Blish,James – And all the Stars a Stage

direct and matter-of-fact; very much like his first memory of Sergeant

Strage, in fact, though, of course, much younger. She held the flamethrower

as though she knew how to use it. He decided that she would do.

He walked to his desk, unlocked a drawer, and retrieved his side-arm,

checking it as he returned to the enigmatic and fatal door. It had been a

long time since he had even worn it, let alone used it, but it seemed to be

all right. It was armed, and would fire.

“A couple of the boys are going to undog that bulkhead for you,” he told

the youthful armorer. “As soon as it swings open, and you’re sure that the

boys are in the clear, I want you to cut loose. No matter what you see, no

matter what, burn that room out. I’ll be right behind you, covering you.

Understand?”

‘Yes, Director. All ready.’ She planted her feet, standing directly in

front of the cabin, her tanks of fuel and propellant hunched high on her

sturdy back, the flame-thrower canted slightly downward in her gloved

hands, her mask pulled down over her face.

“All right.” jorn drew a deep breath. “Open up.”

The dogs fell and the door swung inward. jorn bad only the briefest of

glimpses inside, but it was more than be wanted.

“Rk. Yerrow Warming-“

The flame-thrower gushed inferno. Despite his promise, jorn had to fall

back immediately, his eyes streaming. The girl stood where she was, an

immobile form of solid black framed in a panel of intolerable bright yellow

glare.

Inside the cabin there was a single high-pitched squeak, like the pinch of