Ten Little Aliens: 50th Anniversary Edition Read Online Free PDF

sublimated already into humour. It had meant nothing. Like killing meant nothing to soldiers, provided you killed the right people. But Shade hadn’t forgotten. Shade could never forget anything.
    I’ll show you
.
    Only Denni didn’t laugh. Perhaps she felt as bad as she looked right now.
    Haunt didn’t seem too amused either. ‘I was simply sending a message to everyone in that room,’ she said calmly. ‘Perhaps you didn’t grasp that message. Perhaps I need to demonstrate again.’
    Joiks shook his head and did his best to look pious.
    ‘All right. Round the room. Who are you? Why are you here?’ She lay back, muttered the words like she’d said them a hundred times before on missions like this, leading her lambs off to slaughter or be slaughtered. ‘I don’t want your ranks, your full names and life history. And forget I know some of you already. Today you’re all school kids and I’m your teacher. Just give me enough so I can yell abuse at your sorry asses with confidence.’
    Haunt’s latest adjutant began the introductions. ‘Shel,’ he said. ‘Fifth Division Heavy Infantry, Japanese Belt.’ He might look oriental but he spoke perfect American. ‘Here on interpersonnel exchange program.’
    Exchanging what? Shade wondered. What was so classified about his past? He’d barely given away more than the e-rag had in his b-ground profile.
    ‘Next,’ rapped Haunt.
    ‘Joiks.’
    ‘We were trying to forget you, Joiks,’ Shade interrupted. He got fewer laughs. Figured.
    ‘Yeah, yeah. Joiks. Space Marine Corps. Here so I can kill Schirr scum better.’
    ‘Good,’ Haunt said automatically. ‘Next.’
    ‘Tovel. Pilot-Engineer with the Peace Keeper Volunteers, Commonwealth Belt.’ Shade had forgotten how surprisingly soft the stocky man’s voice was since they’d fought droids together in Term One, but not his tufty blond hair and his chin – so square you could fit a palmscreen in it with room to spare.
    ‘For two weeks after the Schirr hit New Jersey I ferried out the dead and dying.’ Tovel shrugged. ‘Joined the regulars and that’s why I’m here.’
    A massive black guy lay beside him, his feet dangling off the edge of the couch, a big, taut sack of muscle and attitude. Shade had seen him around – you could hardly miss him. His head was broad and bald, his features bunched up in the middle of his face.
    ‘Roba. Peace Keeper, like Tovel.’
    ‘You two come as a pair, honey?’ Frog asked, her jangling voice exploding into the fuggy atmosphere.
    ‘We’re close,’ Roba said, ‘but we never tried that before.’
    Frog cackled, leading the fresh wave of laughter. But Shade couldn’t relax, couldn’t let his gaze shift for long from the lumpy planetoid in the viewscreen.
    ‘You a “pilot-engineer” too?’ Lindey asked Roba.
    ‘No. Marksman.’ He pointed his finger like it was a gun and fired at her.
    ‘Next,’ Haunt said dully.
    ‘My name is Creben.’ He smiled and paused like he wanted applause. ‘Graduated from Academy Intelligence last year. Need combat experience to rise higher so I’ve gone Elite. Naturally.’
    Shade’s initial dislike of the man deepened to loathing.
    ‘Hey, Shadow, come on,’ Lindey called. ‘Your turn to bore us.’
    ‘Name’s Shade. Joined up with Earth Ceremonials –’
    ‘Hey, Shadow, you an Earther?’ Frog asked, as if this was news to her. Everyone roared with laughter.
    ‘Normally we don’t stand on ceremonial,’ Joiks added confidentially to Tovel. ‘But for him we make an exception.’
    ‘You’re funny.’ Haunt’s voice steamrollered over the laughter. ‘Can we finish this before landing please?’
    Shade indicated Denni should take her turn. He didn’t want to elaborate on his history anyway. It was better this way, even if the new guys thought he was the butt of the squad. Still, Haunt had spoken up for him. That was interesting. Guilty conscience?
    Denni, Lindey and Frog all said their snappy little bits. Yeah, yeah,