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

was only added as an afterthought, conveniently placed next to one of the shuttleтАЩs huge landing shocks, whose side
their ramp was built into.
A brightly colored bus was waiting at the base of the ramp. Painted on its side, in large letters, were the words
WELCOME TO STARVEIL. Large men were taking peopleтАЩs luggage and helping the arrivals onboard.
тАЬYouтАЩve been to Delas before?тАЭ Dahlia guessed.
тАЬMy son and daughter live here.тАЭ
тАЬYour wife?тАЭ
тАЬWidow.тАЭ
тАЬOh, IтАЩm sorry. How very sad. It doesnтАЩt seem right that a soldier would lose his wife and not the other way
around.тАЭ
Toman didnтАЩt quite know how to respond to that statement, so instead he remained quiet. He had the strange
impression that he should apologize for some reason, but he couldnтАЩt figure out why.
As they reached the pavement, he looked down towards the rear end of the cargo shuttle where its massive cargo
ramp was still descending slowly, preparing to offload. The 50,000 ton shuttle would be transferring cargo between
DelasтАЩ three starports and her mothership well into the next day before the Argonne Isabelle departed back to
Angelrath. Ten or eleven days later another freighter would be arriving. Delas was a quickly growing colony, and its
needs were many.
тАЬAre you visiting your children?тАЭ Dahlia asked him.
тАЬThat, and other things.тАЭ
DahliaтАЩs luggage was taken from him then and stashed into the busтАЩs undercarriage.
тАЬIтАЩm sorry I have to leave you now, Dahlia.тАЭ Toman bowed to her slightly. тАЬItтАЩs been a pleasure.тАЭ
тАЬYouтАЩre not coming on the bus?тАЭ
тАЬNo. I have traveling companions to attend to. A car will be coming for me later.тАЭ
The cargo ramp finally hit the pavement with a resounding thunk, despite the slow speed it was descending.
тАЬTraveling companions?тАЭ
тАЬThey were too big to fit in the passenger compartment.тАЭ
The sudden thunderous clanging of metal on metal made all heads turn as a monstrous form emerged from the
rear of the cargo shuttle. The dark shape rose thirty meters from the base of its enormous treads, to the top of its
massive main turret, barely fitting inside the cargo hold. Plates of dull black armor gave it an ominous air that
matched the thunderclouds that flashed lightning kilometers away behind it. Its main cannon extended out well past
the forward glacis of the juggernaut, always remaining perfectly level with the ground as the machine descended the
ramp. The landing shocks on the cargo shuttle groaned and shrieked, and the ground beneath them shook violently as
the war machine finally rolled out onto the pavement. Even after it had cleared the shuttle and stopped, a noticeable
vibration remained, as if the tarmac was straining with all its might to support the monster that had just set foot upon
it.
Bristling with secondary turrets and weapon ports, the war machine looked to be a battleship on tracks, though no
one could mistake it for being seaworthy. It was a dreadnought whose design had been condensed to its most lethal
form. Losing its displacement and elegance, it gained terrible focus in all things that its enemies feared most:
firepower, maneuverability, and speed. No christened name could be seen inscribed on its bow, but upon the rear
portion of its side hull, the designation тАЬDBC-0039DNтАЭ was emblazoned in tall, silver letters.
тАЬA Bolo,тАЭ Dahlia said in awe. тАЬYou are with the Dinochrome Brigade?тАЭ
тАЬVery good. Your son would be proud of you.тАЭ
Dahlia actually blushed at that.
тАЬYou have another one?тАЭ Dahlia then asked Toman, smiling.
тАЬWe require two trips.тАЭ
тАЬAh,тАЭ she said. Then she leaned forward as if to whisper something. Toman complied by leaning forward also.
тАЬShould I be worried about anything?тАЭ
тАЬNot any more.тАЭ Toman said with a smile, backing away again.
Dahlia laughed lightly, though she still looked concerned. A moment later she extended her hand.
тАЬThank you for your help, Toman. IтАЩll try to watch my language while IтАЩm here.тАЭ