"McCay, Bill - Stargate Retaliation" - читать интересную книгу автора (McCay Bill)

right on the mark. The million-light-year transition from portal to portal was a
hellish rush, combining mind-warping geometry with the bruising punishment of a
trip over Niagara Falls-without a barrel.
But no matter the general's condition when he emerged, he would find a
picture-perfect reception party.
A glimmer of extradimensional energy gathered at the focus of the Abydos
StarGate, congealing into a shining vortex of force that spewed from the torus
of carved golden crystal to the accompaniment of a low, thrumming harmonic. Then
the energy interface settled in the gleaming golden ring. It looked like soapy
water stretched across a fifteen-feet bubble wand, or a reflection of rippling
waters.
A silhouette darkened the iridescent energy field. Sergeant Skinner leapt in
front of his men and shouted, "Ten-hut!"
The honor guard snapped to attention, presenting arms. Off to his left, Skinner
heard the local commandнer, Colonel Jack O'Neil, bitching to his aide, "Where
the hell is Jackson? He's supposed to be here-"
O'Neil's words were cut off at the appearance of the new arrival. The hulking
shape erupting from the lens of energy didn't look like a general. It was only
quasi-human, a tall hawk mask of golden crystal rising from its shoulders. The
figure charged with a spear-like weapon leveled as four more masked figures
apнpeared from the StarGate.
Skinner trained his rifle when he realized with horнror that the guard was
strictly ceremonial. To avoid the embarrassment of accidentally shooting a VIP,
the M-16 rifles were empty of ammunition. Frantically clawing a full magazine
from a web pouch, the sergeant shouted, "Lock and load! Fire at will!"
A dazzling blast flared from the intruder's lance. It caught Skinner and two of
his men before they were even in firing position.
Prior to entrusting himself to the unearthly paths of the StarGate, Khonsu had
forced himself through the requisite muscular and breathing exercises. Millennia
of experience had taught the Horus guards how to minimize the effects of a
translation through the inhuнman geometries between gates.
Khonsu knew that every second would count when they arrived on Abydos. He and
his companions had to be combat ready the instant of their arrival.
When he erupted through the Abydos side of the StarGate, Khonsu was every inch
the avenging Horus guard. He found the sentinels on the other side standнing
rigidly before him, like targets. His blast-lance took out three men in the
middle of the guards' skirmish line almost before the Earthlings had adjusted to
his appearance. Even as he fired, Khonsu charged the line of warriors dressed in
colors of dust and dung.
The Earthlings were torn, unable to believe a single attacker was engaging them.
Their weapons wavered from Khonsu to the masked warriors materializing beнhind
him, expecting a larger attack.
Now Khonsu was through their line, covering the entrance to the chamber.
Shouting in their uncouth tongue, some of the warriors turned, bringing their
weapons to bear. Others, the ones apparently operatнing the portal, leapt for
weapons stowed uselessly too far from their positions. Khonsu ignored the furor,
guarding the only entrance to the chamber.
His compatriots would handle the warders. His part was to keep reinforcements
from arriving.
"No inspection-ready unit has ever passed combat." That old piece of barracks