robably space-based though it had no ultradrive spines. It bobbled and staggered. There was no sign of jets. Some kind of agrav? Nonhumans? The thoughts skittered through her mind, alongside the joy. Pale light flickered from a mast on its belly and dirt geysered around the troops who were racing to protect her. Again the stuttering thunder, only now the light was marching right across her friends toward her. Amdijefri was on the battlements. Steel hid his glares from the two. There simply was no help for it; Ravna had demanded Jefri be by the radio to guide the strike. The human was not completely stupid. It shouldn't make any difference. An army looks like an army whether it is foe or friend. Very soon the army beyond these walls would cease to exist. "How did the first run go?" Ravna's voice came clearly from the commset. But it wasn't Jefri who answered: all eight of Amdiranifani was poking around the battlements, some of him sitting on the crenellations practicing stereo vision, others eyeing Steel and the radio. Telling him to stay back had no effect. Now Amdi answered the question with Jefri's voice. "Okay. I counted fifteen pulses. Only ten hit anything. I bet I could shoot better than that." "Damn it, that's the best I can do with this [unknown words]." The voice was not Ravna's. Steel heard the irritation in it. Everybody can find something to hate in these pups. The thought warmed him. "Please," said Steel. "Fire again. Again." He looked over the stonework. The air attack had taken out a band of enemy by the edge of the near terrace. It was spectacular destruction, like enormous cannon blows, or the separate landing of twenty starships. And all from a little craft that fluttered like a falling leaf. The enemy front line was dissolving in panic. Up and down the ramparts, his own troops danced about their stations. Things had been bleak since their cannon were knocked out; they needed something to cheer about. "The archers,
复件 (46) air max1,
Beats Studio Ferrari Limited Edition Headphones, Shreck! Shoot upon the survivors." Then, continuing in Samnorsk: "The front ranks are still coming. They are -- they are --" Damn, what's the word for "confident"? "They will kill us without more help." The human child looked at Steel in puzzlement. If he called that a lie, then.... A moment later Ravna said. "I don't know. They're well back from your walls, at least all that I can see. I don't want to butcher...." Rapid fire conversation with the human in the flier, perhaps not even in Samnorsk. The gunner did not sound pleased. "Pham will pull back a few kilometers,
复件 (2) 复件 air max2," she said. "We can come back instantly if your enemy advances." "Ssssst!" Shreck's Hightalk hiss was like a physical jab. Steel wheeled, glaring. How dare -- But his lieutenant was wide-eyed,
复件 (85) air max1, pointing toward the center of the battlefield. Of course Steel had had a pair of eyes on that direction, but he hadn't been paying attention: The other Two-Legs! The mantis figure dropped behind an accompanying pack, mercifully before Amdijefri noticed. Thank the Pack of Packs that puppies are near-sighted. Steel swept forward, surrounding some of Amdi, shouting at the others to get off the parapet. Both of Tyrathect ran in close,
复件 (91) air max2, physically grabbing for the disobedient wretches. "Get below!" Steel screamed in Tinish. For a second all was confusion, as his own mind sounds mixed with the puppies'. Amdi tumbled away from him, thoroughly distracted by the noise and the rough handling. And then in Samnorsk Steel said,
复件 (5) air max, "There are more cannons out there. Get below before you're hurt!" Jefri started for the parapet. "But I don't see --" And fortunately there was nothing special to see.