Нет Шутта шуттее старого Шутта

  Пролог.

  Генерал Блицкриг только примеривался для коварного и находчивого удара по лунке с четырех метров, когда на рабочем столе сработал зуммер(звонок). Он вздрогнул от звука, и мяч сбился в право мимо цели на целых полметра. "Проклятье, что на этот раз?" прорычал он топая к сталу, а затем нажал кнопку.

  Раздался голос майора Ястребея, его адъютанта: "Полковник Секира желает встретиться с вами, сэр". "Так ли это нужно(Должен ли я с ней встречаться)?", Блицкриг сдержался от еще одного проклятье и кивнул. Потом, поняв что Ястребей не может его видеть, сказал: "Конечно, конечно, пропустите ее." Он побыстрому(быстро) спрятал свою собственноручно сделанную ultracarbon клюшку за сталом и развернулся к окну. С видом на Север. Rahsome Mountains (Горы ???) за старым городом не были тем, что могло доставить эстетическое удовольствие, но он чувствовал удовлетворение от 'мысли' of having his back turned to Battleax when she entered the- office-a subtle slight, but nothing she could take overt offense at. If heed been able to contrive a way to make her cool her heels in the outer office for fifteen or twenty minutes; he'd have enjoyed it even more-but that would have required some advance planning. Might as well just get the unpleasant confrontation over with. He didn't know what the colonel was here for, but it was bound to be unpleasant.

  He heard the door slide open, but he resisted the impulse to turn; let the old harpy wait until he was good and ready. He let a thin smile cross his face as he heard the colonel come into the. office. "I think you've forgotten something, General, "came a voice from behind him. Blitzkrieg turned, just in time to see Colonel Battleax toss him the golf ball he'd left sitting in the middle of his office floor. Caught off guard, he snatched at it clumsily, and stifled another curse as it bounced off his chest, then ricocheted off his toe to roll under the desk. He determinedly ignored it. "What brings you here today, Colonel?" he asked, doing his best not to show his annoyance at her.

  "I've got the latest intelligence reports on the Zenobian situation," she said. "You'll be glad to know. . ."

  "I won't be glad unless you're going to tell me those blasted overgrown lizards have eaten Captain Jester;" said the general, losing his composure after all. "That's the planet he's on, and the less I hear about it, the less I'll have to ruin my appetite."