"David Drake - Hammer's Slammers 01 - Hammer's Slammers" - читать интересную книгу автора (Drake David)

Several boatsтАФhovercraft too small to haul more
than a dozen men and their luggageтАФwere put-
ting out from Bamberg City, spraying their way
toward the island with an enthusiasm that sug-
gested they were racing.

Tyi's view of them was unexpectedly cut off
when a huge surface-effect freighter slid in front of
the shelter and settled. The freighter looked like a
normal sub-sonic aircraft, but its airfoils were canted
to double their lift by skimming over water or
smooth ground. The bird couldn't really fly, but it
could carry a thousand tonnes of cargo at 200
kphтАФa useful trade-off between true ships and

true aircraft.

"Traders from Two," Desoix explained as men
began scuttling from the freighter before its hy-
draulic outriggers had time to lock it firmly onto
the pad. "They circle at a safe distance from the
island while the starships are landing. Then, if
they're lucky, they beat the Bamberg factors to
the pad with the first shot at a deal."

He shrugged. "And if their luck's really out,

there's another starship on its way in about the
time they tie up. Doesn't take much of a shock
wave to make things real interesting aboard one of
those."

Tyi squinted at the men scuttling from the
surface-effect vehicle. Several of those waiting in
the shelter were joining them, babbling and wav-
ing documents. "Say, those guys 'reтАФ"
"Yeah, rag-heads," Desoix agreed. "I mean, I'm
sure they're in church every day, kissing crosses
and all the proper things, but . . . yeah, they're
looking at some problems if President Delcorio
gets his crusade going."

"Well, that's what we're here for," Tyi said,
looking around horizons that were hemmed by
starships to the back and side and the surface-
effect vehicle before him.

"Now," he added, controlling his grimace, "how
do we get to the mainland if we're not cargo?"