Retief and the Warlords by Keith Laumer

Author:Keith Laumer [Laumer, Keith]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2011-03-29T07:00:00+00:00

8

In the long, sagging tent that was Operational Headquarters of the Terran Defense Legion, Sean and his jubilant men stood around the primitive potbellied electric stove, quaffing great mugs of hot coffee and slapping eiach other on the back.

"It was one of those decisive actions that decides the whole course of a war," Sean stated exultantly. "It's like Marathon, and the Alamo, and the stand at Wolfgang's World! We stopped 'em in their tracks and sent 'em running for home! Seven Lobster assault boats blasted, and ten more captured intact, and a stockade full of Hatrack prisoners! But by the nine tails of the Fire Devil, Bully, without your inside dope on their battle plan, they'd have smashed us flat!"

"Your fighter pilots had a bit to do with the victory," Retief pointed out, lighting up a Jorgenson cigar. "But the Haterakans aren't beaten, Sean, just discouraged for the moment."

"So what? Let 'em try us again! I guess we can handle anything a bunch of Lobsters can throw at us, and pay it back with interest!"

"Kindly remember that there are Lobssterss and Lobssteress, my dear Ssean," Harrumph said in an irritable growl. "You will recall that I alsso wass insstrumental in bringing newss of Hikop's intent though I confess that my friend Mr. West'ss insspired intervention wass the masster sstroke of the affair!"

"I never seen anything like it, Sean," a bristly-jawed man grinned, showing teeth that had patently failed to see their dentist twice a year. "Once them babies seen we was ready for 'em, they couldn't give up quick enough!"

"Naturally," Harrumph spoke up. "Why sshould they get themsselvess killed carrying out operation Grand Admiral had assured them would be child'ss play?"

"You go in for some fancy demonstrations, Bully." Sean grinned at Retief. "You dropped that carrier right in the front yard." He delivered a ringing kick to a large, heat-curled section of hull plating salvaged from the downed heavyweight. "I can't read Lobster," he said, indicating the curlicued symbols etched in scorched paint across the trophy. "But I knew Haterak sheet metal when I saw it. Damn near hit me on the head!" He turned to Harrumph. "What's it say anyway?"

" 'Authorissed Perssonel only,' " the Haterakan interpreted.

A roar of laughter greeted the translation.

"That's as good a battle cry as any," Sean announced. "And we'll show these blasted Hatracks what it means, too, present company excepted." He took a gulp of coffee. "That's our Legion motto from now on, boys! We'll post it on every world on the frontier before we're done!"

"Why not let the CDT handle it from this point on?" Retief inquired.

In the background, an atonal twanging had started up, inspiring a number of the men to join in a hearty rendition of "Gonna Dig a Big Ditch around Texas." (*) Sean winced and leaned closer. "When the Haterakans first started nosing around our worlds, we paid 'em no mind," he said grimly. "First thing "we knew, they'd set up fueling stations right under our noses— on our own satellites! Claimed we weren't using 'em and they had as much right as anybody.

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