Part 2 (1/2)

He turned to O'Shaughnessy, ”Now, Sergeant, this is our problem. Those buildings over there are filled with Rumi. They have automatic weapons ...

spring guns ... firing a clip of twenty plastic bolts. They're deadly at close to medium range. They can penetrate our battle armor.” He looked at the thick, k.n.o.bby skin of the Narakan, ”Yours too. Now, they are probably just a patrol about the size of one of our companies. They don't seem to have any heavy weapons and ours will be in action in a few minutes. Then, O'Shaughnessy....” The Narakan was squinting along the barrel of his rifle.

”Are you paying attention, Sergeant?”

”Yes, sir! Attention, yes, sir.” O'Shaughnessy started to lift his bulky three hundred pounds up off the ground. Terrence heaved with all his might against those thick khaki clad legs to knock him down again.

”Man, what are you doing?” he yelled.

”Attention, sir. Sir said....”

”No, no, O'Shaughnessy. I meant, listen to me. O'Shaughnessy, how could you? Haven't I been like a brother to you? Didn't I share my whiskey and candy ration with you?”

”Yes, sir. That's why....”

”Then for the sake of your two headed frog-faced G.o.ds, shut up and listen to me.”

”Yes, sir.”

”Look. In a minute our Banning will be in action,” his voice was drowned out by the scream of tortured air as the Banning cut loose.

”Now there is a sweet sound. What do we do next, O'Shaughnessy?”

One of the row of buildings across the square glowed red briefly as the beam from the Blaster caught it; glowed red and then burst into a ball of fire. O'Shaughnessy's mouth was open wide, his chinless face resting on the edge of the sandbox and his little black bead eyes were as large as they could get.

”What do we do now, O'Shaughnessy ... come on....”

The Narakan made a thrusting gesture with his carbine, ”Bayonet ... we go in with bayonet now,” he said.

O'Mara slapped him on the seat of his khaki pants. ”No, no. You got to get this stuff straight.”

The whine of the Banning interrupted him again and it was joined by the chatter of machine guns and rifle fire and answered by the rapid clacking of spring guns. Bolts dug into the wall of the schoolhouse and showered them with plaster. Others shattered the front window.

Terrence wiped plaster off his visor and tried again. ”You've got to get this straight, O'Shaughnessy, because ... well, because you may be getting an independent command pretty soon and there won't be anyone around to tell you what to do.”

The Narakan was listening to him but wide-mouthed and uncomprehending.

”We're going to burn them out of those huts; burn them out or burn the houses down over their heads. About the time Polasky gets to the third one, those guys are going to break and then they'll either rush us or....”

Norton was yelling something from the Residency. There was a noise of clanking armor behind him and he could hear Fielding's voice cracking out orders as he came up with twenty hastily armed and armored clerks, cooks and radiomen from the HQ unit.

”O'Mara! O'Mara, they're breaking! They're running! Let's go!” Norton was on the porch of the Residency pouring Tommy gun slugs at the rear of the burning row of houses.

”Okay, let's go,” Terrence said, lurching to his feet. The Narakan sergeant blew his whistle and the riflemen swarmed out from their shelters and started at a run across the square with Norton, Terrence and O'Shaughnessy at their head. The rest of the Terrans in full battle armor lumbered along after them.

One or two bolts whistled overhead and Corporal O'Brien dropped his rifle and fell forward clutching his leg. The smoke from the burning buildings obscured their vision but Terrence had a momentary sight of Rumi radiation clothing and emptied his clip at it.

Someone from behind threw a grenade which fell short of its target and rolled in front of them. Norton took two quick strides and kicked it into one of the flaming buildings.

III

There were about twenty Rumi, less than they had thought, fleeing across the open fields behind the burning huts. They were firing as they ran and giving out those queer yelping cries of theirs. Three or four of them fell and then Norton was shouting, calling back his men to organize fire fighting parties.