"II - Chainer's Torment" - читать интересную книгу автора (McGough Scott)

in his left hand. His right hand was balled into a fist at
his side, and he stood lightly on his toes with his weight
evenly balanced.
"At ease, trooper." Baankis halted. The major scowled
again, and shook his head in frustration. He called out to
Chainer, "You're going to make this difficult, aren't you?"
When Chainer didn't reply, Teroh shook his head. "Baankis,
stand down."
"Sir!"
Teroh jerked the bird-thing's leash, and it spread its
wings and shook itself. The major turned to Baankis and
said, "Stand by to collect one bad-mannered boy and one
mysterious satchel."
"Yes, sir!"
Major Teroh dropped the bird's leash and pointed at
Chainer. "Subdue," he said, and the bird took flight.
Chainer watched it bearing down on him, its wingspan as
wide as he was tall. It swerved so as to avoid the dagger
clutched tight in his left hand. Chainer knew that with its
speed and its long neck it could disarm him, knock him
over, or pin him down before his blade could even touch it.
Grimly, he waited.
When the bird was ten feet away, Chainer lashed out
with his right hand. The length of chain he had been
concealing snapped out, screaming directly toward the
oncoming bird. Chainer's aim was excellent. The sharpened
weight at the end of the chain smashed clean through the
bird's skull, killing it instantly. Chainer caught the
still-twitching corpse as it crashed into his chest and let
it drop heavily to the ground.
"Callda!" Major Teroh shouted.
Chainer held onto the chain, now threaded through the
ruined skull of the bird, and sneered at Teroh. "Callda,
was it? Friend of yours, Major, or a distant cousin? Don't
worry, it didn't die in vain." Chainer scornfully nudged
the carcass. "I'll light a candle for it when I get home."
He put his knuckle dagger back into the quick-release
sheath on his shoulder.
"Baankis," Teroh growled and drew his sword. "Advance.
If this murderous little worm survives, he is going to
spend the next three years in a rehabilitation work camp."
Baankis was wide-eyed but resolute. "Yes, sir." Chainer
was pleased to hear that his replies were no longer so
crisp and regimental.
"Hold on, Major," Chainer said. "If you liked that,
you're going to love this." Without waiting, Chainer
dropped to his knees by Callda's body, clenched the end of
his chain tighter, and reached out to the corpse with his
mind as Master Skellum had taught him.
The bird's heart had only recently stopped beating.