"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 02 - Lasertown Blues" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

тАЬCold beer?тАЭ

Jack shrugged, as someone in the milling group bumped him slightly.
тАЬWhy not. ItтАЩs going to be a wait. TheyтАЩve got over three hundred suits to
test.тАЭ

He fell in beside the chunky, dark-skinned man whoтАЩd stood over him.
He didnтАЩt know Daku well, although he was in his late twenties, one of the
oldest volunteers there, outside of Jack.

Rank hadnтАЩt been allowed in basic training. Daku might be a five star
general or a civilian. HeтАЩd worked, trained, shoulder to shoulder with Jack
for weeks without a word. Now Daku looked across his shoulder at Jack. An
unreadable expression flickered over his dark face. His broad nose wrinkled
slightly at the bridge. тАЬWorried?тАЭ

тАЬYeah. You?тАЭ

Daku nodded. тАЬAlthough,тАЭ he observed, тАЬthere are some who should not
wonder at their fate. Those that used their equipment roughly, figuring it
will go to scrap, while they are chosen and go on to new suits and new
ranksтАж well, for those, it will be a foregone conclusion.тАЭ

They were buffeted by the ranks of the trainees as they reached the
double doors to the outside. Daku took the crowding good-naturedly, even
as Jack shrank back a little. He disliked crowds.

Jack changed quickly in the locker room. He wore a pair of serviceable
gray pants with many pockets, and a loose, flowing shirt. Daku wore dark
colors, as dark as he was, and as Jack joined him, he reflected briefly that he
wouldnтАЩt want to meet Daku in one of MalthenтАЩs back alleys. Hover taxis
were waiting outside the lockersтАж in response to the scores of calls from the
training grounds, a fleet of them had come to meet the obvious need.

He and Daku picked an automatic unit and got in. Daku paused, his
finger poised to punch coords into the computer board. тАЬWhere?тАЭ

Jack shrugged. тАЬWherever.тАЭ

Daku punched out a series and they sat back, speeding downhill from the
EmperorтАЩs rose-pink complex, toward the belly of the beast known as
Malthen, the city for which the planet had been named.

***


Daku waited until after the second round of beer had been served, then
he leaned forward in the quiet bar. The booth creaked a little under his solid
weight.