"William C. Dietz - By Force of Arms" - читать интересную книгу автора (Dietz William)

Booly continued to fire, saw two additional shadows
fall, and felt rather than saw the missiles that accelerated
past his torso. Smart darts! Targeted to Maylo!

The officer turned, threw himself out over the bed, but
knew it was too late.

Having rolled off the right side of the bed, Maylo sensed
the attack and raised the pillow out of reflex more than
anything else. She felt the darts hit the foam rubber, fell
backward in an attempt to reduce the extent to which she
was visible, and saw Booly throw himself into the line of
fire.

The bed creaked as the officer landed on it, three heavily
armed legionnaires burst through the door, and the lights
flashed on.

Maylo, surprised to learn she was still alive, lowered the
pillow. Nine flechettes protruded from the opposite side.


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The previously white linen was yellow where some sort of
liquid had started to spread. Booty yelled, "Poison!" and
Maylo threw the object away.

Booly rolled off the bed, stood, and approached the bod-
ies. He was naked, which meant that anyone who cared to
look could see the mane of silvery gray fur that began at
his hairline and ended at the base of his spine. Proof that
he was one-quarter Naa—and a matter of pride for his
bodyguard.

Sergeant Armstrong had gold fur streaked with white, a
bald spot on his right biceps where a bullet had ripped
through it, and carried an assault weapon in his right hand.
He knelt by one of the bodies. "They murdered Hard-
swim."

Booly swore, bent over, and tugged at one of the black
hoods. It came off rather easily. The small almost feline
head bore large light-gathering eyes, pointed ears, and hor-
izontal slits where nostrils might have been.

6 William C. Dietz

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