"E. E. Doc Smith - D' Alembert 9 - The Omicron Invasion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Smith E. E. Doc)

Maguire invited the team into the dining room, where she and some of her people sat around the
table to exchange information. She offered them a local beverage that tasted like iced coffee with a strong
aftertaste of vanilla, and while they were relaxing she filled them in on her background. Lady A had asked
about the uniform, and Maguire explained she'd been a sergeant in the Imperial Marines for nearly twenty
years before an exotic ear infection on the planet Nampur affected her equilibrium and forced an early
retirement. She'd come to Omicron two years ago with a good pension, looking forward to a quiet, orderly
existence owning her own sporting supply shop. Until the invasion she'd done pretty well for herself.
When the chaos hit, her military training came to the fore. Gradually she built up around her a group of
people who would rather fight the enemy than run and hide in the country. There were few real
opportunities for battle, since Maguire's people had little transportation and the invaders seldom came into
the city. Today's was only the third skirmish, and the first in which anything substantial had been
accomplished thanks to Yvette's bold action.

Maguire finished her story and looked expectantly across the table at Jules and Lady A, whom she
recognized instinctively as the two leaders of the team. It was obvious she wanted a comparable story
about their own background before she'd trust them any further.

Jules wanted to tell her the truth, that they were a team sent by the Empress herself to investigate
and report on the Omicron invasion. But he knew he dared not say that. It wasn't that Maguire and her
people were untrustworthy; quite the opposite, in fact. But if any of them were captured, as many were
this afternoon, they might be interrogated and made to tell about the mission. It would never do to let the
enemy know a team of infiltrators was busy behind the front lines, and that the team consisted at the
moment of a mere five people with a sixth already in custody.

So instead he made up a story, borrowing heavily on the research he and Yvette had done about
Omicron on their way to Nereid. He and his friends were from West Lenton, a city halfway around the
globe from Barswell City; they'd been on a camping trip in the Umhall Mountains when the invaders hit,
and consequently they didn't know much about what was happening. When they could no longer pick up
any commercial broadcasts they got worried and started heading in toward civilization again. They passed
a number of people fleeing the cities and heard some strange horror stories, but they were resolved to learn
the truth with their own eyes. Today had been their own first encounter with the invaders, and they were
suitably impressed.

Lady A sat quietly while Jules talked, letting him make up the story for them all. She knew better
than to interrupt, which might introduce some contradictions into his tale. She would trust him to play the
hand correctly in this circumstance.

Jules encouraged Meg Maguire to tell them more about the enemy—what sort of machines did
they have, what kind of weapons did they use, did they have any weaknesses, did they have a base
anywhere and, above all, what did they look like?

The invaders were not human, Maguire assured them of that. Several people had come to Barswell
City from the country and from other nearby cities, and they'd seen the creatures emerge from their ships.
The reports matched pretty closely to what Lady A had already heard: These alien beings were humanoid
in appearance but generally shorter, the tallest being barely a meter and a half high. They had skin that
was pale yellow-green and pear-shaped heads with large, hyperthyroid eyes. Their bodies seemed smooth
with no body hair—at least none that anyone had seen. They usually wore heavy clothing covering
everything except their faces; a few people speculated that meant they came from a warmer climate and
were cold even in the temperate regions of Omicron.