"Larry Niven & Jerry Pournelle - Reflex" - читать интересную книгу автора (Niven Larry)

and the messroom brain. WeтАЩll eat basic prqtocarb for a while.тАЭ
тАЬIf we eat at all.тАЭ Why the hell werenтАЩt they getting more hits on the enemy? He
could see the Imperial ship on his screens, in the view from number two boat. Her
field glowed orange, wavering to yellow, and there were two deep purple spots,
probably burnthroughs. No way to tell what lay under those areas. Colvin hoped it
was something vital. - -
 His own Field was yellow tinged with green. Pastel lines jumped between the
two ships. After this was over, there would be time to remember just how pretty a
space battle was. The screens flared, and his odds for success dropped again, but he
couldnтАЩt trust the computer anyway. HeтАЩd lost number three boat, and number one
had ceased reporting.
The enemy ship flared again as Defiant scored a hit, then
-another. The ImperialтАЩs screens turned yellow, then green; as they cooled back
toward red another hit sent them through green to blue. тАЬTorps!тАЭ Colvin shouted, but
the master cdmputer had already done it. A stream of tiny shapes flashed toward the
blinded enemy.
тАЬPour it on!тАЭ Colvin screamed. тАЬEverything weтАЩve got!тАЭ If they could keep the
enemy blind, keep him from finding Defiant while they poured energy into his Field,
they could keep his screens hot enough until torpedoes could get through. Enough
torpedoes would finish the
job. тАЬPoui, it~on!тАЭ - --
The -Imperiat ship was almost beyond the blue, creeping tow~~ ~ard the violet.
тАЬBy God we may have him!тАЭ Colvin shouted.
The enemy maneuvered again, but the bright rays of DefiantтАЩs lasers followed,
pinning the glowing ship against the star background. Then the screens went blank.
Colvin frantically pounded- buttons. Nothing happened. Defiant was blind.
тАЬEyes! HowтАЩd he hit us?тАЭ he demanded.
тАЬDonтАЩt know.тАЭ SusackтАЩs voice was edged -with fear. тАЬSkipper, weтАЩve got
problems with the detectors. I sent a party out but they havenтАЩt reportedтАФтАЭ
Halleck came on. тАЬImperial boat got close and hit us with torps.тАЭ -
Blind. Colvin watched his screen color indicators. Bright orange and yellow, with
a green tint already visible. Acceleration warnings hooted through the ship as Colvin
ordered random evasive action. The enemy would be blind too. Now it was a question
of who could
see first. тАЬGet me some eyes.тАЭ he said. He was surprised at how calm his voice
was.
тАЬWorking on it,тАЭ Halleck said. тАЬIтАЩve got minimal sight back here. Maybe I can
locate him.тАЭ
тАЬTake over gun direction,тАЭ Colvin said. тАЬWhatтАЩs with the computer?тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩm not getting damage reports from that area,тАЭ Halleck said. тАЬI have men out
trying to restore internal communications, and another partyтАЩs putting out antennasтАФ
only nobody really wants to go out to the hull edge and work, you know.тАЭ
тАЬWants!тАЭ Colvin controlled blind rage. Who cared what the crew wanted? His
ship was in danger!
Acceleration and jolt warnings sounded continuously as Defiant continued
evasive maneuvers. Jolt, acceleration, stop, turn, joltтАФ тАЬHeтАЩs hitting us again~тАЭ
Susack sounded scared. тАЬGreg?тАЭ Colvin demanded. тАЬIтАЩm losing him. Take over,
skipper.тАЭ Defiant writhed like a beetle on a pin as the deadly fire followed her
through maneuvers. The damage reports came as ~ deadly litany. тАЬPartial collapse,
after auxiliary engine room destroyed. Hulled in three places in number five tankage