John Ringo Council War 04 East of the Sun, West of the Moon v5.0

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beginning. Then we'll have to force our way in. That will mean high
casualties, which was why the initial team was sending up only fighters in the
first wave." He paused and turned a page. "But I don't think that will work. I
don't think it would have worked in the first place. You can force the doors
to the control room but not the doors that access the structural ring tube.
Those are eightcentimeter composite. They assumed that they could get forces
in on one side of the access tube or the other. That's a bad assumption. If we
get into the control room, first, that is where we'll hold them. At the
internal blast doors. But there are other access ways," he added, turning
another page. "Not good ones, not ones that I like, but we can use them. The
problem is that I'm also thinking of ways you could block them, that New
Destiny could block them." He rolled a tongue in his cheek and clicked his
prosthetic, which was the off hand at the moment, thoughtfully.
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"Herzer," Megan said, carefully. "Shanea just asked me if she could borrow
you for a couple of days."
"To show her around town?" Herzer asked, turning another page. It was clear
that he was only half listening. "I was going to talk to you about that. The
poor girl is starved for some entertainment..."
"Actually, she was asking about indoor sports," Megan said, clearly.
Herzer paused in his push-ups and looked over at her, aghast.
"Jesus," he muttered, "I hadn't realized it had gotten that far."
"You knew?" Megan snapped.
"Well, she was sort of giving off signals," Herzer admitted. "Just today,
though, at lunch. I was going to talk to you about it, later. One of the
ensigns I said I needed I was, frankly, going to sic on her. Put him in charge
of an escort so she can get out of the house and then let nature take it's
course."
"She's not the only one," Megan pointed out.
"Megan, I'm not making eyes at any of them, honest," Herzer said, flipping
himself to his feet with one hand and coming over to brush her cheek, lightly.
"Ashley...well she's sort of started to notice me lately. But you don't have
to worry about me...straying. Honestly, honey. Hell, I spend most of my time
aroundMeredith for God's sake."
"And she's another," Megan said, holding up her hand to forestall protest. "I
didn't notice it but Mirta did and she's right. Meredith won't ask, I
think...I hope..." she trailed off.
"Christ on a crutch," Herzer muttered, sitting down. "What in the hell are we
going to do?"
"Mirta suggested that since I'm not using the local stud that I share him,"
Megan said.
"No," Herzer replied. "Absolutely not. If we were...if we were having sex and
you were more stable about it, it would bepossible ." He held up his hand this
time and fixed her with a glare. "I saidpossible . But even if you agreed,
now, I would sayno . You couldn't handle it, not the way that you still are.
I'd end up losing you and gaining...nothing worth losing you for."
"So how come you're so knowledgeable?" Megan asked, trying not to cry but
smiling at the same time. "Big tough soldier. You're not supposed to be able
to think about these things."
"Maybe some of Bast rubbed off on me," Herzer said with a shrug. "She's as
tough as they come, but she looks at people's emotions and reads them as well
as anyone I've ever known. And, now, you could not handle that. No matter what
you told yourself, it would tear you apart. And I'm not willing to lose you
for a quick roll in the hay with Shanea."
"Oh, I don't think she was thinking quick," Megan said, shaking her head.
"The one thing I don't know is why this has come up so quickly," Herzer said.
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"Well, Mirta understood," Megan said, tartly. "Have you looked in a mirror
lately?"
"Every morning," Herzer said.
"I mean below the jaw line," Megan snapped.
"Oh."
"You said we hadn't seen you in shape before," Megan said, more softly. "We
definitely hadn't seen you gettinginto shape. Women are not, generally,
visual. But there's a bit there and... Anyway. The other thing is that
you're...changing. I don't think in a bad way. Actually, I think it was what
you were when we met and you'd changed for me. Now you're becoming...you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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