"Patrick Tilley - Amtrak 6 - Earth - Thunder" - читать интересную книгу автора (Tilley Patrick)

file:///F|/rah/Patrick%20Tilley/Patrick%20Tilley...Amtrak%20Wars%20Book%206%20-%20Earth-Thunder.txt (3 of 470) [1/23/03 12:50:13 PM]
 file:///F|/rah/Patrick%20Tilley/Patrick%20Tilley%20-%20Amtrak%20Wars%20Book%206%20-%20Earth-Thunder.txt

DEDICATION

I should like to express my gratitude to all the readers of THE AMTRAK
WARS and everyone at Sphere Books, Forbidden Planet and Andromeda whose
enthusiasm (and patience) helped make this series a success.

Special thanks to those of you who wrote, the many others who took the
trouble to come and meet me in the bookshops, all you Australians who
boosted AMTRAK onto your best-seller list, and last, but not least, to
my fan in the Shetlands whose thoughtful Glaswegian friend got me to
autograph a brown paper bag.




file:///F|/rah/Patrick%20Tilley/Patrick%20Tilley...Amtrak%20Wars%20Book%206%20-%20Earth-Thunder.txt (4 of 470) [1/23/03 12:50:13 PM]
 file:///F|/rah/Patrick%20Tilley/Patrick%20Tilley%20-%20Amtrak%20Wars%20Book%206%20-%20Earth-Thunder.txt

CHAPTER ONE

Armed with a stolen carbine, Cadillac marched slowly through the
drifting plumes of smoke that rose from the charred remains of the huts
which- just one brief day ago - had been the home of the Clan m'call.

Roz - clutching another carbine with the awkwardness of someone trained
to save lives not terminate them followed him as he scoured the
settlement from end to end. The soldiers had done their work with the
thoroughness that was the mark of the Federation.

Goods and chattels had been put to the torch, every living soul
regardless of age had been killed.

The decapitated bodies of the den mothers, their children, and the
She-Wolves who had stayed to defend them were scattered everywhere.

Some, burnt beyond recognition, lay smouldering in the glowing rings of
ashes that had once been huts of skin and wood; others, partially
stripped, their naked bodies ripped by bayonet thrusts, lay sprawled
awkwardly where they had been gunned down - either running away from,
or towards the enemy: the tall faceless figures in their blood-red and
flame-orange uniforms who showed no mercy and expected none.

When the last hope of finding any survivors finally expired, Cadillac
turned to Roz, his eyes brimming with bitter tears. His lips moved but