"David Weber & Linda Evans - Bolos" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weber David)

тАЬIтАЩm afraid we received a Mayday from the Star Cross, Dr. Matson.
The transport was under attack when the Mayday cut off. We can only
presume everyone aboard was killed instantly. IтАЩm sorry.тАЭ
тАЬIтАФI see. ThereтАЩs noтАФ No. I suppose not . . . Thank you.тАЭ
Hal gently guided Carl to one side when he nearly walked into the
wall instead of through the door. His eyes were wet, his lips unsteady.
тАЬBastards,тАЭ he whispered. тАЬMurdering, vicious . . . They were unarmed.
Unarmed, dammit!тАЭ
Hal just guided him outside, past the line of frightened refugees
waiting their turn for bad news. The refugees from MatsonтАЩs World had
already been told their home wasnтАЩt worth the lives of the men it would
take to wrest it backтАФSpace Arm was concentrating on saving the
critical mining worlds at risk, not a few dozen acres of spindly corn and
half-grown apple trees. And now, on top of that blow, this. . . .
Outside, away from the lines and the staring eyes, Carl finally met
HalтАЩs gaze. тАЬYou going back into the Marines?тАЭ
Hal Abrams nodded slowly. тАЬYeah. My Reserve commissionтАЩs been
updated to active status. Gotta report for transport out in a couple a
hours.тАЭ
Carl straightened his back. тАЬIтАЩll tell the others. Then . . . then IтАЩll go
with you. If theyтАЩll have me.тАЭ
тАЬWell, I reckon theyтАЩll take just about whatever they can get right
now. But you sure about that? You arenтАЩt exactly trained for soldiering.
ItтАЩs a bloody business.тАЭ
Carl met his gaze steadily. His eyes were still wet; but back in their
depths, they were cold as the black emptiness of space. тАЬOh, yes. IтАЩm
sure.тАЭ
Hal just nodded.
He felt sorry for anything caught in Carl MatsonтАЩs gunsight.
He felt even sorrier that his friendтАЩs revenge would almost certainly be
very, very short-lived.
 Live samples provide the data I require. I am fully equipped to
perform biological gengineering tasks. My cultivar work and bio-control
programs have been 99.725 percent successful. I harvest internal
parasites from the creaturesтАЩ intestinal tracts and begin genetic
modification experimentation. I am patient. The Enemy has withdrawn to
a safe distance to regroup and form a new infestation site. The Enemy
shows no immediate willingness to reinfest areas inside the colony
perimeter. Therefore I have ample time to perfect my work.
I am cautious to ensure that each test batch is gengineered as mules. I
will not unleash a biological weapon which cannot be curtailed within
one generation. My task requires additional live specimens. I harvest
these with difficulty, coming under heavy fire each time I attempt live
capture. For most tests, I clone tissue samples and determine what effect
the gengineered nematodes have on my tissue cultures.
The first infestation is reinforced as predicted from the orbital ship. I
do not attack the transport. It would please me to have this pest carry the
means of its destruction to the home nest. An interminable 3.7 weeks
post-infestation pass before I discover a virulent gengineered strain. I
obtain live samples and contaminate them. The gengineered nematode