"Robert Reed - Sister Alice" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reed Robert)

On the other hand, Ord was passingly sympathetic. Xo wasnтАЩt his best friend, but he was a reliable
companion. Besides, for the time being they belonged to the same squad. A soldier had a duty to his
squad, and thatтАЩs why Ord stepped up, saying, тАЬIтАЩll take him.тАЭ

тАЬThen come straight back,тАЭ Ravleen added.

He gave a nod, and asked Xo, тАЬCan you stand?тАЭ

The bloody face said, тАЬMaybe.тАЭ A gloved hand reached for him, and Ord thought of the battered ribs as
he lifted. But the tortured groans were too much; Xo had a fondness for theater. тАЬThanks,тАЭ he muttered,
then he reached into his mouth, pulling out a slick white incisor and tossing it at the half-built fort. With a
softping , the tooth struck one of the robots and vanished.

They walked slowly, crossing the long pasture before climbing into the dark winter woods. Xo stopped
at the first tree, leaning against it and carefully spitting out a glob of dark blood. Ord worked to be
patient. The treeтАЩs rough bark formed words, and he spent the moment reading about the Chamberlain
role in some long-ago treaty. Then he stared back down at the pasture, watching the robots strip it of
snow, building their fort according to RavleenтАЩs exacting designs. A simple titanium pole, topped with a
limp golden flag, stood in the future courtyard. Tiny figures wearing clean white snowsuits were drilling
againтАФsix squads honing themselves for snowfare. It looked like an easy pasture to defend. On three
sides, it fell away, cliffs and nearly vertical woods protecting the fort. The only easy approach was from
here, from above. Ravleen was assuming that the Blues would do what was easy, which was why the
nearest wall had the thickest foundation. тАЬKeep your strong to their strong,тАЭ was an old Sanchex motto.
But what if Xo was right? What if their general was leaving the other walls too weak?

тАЬI canтАЩt walk very fast,тАЭ Xo warned. His swollen face was inhuman, ruined flesh and bits of bone floating
in a masticated stew. But the bleeding had stopped, scabs forming, and the smallest cuts beginning to
heal. Speaking with a faint lisp, Xo admitted, тАЬI sound funny now.тАЭ

тАЬYou should have left your tooth in,тАЭ Ord countered. Gums preferred to repair teeth, not replace them.
тАЬOr you might have kept your mouth shut in the first place.тАЭ

Xo gave a little laugh.

Something moved in the distance. Ord squinted, seeing an airship carrying sightseers. The distant sun
glittered against the shipтАЩs body, and he imagined curious eyes watching only him.

тАЬLetтАЩs go,тАЭ he urged. тАЬIтАЩm tired of standing.тАЭ

They walked on a narrow trail, their pace more leisurely than slow. Snow began to fall, and the woods
were already knee deep in old snow. They werenтАЩt far from the lowlands, and sometimes, particularly on
clear days, city sounds would rise up from that hot flat country, forcing their way through the acoustic
fence. But not today. The snow helped enforce the silence. To step and not hear his own footfall made
Ord a little anxious. He was alert, as if ready for an ambush. The war wouldnтАЩt start until the day after
tomorrow, but he was anticipating it. He was ready. Unless the fight had made him anxious, which meant
that he was distracted and sloppy.

тАЬKnow why I did it?тАЭ asked Xo.

Ord said nothing.