"David Gerrold - Chtorr 3 - A Rage for Revenge" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gerrold David)

"Uh-huh," I said. I was beginning to understand McCain's relationship with orders. He didn't think they
applied to him. Right. That's why he was assigned to me.
Now he was testing me to see if I meant what I'd said. If I let him get away with this breach, he'd test me
again; and if I nailed him to a wall for disobeying an order this minor, then I was a cruel martinet and he
would be justified in subverting my authority whenever he could. Great game. Either way, I lose.
He stepped past me, his mouth hanging open in awe. "I heard about these," he said. "But I never saw one
before." An idea occurred to him and he turned to look at me. "Is it safe?"
I didn't answer. I was too disgusted. With him. With the operation. With myself. When we got back-
"Hi," she said from behind us.
We both whirled at the same time
She couldn't have been more than six or seven. She was a tiny thing, standing in the middle of the
doorway. Her dress had been yellow or orange once. Now it was brown. She had the biggest eyes.
I lowered my rifle, but only a bit. "Don't do that. You scared the hell out of me."
She looked uncertainly from me to McCain, then back to me again.
"Hi, honey," McCain said. "What's your name?" He slung his rifle over his shoulder and took a step
toward her. She edged backward. "It's all right. We're friendly. That's Unca Jim and I'm Unca Jon."
"Jon what?" she asked. "Do you live here?"
McCain looked over at me. "She's awfully thin, and probably scared to death. Can I give her some of
our rations?" He didn't wait for my answer. "Are you hungry, honey?"
She nodded slowly. Her eyes flickered back and forth between us.
"Wait a minute," I said. We were miles from anywhere. How had she gotten here? "What's your name,
sweetheart? Who're you with? You're not here by yourself, are you?"
"Is this your house? Do you live here?" she asked again. She took a few steps into the room, looking
around.
"No. And you shouldn't either." I looked to the kid. "Get her out of here."
I waited till they were both gone before I lowered my rifle and let myself shake. My nerves were shot. I'd
nearly shot him. Then I'd nearly shot her.
Damn.
What a mess that would have been.
No, this wasn't working. None of it. I slung my gun over my shoulder and started after them.
I'd have to . . .
I heard gunshots outside-the spattering sound of an AM-280. And then I heard the kid scream.
I was already pulling my gun off my shoulder as I ran.

?
A proctologist name of McGee
once bent over double to see;
an eyeball of glass
he had shoved up his ass,
'-so I can see one that looks back at me.'
?
?4
?
Mode: Day Two

"Commitment isn't a chore. It's a challenge. "
-SOLOMON SHORT

The second day was about integrity, and the room was set up differently.
The 498 chairs were laid out in five concentric circles around a circular dais. There were eight precise