"Charles DeVet - Infinity's Child" - читать интересную книгу автора (DeVet Charles)

 Koski had landed with a force of seventy thousand on the east coast of old Mexico. His army was
different from the other invaders only in a secret weapon which they brought with them. The weapon's
appearance was simple but it carried the potentiality of destruction for a world.
Acting under previous orders from his government, Koski began moving northward, and was soon
cutting a swath a hundred miles wide up the west bank of the Mississippi. By the time he reached the
southern border of Minnesota he realized from what he saw on all sides, that for all practical purposes
the war was over. His only choice now was to find a means of survival for himself and his men.
When Koski reached Duluth he circled the city. Almost miraculously it had escaped the bombs. Its
population was only a little over two hundred thousand, and Koski still retained nearly fifty thousand
hardened fighting men.
However, Duluth, Koski found, was governed by Earl Olson, an ex-brigadier and a man equally as
strong as himself. The city was fortified, and garrisoned by a force of well trained civilians who would
fight to their death to defend their city and families. And they were well led by Olson.
Koski knew he could, capture the city if he decided to, but the price would be too dear. He moved
on along the lakeshore and took over the city of Superior. Here he entrenched himself solidly and set up
an efficient military government.
By law every woman in the city still capable of bearing children was forced to take two husbands, at
least one of which must be a Ruskie, as the invaders were called by the natives. In this way Koski
insured a plentiful supply of children, most of whom would be loyal to him.
A bonus of ten thousand dollars was offered to any woman from the outlying districts who would
move to Superior and take two of its citizens in marriage. After the first hesitation, the girls and young
women and widows flocked in from their barren farms and hamlets.
By the end of twenty years the city had grown to near one hundred fifty thousand.
Duluth in the meantime grew to three hundred thousand. Earl Olson ruled absolutely, but wisely and
well. Between the two cities an alert truce held through the years and mutually advantageous trade
flourished.
Koski, in his city, held all authority in his own tight grip, administered by his former officers and
backed by the undeviating loyalty of his soldiers. His rule was stern and when necessary, bloody. It might
have been bloodier except for the threat of intervention by Colson.

THERE ARE always men who fret under the hand of tyranny and the Underground had gradually
risen until it grew into a powerful organization. Its demands were for a representative government chosen
by vote of the people. This, of course, Koski refused. As a consequence, the Underground formed an
active resistance, with the avowed purpose of killing Koski. A retaliatory blood bath was prevented only
by the threat of intervention by Olson, who had many friends in the Underground, especially his
brother-in-law, Lester Oliver.
But right now none of this seemed very important to Buckmaster. Not important enough for him to
bother answering.
"Answer when you're spoken to!" Wagner roared.
For a moment Buckmaster deliberated riot replying. Just how unusual was the difference he had
discovered in himself? Could he be hurt by someone like Wagner? He decided to wait until later to put it
to the test.
"What do you want me to say?" he asked.
"I'm going to lay my cards on the table," Wagner said. "I want you to come over to our side."
Still not very interested, Buckmaster asked, "Why should I?"
"I think I can give you some very good reasons. In fact, unless you're a bigger fool than I think you
are, I can convince you that it is the only wise thing to do. Because of your relatively smaller numbers, the
Plague has caused havoc in your Underground."
"Yes," Buckmaster answered. "But we will have a vaccine before long." He knew this was purely
bluff.