm,actuallytryingtotugmealonglikeachildpullingwithallhisweightonhisfather’shandtogettothetoystore."You’retalkin’crazy,dude.There’snothin’youormecandothat’llmakeadifference,"hesaidwithanothertug."Maybethisisyourideaofduty,honor,allthatshit.Butbelieveme,ain’tnoneofusgotadutytogetourselveskilledfornothin’.Meandyouarejustordinarysoldiers.We’renotlikeFerrellorthoseguysinSpecialForces.Thebattledoesn’tneedus."
"Iknow."IshookoffYonabaru’shandwiththeslightestoftwitches."ButIneedthebattle."
"Youreallymeanit,don’tyou?"
"Idon’texpectyoutounderstand."
Ritawaswaitingforme.I’dtakenfourminutes.
"Don’tsayIdidn’twarnya."
IignoredYonabaru’sglibcommentandranoutofthehangar.RitaandIweren’ttheonlysoldierswearingJacketsnow.MyHUDwassprinkledwithiconsindicatingotherfriendlies.Clusteredingroupsoftwoorthree,they’dtakencoverinthebarracksorbehindoverturnedvehicleswheretheycouldspringoutatintervalstofireshortburstswiththeirrifles.
TheMimicsurpriseattackhadbeenflawless.Thesoldierswerecompletelycutofffromcommand.EventhosewearingJacketsweren’tfightinglikeadisciplinedplatoon-itwasmorelikeanarmedmob.ForarmoredinfantrytobeeffectiveagainstaMimic,theyhadtofanoutfromcoverandthroweverythingtheyhadattheenemyjusttoslowthemdown.
