[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
mission, this is how you'll be performing your individual tasks. The Blood
Lords who are with you are there to keep you alive. By the same token, the
techs are there to make sure the mission actually gets accomplished and to
handle shipboard systems. This is the group you're going to be moving,
fighting and living with. Everyone has a purpose and you're going to have to
learn to work with each other and trust each other to do the job. Otherwise,
we might as well pack it up and go home. So figure on spending most of your
training and free time with your teams. That's all I've got. I'd suggest you
guys get acquainted."
He walked back to his place and sat down as Courtney came over and perched on
the end of the table.
"Hello, Councilwoman," Courtney said, holding out her hand to Megan. "I'm
Courtney Boehlke. I'm going to be the computer tech on your team."
"And I'm Evan Mayerle," Evan said with a grin, holding out his own hand.
"Pleased to meet you. Who's the big lug sitting next to you?"
Megan grinned and solemnly shook their hands in turn.
"I don't know who he is," Megan said, thumping Herzer on the arm. "He
followed me home, though, so I think I have to keep him."
"Here comes trouble," Layne whispered from behind Herzer, who looked up to
see Linda striding over with a furious expression on her face.
"Herzer, I have a bone to pick with you," Linda said, leaning over the table
so far it looked as if she was going to spit in his face.
"Let's take it into the corner," Herzer said, gesturing to the far side of
the dining hall.
When he'd gotten out of earshot of the teams, he stopped and pivoted to face
her.
"It's about Geo?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I wassupposed to be with him the whole time!" Linda spat. "Youpromised me
that! And his ship..."
"Doesn't have a computer tech," Herzer said, nodding. "So you think you
should switch with one of the Blood Lords?"
"Yes!" Linda snapped.
"And double up our short engineers," Herzer pointed out. "On a ship that
could be taken out by New Destiny if we get very unlucky?"
"What do you mean?" Linda said, pausing.
"It's possible that one or more teams may get wiped out on insertion," Herzer
pointed out with glacial calm. "Or at a later time. Hell, we mayall get wiped
Page 139
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
out. But I'm mostly worried about insertion; we don't have any control over
the shuttles until we get to the ship. So I'd like you to take a look over at
Geo's team."
"What am I supposed to see?" Linda said after a few moments.
"Cruz is one of the few people I hand-picked for this mission," Herzer said,
gesturing at the team leader, who was listening to the old physicist and
nodding his head. "That's because he's a stone-cold killer who uses his head.
He actively enjoys bringing destruction to the enemy and he's very good at it.
Ferdous Dhanapal was part of Class One at theBlood LordAcademy . He's never
going to get any higher than Triari because he's dumb as a brick about
everything except killing and doing the mission. He's the guy that 'fight
until you die or drop' was written for. Gyozo Nasrin has won the silver eagle
twice, once in Raven's Mill and the second time inBelmopan . Again, a cold
hard killer with not an ounce of quit in him. He's one of the volunteers
because if it has a 'high risk of loss of life' it means it has a high risk of
getting it stuck in and heloves getting in a brawl. Shall I continue?"
"You put all the best fighters around him," Linda said, nodding.
"I'd, frankly, thought about reloading with more on my shuttle," Herzer said,
shrugging. "But next to Megan and myself, yeah, I think Geo's the one to
guard. Heunderstands all the theory, and the engineering, of the ships. That's
going to be important, unless I'm much mistaken. So, which Blood Lord do you
want to bump?"
"None," Linda admitted, sighing. "Objection withdrawn."
"Next time assume I have a reason for what I do," Herzer said. "That's always
the best way to go with orders. Yeah, you can question. Butafter you obey.
Now, go get to know your team. They're going to be what keeps you alive. If
you live."
"Thanks for being so positive," Linda said, shaking her head. But she headed
back to her team.
"Thatwas positive," Herzer said, sighing.
Chapter Nineteen
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]