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"Weapons! Yes, of course!" the Deacon shouted, springing to his feet Then, in a voice so low Maccabeus could barely hear it above the ok will be happy to affix whatever arain begun to focus on the quiet ht have e of tone But now the only thing he wanted was to get off his leg and let it mend "Perhaps later When the Yanestion?" Dadab persisted

"You can if you are quick"

"Let ok to the orbital--keep it safe until we can discern the reason for the Yanme'e's unwarranted assault"

Maccabeus already knew the reason: the creatures were upset the Huragok had taken over their maintenance responsibilities and further addled by their unfaardens, the Chieftain had thought it wiser to enlist the single- minded insects But now it seemed all they wanted was to return to their old routine, and the easiest way to do that was to eliestion The Yanme'e can cook's odd machines "Properly armed, these will be fearsome steeds"

The Deacon bowed low and then trotted to the Huragok Taking his coently by one tentacle, he led it quickly to Calid's waiting Spirit The Chieftain saw the Huragok attempt to speak with the Deacon as they settled inside the troop bay; no doubt it was curious what Dadab and the Chieftain had discussed But the Deacon's fingers re Maccabeus--as the troop bay door swung shut Gritting his teeth for the inevitable shifting of bone, Maccabeus turned and hobbled to the hangar exit, Vorenus holding his ar close behind

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HARVEST, FEBRUARY 22, 2525

News of Gladsheim's destruction traveled fast--much more quickly than the few hours it took Avery's container to make its way across the Ida and up the Bifrost By the tiard, most of the planet knehat the aliens had done and would surely do again

Captain Ponder had been in contact with Lt Cohout their journey

She had told theard (already packed with close to two hundred thousand full-tiees frorond Avery had expected to find a mass of humanity inside the depot, but the container shed adjacent to the anchor for the Tiara's ely empty--at least as far as humans were concerned

Every empty space inside the massive warehouse was packed with busy JOTUNs

Ju door, Avery was shocked by the number and variety of the machines There were dozens of the fareen plastic bins labeled FOOD and WATER and BLANKETS As they sped their e containers--swerved to avoid one another with precise, last- e wheels squealed loudly on the shed's s faint black rubber skids

But there were also JOTUN le-treaded supervisory units and spider-like maintenance all-in-ones The latter scurried all around the containers, checking for surface faults and repairing therated welders--one of a collection of tools attached to flexible boo claws As the marines and their recruits headed for the shed's exit between two container rows, they kept their helmets on and shoulders hunched The all-in-ones' breakneck labor was creating unavoidable cascades of sparks, and no one wanted to get burned

Outside the depot, Avery loaded into a waiting flatbed Warthog with Dass, Jenkins, Forsell, and the rest of the 1/A recruits As they pulled into what Avery thought was heavy traffic, he realized all the civilian sedans and haulers packing the boulevard were e, others sat with doors wide open But the only other vehicles actually driving on the road were blue-and-white patrol sedans fro and PA speakers blaring: PLEASE REMAIN CALM STAY INSIDE THE MALL UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE PLEASE REMAIN CALM…

As the Warthog weaved through the abandoned cars north along the mall, Avery saw the park was eventhe solstice celebration But the tenor of this croasthat the celebration's ed--just a single, silent huddle Even the color of the crowd had changed Gone were the bright pastels of the picnickers' semiformal attire Now the mall's laere choked with dirty denim and faded cotton

The Lt Commander hadn't mentioned any civilian unrest But here and there, Avery saw constables on foot patrol The officers wore helht blue uniforms; some even carried hu approached the parliament, Avery noted that the charlie squads had reinforced theberms The militiamen seemed jumpy Their eyes were locked on the ht around their MA5s

"Keep an eye on hi came to a stop at the top of the parliament's curved drive He nodded toward Jenkins, who had already dis away, head doard a line of canvas tents the ardens "Don't let hi stupid"

Jenkins hadn't spoken to anyone since they left Gladsheiry anymore, just deeply depressed Avery doubted the recruit would really do so as crazy as take his own life But Jenkins had just lost his entire fa out Forsell nodded, shouldered the padded, rectangular bag that held his scope and Jenkins' BR55, and followed quickly after his fellow marksman

"Round up your squad leaders," Captain Ponder said, approaching with Byrne and Healy fro "We'll debrief soon as I'm done with Thune" As the Captain ranite railing, and clutched his chest Healy stepped quickly to his side, but Ponder waved hiested that the Captain not take part in Gladshei any exertion would only worsen his injuries Ponder had, of course, told Healy exactly where he could stick his suggestions But noatching the Captain pretend not to struggle up the steps, Avery kneas paying for his devotion to his rowled into his throat-eant," the 1/C squad leader replied from the ballroom balcony

"We all clear?"

"Hard to tell Crowd on thethe Insurrection, Avery had beco a crowd's intentions--whether it would reht now the people on the mall were too stunned to storovernall to keep them herded like animals But it was exactly this fear that had prouard the parliament while the rest of the militia went to Gladsheim Avery, on the other hand, knew the real threat was still hanging in low orbit

"Put Wick in charge and come on down," he ordered Habel "And tell hie with Andersen, 2/C's squad leader And a short while later, the two Staff Sergeants and their six second-in-coathered inside the parliament's limestone-pillared lobby While they waited for Ponder to return, Avery recapped how they'd wounded the gold-armored alien Then Byrne (who'd had the better view) described how Mack's dusters had ha it into the vineyard These victories hardly made up for the day's thousands of civilian casualties, but Byrne's colorful, curse-laden account of the dropship's fiery tuhter at their enemy's expense

Avery's COM-pad rattled inside his assault vest He extracted the device and read a text e from Ponder: YOU AND BYRNE THUNE'S OFFICE NOW Avery showed the COM to Byrne Then, with the squad leaders' laughter petering out behind them, they bounded up the staircase to the parliament's second floor