"Keith Laumer - Bolos 5 - Old Guard" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laumer Keith)

to reach the fringes of the bright nebula that painted the Delassian night sky with its blue and orange hues. The
acknowledgement to the pulse usually took more than a month to return.
 It was also strong enough to catch the attention of DelasтАЩ security array. Once again, a report was logged and
submitted. And on the planet, a corporal was startled by a beep, but then dismissed this second burst as a subspace
echo that seemed to bounce around whenever any transport arrived or departed. His commander had been intending
to ask some local astrophysicist about this phenomenon, but had yet to find the time.
Back in orbit around Epsilon Sindri Three, an acknowledgement was logged by the satellite only two hours later.

The passenger door to the cargo shuttle sprang open with an audible hiss of a pressurized seal. A sunrise of dull
red shined into the small passenger compartment as the occupants stood up and gathered their belongings. Delassian
air slowly rolled down the aisle as it exchanged with the cool processed air of the shuttle. First time arrivals were
easily identified by their stunned gasps as the planet smothered them with its hot and stifling jungle atmosphere.
As the wave advanced down the aisle, it soon overcame a rather large woman in a white dress with bright orange
flowers embroidered into its light fabric. An especially frightful string of expletives was loudly uttered as a result, causing
many heads to turn towards her. Standing behind the woman, a man dressed in a uniform of Concordiat Army Desert
Gray noticed a young girl staring at the woman in awed silence from across the aisle. The girlтАЩs mother remained
unaware of the situation as she seemed to be frantically searching her luggage for something, so he decided to speak
up.
тАЬMadame, please, Starveil is on the edge of a rain forest. Certainly you were aware of where you were arriving.тАЭ
Suitcase now in hand, the large woman turned on the man in surprising fury. After taking a moment to brush a
swirl of black hair out of her eyes, she leaned forward as if to intimidate the older gentleman who spoke out, perhaps
threatening to fall over onto him.
тАЬThat doesnтАЩt mean that I have to like it, does it?тАЭ she shouted.
The womanтАЩs imposing frame and fiery gaze contrasted sharply with the small size and cold dispassion of the
Concordiat officer whom she faced. What she couldnтАЩt discern with her cursory assessment, however, was just how
well muscled the manтАЩs small frame was. Underneath his prematurely gray hair, his Asian brown eyes stared back at
her without flinching.
тАЬNo,тАЭ said the man calmly, тАЬbut perhaps you could refrain from teaching our children to curse it so vividly.тАЭ
A nod to the left drew the womanтАЩs attention to the girl, who smiled and huddled close to her mother. In a fraction
of a second, the womanтАЩs fury turned to charming amusement.
тАЬThat was very bad of me,тАЭ she told the little girl. Then she turned back to the man, and her smile was instantly
gone. тАЬBut I am completely justified. I had little choice in coming here.тАЭ
A glance down the passenger compartment showed the officer that it wouldnтАЩt be clearing any time soon. More
than half of the sixty-four passengers were cargo handlers from the Aragonne Isabelle, and few were gracious
enough to take the seats in the rear. Travelers such as he would have to wait as they disembarked first.
тАЬThat is unfair, then,тАЭ the man commented, being courteous.
тАЬMy name is Dahlia.тАЭ The woman introduced herself, extending her free hand. тАЬDahlia Burke.тАЭ
тАЬToman Ishida,тАЭ the man returned, clasping her hand for just a moment.
тАЬColonel?тАЭ Dahlia asked with a questioning glance at his collar.
тАЬYes.тАЭ
Dahlia smiled proudly, then she turned to grab a small shoulder bag that had been resting on the seat next to her.
тАЬMy son is a lieutenant in the Concordiat Army,тАЭ Dahlia explained. тАЬHeтАЩs with the 351st Planetary Siege
Division, or something like that. Ever hear of it?тАЭ
тАЬSorry, no. ItтАЩs been a while since IтАЩve been on the Melconian front.тАЭ
тАЬOh, I always hope that heтАЩs not there,тАЭ she said despondently, тАЬbut I guess it would be unlikely that heтАЩd be
anywhere else.тАЭ
Ishida didnтАЩt answer. She might have been hoping for some reassurance from him about her son, but without
doubt she was correct. All siege divisions were now assigned to the Melconian front. Only scattered second and third
echelon armored and mechanized formations were assigned to other duties.
The uncomfortable silence was finally broken when the compartment finally began clearing, and the line of