[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

chest and another to the gut. He folded halfway, grunting, and swung in an upper-cut.
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...arship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt (126 of 260)20-2-2006 23:31:59
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruiswijk/Mijn%20do...sheff%20-%20Starship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt
I almost got out of the way in time.
Since it was "almost," I got a very good look at his fist, just before it crashed into my face. I saw it
coming enough to roll back with it, but my face screamed with pain, and my head rang. I leaped aside,
then gave ground in quick jumps while he came at me in a lumbering rush so when I crouched down,
hunched over, and spun with my back to him, he slammed right into me. It threw him off just enough so
that I could whirl and follow back in with three punches to the midsection and one to the jaw. He
straightened up, wavered for a second, then fell back.
Jeremiah and Number Four leaped in to catch him in the nick of time.
While they had their hands full, I whipped out my handkerchief and pressed it over my face. It
came away red, so I knew I had a bloody nose. I pressed the handkerchief back and breathed through my
mouth, waiting for the blood to clot. "Better & mop him off."
Because I wasn't the only one with a bloody nose, you see. Up until that last punch to the jaw, we
were just about even on points.
Nahum struggled upright, but he leaned heavily on Jeremiah. Hezekiah came up and handed him a
handkerchief. He mopped a little, then pressed it into place as I had and turned to look at me. We traded
stares, looking like a couple of bandits, and there was silence for a minute. Jeremiah and Number Four
glanced at me as if they were thinking they ought to take their turns, but weren't quite sure.
I grinned at them under the handkerchief.
Finally, Nahum heaved himself up off Jeremiah's shoulder, swayed a little, then took a step toward
me, holding out his hand. "You fought well and cleanly, stranger."
"So did you." I shook his hand. "The name's Ramou."
"Ramou?" I could see the frown under the bandanna. "What kind of name is that?"
"French," I said; then, before he could suggest anything else, "Sure you're okay?"
"Oh, yes," he said. "Welcome to Citadel, Ramou."
"It's fascinating being here." I turned to the others. "Good meeting you, guys."
"And good to meet you," Jeremiah said, though he didn't look sure about it.
"Just stay away from our girls, all right?" Hezekiah asked.
"I won't make the first move," I told him, "and I'll try to tell them a gentle bye-bye if I can. But I
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...arship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt (127 of 260)20-2-2006 23:31:59
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruiswijk/Mijn%20do...sheff%20-%20Starship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt
won't be rude, and I won't give them the cold shoulder."
"You haven't told Prudence 'bye-bye,' " Nahum pointed out.
"She's hard to resist," I told him. "Give a guy a break, will you? Could you tell her to get lost?"
That drew a small laugh, and Nahum admitted, "Nay. But give her no more encouragement than
you can help, eh, Ramou?"
"I'll try," I told him.
He cocked his head to the side, frowning. "Think of it this way: if you burn for her so badly that
you must be with her always and forever, then you must become one of us, for she'll not leave Citadel."
"Now I can see your point."
I disagreed with his reasoning, though. I wasn't at all sure Prudence wanted to stay on Citadel. In
fact, now that I thought about it, I was pretty sure that she didn't.
"Horace," Barry said, "do tell me that you are not actually developing a fondness for this place."
"Oh, no, certainly not!" I protested. "It is just that I have begun to see, shall we say, a few
redeeming virtues here."
After all, very few people would have wanted to be Shakers, but a great number of people wanted
to own the furniture they built. It was something of that sort, with Citadel.
It was only my second day on the planet, but it must have been one day too long, for I was
beginning to find a curious charm, even beauty, to the way they constructed their buildings. Of course,
natural materials always have their own beauty, and a house that is built of small boulders mortared
together, with timber frames holding the courses in place, has a charm all its own. The wood was a
lovely hue, too, a deep brown, with a darker veining of rippling grain. They were very thrifty, so the
front windows on the first floor were made of bottoms of bottles, melted together with additional glass
to fill in the empty spaces; they admitted light, but not a great deal of vision. The street was almost
Elizabethan in appearance, which made it seem very attractive.
Of course, it helped that the sky had brightened, and a glowing spot in the clouds promised that the
sun might actually break through no doubt that enhanced the appearance of the town; but I had a
notion it was the morning's chat with Prudence that had really done that. There is nothing like the
presence of a sweet and beautiful maiden to improve a man's outlook on life.
Publius stopped by the panels of a door that glowed with the golden highlights of wood, framed in
more of the same material. "In here, gentlemen."
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruis...arship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt (128 of 260)20-2-2006 23:31:59
file:///C|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry%20kruiswijk/Mijn%20do...sheff%20-%20Starship%20Troopers%203%20-%20A%20Slight%20Detour.txt
Over the door was affixed a brass plate that read MUNICIPAL OFFICES. Direct and to the point,
these Citadelites, no question about it Publius held the door, and we went in. Then Barry held the inner
door for Publius and myself. As I stepped through, I looked for another door to open I might as well
take my turn.
It was interesting that the good folk of Citadel had kept the quaint old custom of vestibules, to
prevent loss of heat a sort of warmth-lock, we would think of it today. Pioneers do not have energy to
spare for such frivolities as force-curtains. The spaceport terminal, of course, was relatively recent, built
after the merchants had begun to redirect the current of money to flow into Citadel, but even it had only
the traditional doors.
We went in, and Publius led the way to an office labeled PERMITS. We went inside and
discovered a chest-high counter, with several desks behind it. A woman wrapped in mobcap and
regulation tent came up toward us, frowning suspiciously. Then her eye lit on Publius. "You! I told you,
we do not allow playacting here! There's no point in your asking for a permit, because there aren't any!"
"I know, I know, Mrs. Hannah." Publius gave her his most ingratiating smile, hands up to placate.
"We are not here to inquire about a play. May I introduce my principal, Mr. Barry Tallendar, and his
assistant, Mr. Horace Burbage."
"Pleased, I'm sure." She sniffed, then looked again. "Horace Burbage, did you say?"
"That is myself." I stepped closer to the counter.
"Are you the fellow who played the Angel in Gideon?'
"No, that was my friend, Mr. Tallendar." I nodded at Barry. "He was good enough to obtain a part
for me as Gideon's father."
"You were the Angel?" She turned to Barry, eyes wide. "I thought 'twas the other way around!"
"I'm afraid I don't have the figure to appear tall and distinguished," I confessed.
"But you were so good! As the father, I mean." She hadn't turned away from Barry. "And you were
the perfect Angel!"
"The last time someone told me that, I was ten years old." Barry held out a hand, smiling. "But I
thank you, ma'am."
"Oh! You even sound like an actor, with that funny talking!"
Alas the day, when proper grammar and useage must be labeled "funny"! [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

  • zanotowane.pl
  • doc.pisz.pl
  • pdf.pisz.pl
  • moje-waterloo.xlx.pl

    •