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

hadnтАЩt forgotten that much about soldiering. But there was ways of
carrying out an order, and then there was ways. By golly, the least they
could do was let him die honorably in combatтАФand since Mark XX
Model M тАЬMosebyтАЭ units had been designed for slash-and-dash raids
behind enemy lines, maybe Digger would give these invaders a rude
surprise or two before they killed him. ThatтАЩs what DiggerтАЩd want, for
sure. Hal waited until the Bolo returned from the fields that evening.
Everything else was set. HeтАЩd wrecked what they hadnтАЩt crated; then
heтАЩd rigged explosive charges throughout the compound, setting things
so the whole installation would go the minute any life form larger than a
housecat was detected inside the main buildings. The bastards might
occupy MatsonтАЩs World, but theyтАЩd pay dear for it or Hal Abrams wasnтАЩt
a Marine Engineer.
The last thing he told faithful old Digger, so antiquated he qualified
for admission to the War Relics and Monuments Commission roster,
was: тАЬDigger, I want you to check out that new orchard in the back forty
tonight. Stay out there for a couple of days, work on those cultivars we
been gussying up. IтАЩm leavinтАЩ it up to you, Digger, to take care of things.
You just keep right on with your mission, Digger, same as I programmed
you. Battle Reflex Alert inside colony perimeter. Understand?тАЭ
тАЬUnderstood, Commander. I will continue the work for which I am
programmed. I will develop new cultivars, plant and harvest test
acreages, and protect the colonyтАЩs crops and physical plant until such
time as I am relieved from Battle Reflex Alert.тАЭ
тАЬThatтАЩs good, Digger,тАЭ Hal said, wishing he didnтАЩt feel quite so
choked up. He wanted to say goodbye, but didnтАЩt have the heart to tell
the faithful old machine he wouldnтАЩt be coming back. Better to let him
die not realizing heтАЩd been betrayed and abandoned by friends. тАЬYouтАЩd
best be getting on out to that orchard, Digger.тАЭ
тАЬUnderstood, Commander.тАЭ
The hulking machine backed neatly on its ancient treads. It turned in
the moonlight and trundled obediently across the fields, taking the access
road it had built the previous year. Backhoes, plowshares, bulldozer
blades, manipulator arms, reaper extensions, sampling baskets, and
harvesting prunes festooned its moonlit hull, all but obscuring the
ominous snouts of infinite repeaters which hadnтАЩt cycled in two hundred
years.
Hal sighed.
That was about to change.
He just hoped Digger put up a good fight.
 тАФ2тАФ
Drone Xykdap 221-K5C encounters Enemy emissions on Hyper-L
vector incoming. Engage stealth mode. Wait. Wait. Attack. Navigational
systems destroyed. Propulsion system damaged. Communications
beacons damaged. No return fire. Target drops to sub-light. Match
speed. Strike. Renew attack. Propulsion system destroyed.
Communications beacons destroyed. Break attack. Aims achieved. No
damage sustained to Drone Xykdap 221-K5C. File salvage coordinates
and vector. Continue mission: protect incoming fleet. Silence all units
capable of sounding warning.