Crisis Of Empire - Crown Of Empire Part 41

"Surrender! Come out with your hands empty and up!" shouted a rough voice from the entrance to the suite.

Tira had pulled on a loose jacket and was fas- tening it. She glanced at Chaney and saw that he was tugging on his trousers.

A second burst of fire, which seemed to be intended to demoralize more than harm, rack- eted through the suite.

'Tira Bouriere! You are to surrender at once!"

the rough voice commanded.

Chaney frowned and shook his head. "Keep down," he mouthed to Tira, and moved swiftly toward the door, keeping out of sight.

"If you do not come out, we will open fire again!" the voice informed them.

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Tira pulled on her most nigged shoes, hunker- ing down on the floor to close them.

Chaney gestured to her to move back from her position so that she would have the comer of the armoire for additional protection. He showed his most heartening smile and then inched nearer the door.

"You are ordered to surrender immediately to Admiral Sclerida."

Both Chaney and Tira winced.

They could hear Cousin Helga shriek in dismay.

There was a rush of men in the outer room as they converged on the other bedroom.

Tira Bouriere, you are officially detained by Admiral Sclerida. If you do not surrender your- self at once we will be forced to open fire." There was bravado in the rough voice now that he had found his quarry.

Chaney scooted backward, keeping low to the floor. As he reached lira, he said very quietly, "Is Cousin Helga going to be all right in there?"

'The closet is s.h.i.+elded. If she gets inside they'll need more than Kanovskys to get her out.

And she knows enough to use the closet." She patted her reticule and the Samtoepoe inside.

This could come in handy."

"My guns are out there," Chaney said unhap- pily. "I don't think I can reach them."

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"Not to worry," said Tira with false insouci- ance. 'There are a few toys in here, under the floor of the armoire. There should be two Mein- hausers, and they ought to be loaded."

The noise at Cousin Helga's door redoubled as the Navy soldiers started to use the b.u.t.ts of their guns against it.

'They're heavier than your Samtoepoe," said Chaney in approval as the pounding on the other bedroom door grew louder. "Why doesn't it break?"

"All the interior doors have monocrystalline boron mesh in them. It'll be a while before they knock it down," she said, rummaging at the bot- tom of the armoire for the release. As she swung back the hidden door, she added, "And there's air packs, too. What do you think?"

"Better safe than sorry," Chaney said, reaching for the breathing unit before he grabbed the Meinhauser. "You better take the other. Save the Samtoepoe for a rainy day." He put his hand to his ears. "Poor Cousin Helga."

"If she's in the closet, she's fine," said Tira as she pulled out the Meinhauser and then the air pack. "We'd better get busy."

"You're right," said Chaney. "We've got one chance for surprise, and after that we're going to need protection. So don't get too far away from

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this door. Make sure you have cover. And don't by to be heroic. This isn't the time."

"Yes, sir. Lieutenant Chaney, sir." She gave him a mock salute before she shpped on the breathing mask.

He motioned her to keep low, then slid back toward the door. He indicated that Tira should stay behind him and aim for the backs of the Navy soldiers' legs.

"Ready?" he asked.

Tira nodded,

"Here we go." He eased the door open, wide enough to allow him to slide out and provide room enough for lira to take up a position be- side him. He moved smoothly, knowing that the soldiers were more likely to react to an abrupt movement than a graceful one.

He braced himself against the wall and lifted the Memhauser. He had a dip with sixty rounds and a second with another sixty. That ought to make a dent in the Navy men. He pulled the trigger.

The disruption was dramatic and immediate.

Those soldiers who could turned and began fir- ing in Chaney s direction, but more of them fell, yelling with pain as bullets smashed tibias and fibulas and patellas and femurs. The body armor that protected their torsos could not save their legs.

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Tira aimed for those who were firing back, deliberately setting about disabling them as quickly as possible.

The floor was growing slick with blood still hot enough to steam.

Chaney swore as a shot grazed his arm.

Several of the Logistics soldiers were already retreating, dragging their injured comrades with them, unwilling to try to fight in such close quar- ters for so little gain.

"We'll be back!" one of the men shouted as he reached the ruin of the main door. "And you won't get out of here."

lira, who had been concealed behind the half- open door, made herway arcmndtt, nextto Chaney, her reticule dangling from her belt, her Mein- hauser clutched in her hand, "He means it."

Tep," said Chaney, trying to find a way to stop his arm bleeding.

"What can we do?" She looked around the room as if hoping for reinforcements. "I guess we could get into the closet with Cousin Helga,"

she said, thinking aloud.

'*We have to realize they're not going to be stu- pid twice," said Chaney, cursing as the blood ran off his arm and began making a puddle on the floor. "They know this place is hard to crack, and they'll come prepared."

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Tira nodded in irritation, then clicked her tongue as she realized how badly he was hurt.