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power in the batteries.' 'That's right, there is,' said Hunter. 'And that's where it's staying, until we come across an emergency that justifies using it. I'm certainly not wasting it on a joyride. Besides, I think it's better that we take our time approaching the city. This world is still new to us if we're going to make mistakes, let's make them where it doesn't matter. Oh, and people, keep your eyes open and your heads down. This is a reconnaissance mission, not an attack force.' 'But what about the pinnace itself?' said Williams. 'Is it wise to just go off and leave it unguarded? Anything could happen to it while we were gone. And if anything were to happen to the equipment stored on board ' 'Doctor Williams,' said Hunter pleasantly, 'that's enough. I'm the Captain, I don't have to explain myself to you. And I don't take kindly to having my orders questioned all the time. You must learn to trust me, Doctor, and obey my orders implicitly. Because if you don't I'll let the Investigator have you. The pinnace will be perfectly safe in our absence. Isn't that right, Investigator?' 'Right,' said Krystel indistinctly, relighting her cigar. She puffed at it a few times to make sure she'd got it just the way she wanted, and then fixed Williams with a cold stare. 'We'll activate the force Screen before we go, and the computers will be on battle readiness until we return. All told, the ship will probably be safer than we will.' 'You got that right,' said Corbie. 'If we're going up against aliens, I want hazard pay.' Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html 'Technically speaking, we shouldn't really call them aliens,' said Doctor Williams. 'This is their world, after all. If anyone's alien here, it's us.' The Investigator chuckled quietly. 'Wrong, Doctor. Aliens are aliens, no matter where you find them.' 'And the only good alien is a dead alien,' said Corbie. 'Right, Investigator?' Krystel smiled. 'Right, marine.' 'How can you justify that?' said DeChance heatedly. 'Everything that lives has some common ground. We share the same thoughts, the same feelings, the same hopes and needs 'You ever met an alien?' said Krystel. 'No, but ' 'Not many have.' Krystel drew on her cigar, blew a perfect smoke ring, and stared at it for a long moment. 'Alien isn't just a noun, esper, it's an adjective. Alien as in strange, different, inhuman. Unnatural. There's no room for the alien inside the Empire, and this planet's been a part of the Empire from the moment an Imperial ship discovered it. That's Empire law.' 'It doesn't have to be that way here,' said Lindholm slowly. 'If we could contact the aliens peacefully, make some kind of alliance ' 'The Empire would find out eventually,' said Hunter. 'And then they'd put a stop to it.' 'But why?' said DeChance. 'Why would they care?' 'Because aliens represent the unknown,' said Corbie. 'And the Empire's afraid of the unknown. Simple as that. Not too surprising, really. The unknown is always threatening, to those in power.' 'Sometimes they have reason to be afraid,' said Krystel. "I was there on Grendel, when the Sleepers awoke.' For a long time no one said anything. 'I thought no one got out of there alive,' said Lindholm, finally. Krystel smiled. 'I was lucky.' 'I think that's enough chatting for one day,' said Hunter. 'Get your gear together, people. Keep it simple, the bare minimum. Remember, you've got to carry it, and we might have to travel in a hurry. Report back here in thirty minutes, ready to leave. Don't be late, or we'll go without you. Now move it.' The Squad turned as one and filed quickly back into the pinnace. At the rear, hanging back, Corbie looked at Lindholm. 'An alien city,' he murmured quietly. 'You ever seen an alien, Sven?' 'Can't say I have,' said Lindholm. 'That's what Investigators are for. I met a Wampyr once, on Golgotha. He was pretty strange, but not actually alien. How about you? You ever met an alien?' Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html 'Not yet,' Corbie said grimly. 'I just hope our Investigator has enough sense not to get us in over our heads. We're a long way from help.' CHAPTER TWO In the Forest of the Night The silver sun rode high on the pale green sky. The world lay stark and bare under the brilliant light, and no sound broke the silence. The mists were gone, dispersed by the rising sun, but the day was no warmer. The Hell Squad moved warily through the quiet morning, walking in single file, their hands never far from their gunbelts. Hunter led the way, alert for any sign of movement on the open plain, but for as far as he could see there wasn't a trace of life anywhere. There were no animals, no birds in the sky, not even an insect. The continuing silence was eerie and disquieting. The soft sound of the Squad's boots on the plain was quickly swallowed up by the quiet, and there wasn't even a murmur of wind. Hunter hefted his backpack into a slightly more comfortable position, and tried not to think about the miles of hard open ground that lay between him and the alien city. His legs ached, his back was killing [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |