The computer seemed to work as it should. The speed was within
acceptable limits. He gave up trying to see the ground and was forced to
trust the machinery designed for amateur pilots. The flare bloomed, and
he yanked down on the little lever.
It could have been worse. They hit the ground, bounced twice, and turned
over. The ship was a mess when Feldman freed himself from the elastic
straps of the seat. Chris had shrieked as they hit, but she was
unbuckling herself now.
He threw her her spacesuit and one of the emergency bottles of oxygen
from the rack. "Hurry up with that. We've sprung a leak and the
pressure's dropping."
They were halfway to the village when a dozen tractors came racing up
and Jake piled out of the lead one to drag the two in with him.
"Heard about it from the broadcasts and figured you might land around
here. Good to see you, Doc." He started the tractor off at full speed,
back to the wastelands, while Doc stared at the armed men who were
riding the tractors.
Jake caught his look and nodded. "You're in enemy territory, Doc.
There's a war going on!"
XII
War
Sometimes it seemed to Doc that war was nothing but an endurance race to
see how many times they could run before they were bombed. He was just
beginning to drop off to sleep after a long trip for the sixth
consecutive day when the little alarm shrilled.
Pages:
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104