[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"Governor, I'll try to find and hit the jammer first, but if I can't find it
I'll go straight for the tower's defenses. If you pick up gunfire and
explosions from back there, sweep the forest with comm laser fire and send
Dorjay out."
"Right," Telek said, trying to match his calm tone. "Good luck, and don't take
any stupid chances."
He twitched a smile at her and left. Sinking into the seat next to Nnamdi,
Telek watched the screen ... and a minute later the outside monitors showed
the Cobra walking slowly toward the tower, a half-meter-square white flag held
prominently in front of him.
No shells arced out of the sky as he made his slow way across the airfield.
Telek's heart thudded painfully, her emotions flip-flopping between hope and
the fear that too much hope would automatically bring about disaster. Link,
who had moved to watch over her shoulder, twice reached down to jump the
magnification. The second time he did so they saw
COBRA STRIKE
197
that a force of eight Qasamans had gathered at the foot of the tower to await
Winward's arrival.
Eight Qasamans, and of course eight mojos.
Two stepped forward as Winward neared the group, their drawn guns glinting in
the faint backwash of Sollas's lights. They relieved him of his flag and
frisked him for weapons. The entire force then formed a box around him and led
him away, not into the tower but around toward the building's side. Taking him
to someone in authority? Telek wondered. Maybe even to the officer in charge
of their antiaircraft weapons?
They all disappeared around the corner ... and a minute later the breeze
carried with it the sound of a single gunshot.
Chapter 19
The bus pulled finally to a stop beside a darkened building and Moff motioned
toward the door with his pistol. "Out," the old man added unnecessarily.
Keeping his movements smooth and nonthreatening, Justin stood up and let the
Qasamans escort him outside.
The building was a shock of deja vu, and it took Justin only a second to
realize what it reminded him of. "Looks like a stunted version of the Sollas
Page 100
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
airfield tower," he remarked as Moff led him toward a guard-flanked door.
"Oddly out of place here in the middle of a city."
Moff didn't answer. Two separate doors at least, Justin noted, scanning the
structure casually, and three floors with windows. Lots of ways in. Come on,
Almo hit these guys and let's see what's in there.
But no flashes of laser light interrupted them as they walked to the building
door. There Moff stopped and turned, leveling his gun at Justin's chest. "You
will put your hands behind your back now," the old man said from behind the
ring of Qasamans.
Justin complied, and cold metal bands clamped around his wrists. A/mo, where
are you? he thought fiercely, flicking glances at the surrounding buildings.
Moff led them between the guards and into* life
198
COBRA STRIKE
199
building. The high-security building where the Qasamans felt it safe to bring
an unknown danger.
The sweat was beginning to break out on Justin's forehead. It's all right, he
told himself. It's all right. So you're on your own; but you've been trained
for this sort of thing. Two doors, and three floors of windows, remember?
Getting away will be a snap. Carefully he let his fingers explore the cuffs
holding him. The wrist rings were dauntingly thick ... but it was a short
chain, not a solid bar, that connected them. A moment's experimentation showed
he could curl either of his fingertip lasers to rest against one of the links.
While he might get burned in the process, it should only take a few seconds to
cut himself free. Though not if the targeting lock wanted to hit the mojos
first.... Shivering at what could have been a nasty mistake, he canceled the
lock.
Take it easy, Justin you're letting yourself get flustered.
Moff led them down a hallway to an elevator. A car was waiting for them.
"Where are we going?"
file:///D|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/Desktop/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Cobra
%20StrikeUC.txt (75 of 131) [2/1/2004 3:36:33 PM]
file:///D|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/Desktop/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Cobra
%20StrikeUC.txt
Justin asked, just to break the silence.
But no one answered. Three of the guards herded Justin into the car; Moff and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl karpacz24.htw.pl
"Governor, I'll try to find and hit the jammer first, but if I can't find it
I'll go straight for the tower's defenses. If you pick up gunfire and
explosions from back there, sweep the forest with comm laser fire and send
Dorjay out."
"Right," Telek said, trying to match his calm tone. "Good luck, and don't take
any stupid chances."
He twitched a smile at her and left. Sinking into the seat next to Nnamdi,
Telek watched the screen ... and a minute later the outside monitors showed
the Cobra walking slowly toward the tower, a half-meter-square white flag held
prominently in front of him.
No shells arced out of the sky as he made his slow way across the airfield.
Telek's heart thudded painfully, her emotions flip-flopping between hope and
the fear that too much hope would automatically bring about disaster. Link,
who had moved to watch over her shoulder, twice reached down to jump the
magnification. The second time he did so they saw
COBRA STRIKE
197
that a force of eight Qasamans had gathered at the foot of the tower to await
Winward's arrival.
Eight Qasamans, and of course eight mojos.
Two stepped forward as Winward neared the group, their drawn guns glinting in
the faint backwash of Sollas's lights. They relieved him of his flag and
frisked him for weapons. The entire force then formed a box around him and led
him away, not into the tower but around toward the building's side. Taking him
to someone in authority? Telek wondered. Maybe even to the officer in charge
of their antiaircraft weapons?
They all disappeared around the corner ... and a minute later the breeze
carried with it the sound of a single gunshot.
Chapter 19
The bus pulled finally to a stop beside a darkened building and Moff motioned
toward the door with his pistol. "Out," the old man added unnecessarily.
Keeping his movements smooth and nonthreatening, Justin stood up and let the
Qasamans escort him outside.
The building was a shock of deja vu, and it took Justin only a second to
realize what it reminded him of. "Looks like a stunted version of the Sollas
Page 100
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
airfield tower," he remarked as Moff led him toward a guard-flanked door.
"Oddly out of place here in the middle of a city."
Moff didn't answer. Two separate doors at least, Justin noted, scanning the
structure casually, and three floors with windows. Lots of ways in. Come on,
Almo hit these guys and let's see what's in there.
But no flashes of laser light interrupted them as they walked to the building
door. There Moff stopped and turned, leveling his gun at Justin's chest. "You
will put your hands behind your back now," the old man said from behind the
ring of Qasamans.
Justin complied, and cold metal bands clamped around his wrists. A/mo, where
are you? he thought fiercely, flicking glances at the surrounding buildings.
Moff led them between the guards and into* life
198
COBRA STRIKE
199
building. The high-security building where the Qasamans felt it safe to bring
an unknown danger.
The sweat was beginning to break out on Justin's forehead. It's all right, he
told himself. It's all right. So you're on your own; but you've been trained
for this sort of thing. Two doors, and three floors of windows, remember?
Getting away will be a snap. Carefully he let his fingers explore the cuffs
holding him. The wrist rings were dauntingly thick ... but it was a short
chain, not a solid bar, that connected them. A moment's experimentation showed
he could curl either of his fingertip lasers to rest against one of the links.
While he might get burned in the process, it should only take a few seconds to
cut himself free. Though not if the targeting lock wanted to hit the mojos
first.... Shivering at what could have been a nasty mistake, he canceled the
lock.
Take it easy, Justin you're letting yourself get flustered.
Moff led them down a hallway to an elevator. A car was waiting for them.
"Where are we going?"
file:///D|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/Desktop/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Cobra
%20StrikeUC.txt (75 of 131) [2/1/2004 3:36:33 PM]
file:///D|/Documents%20and%20Settings/harry/Desktop/Timothy%20Zahn%20-%20Cobra
%20StrikeUC.txt
Justin asked, just to break the silence.
But no one answered. Three of the guards herded Justin into the car; Moff and [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]