The Complete Hammer's Slammers, Vol. 2

"You got any experience, Wartburg?" Des Grieux asked without looking back toward the men on the ground.

"Year and a half," the dark-haired man said. "Wing gunner on a combat car, then I drove for a while. This was going to be my first command."

Wartburg's tone was carefully precise.If he was disappointed to be kicked back to driver at the last instant, he kept the fact out of his voice.

Des Grieux slid the cupola hatch closed and open, ignoring the others again.

"One question, Sarge," Wartburg called. The irritation he had hidden before was now obvious."Grimsrud told us a veteran'd be taking over the tank,but she didn't say who. You got a name?"

"Des Grieux," the veteran said. The tribarrel rotated on its ring, even with the power off. That was good, and a little surprising in a tank that hadn't yet been broken in. "Slick Des Grieux. You just do what I tell you and we'll get along fine."

Wartburg laughed brittlely. "The bloody hell I will," he said as he hopped up to the tank's deck himself.

Des Grieux turned in surprise.His eyes were flatand wide open.All he was sure of was that he'd need to pay more attention than he wanted to his new driver.

Wartburg said nothing further. He reached into the bustle rack and pulled out one of the cases, then tossed it to the ground.

The container crashed down and bounced before it fell flat. Flowers jumped to avoid it. The dense plastic was designed to protect 3,000 disks of 2cm ammunition against anything short of a direct from another powergun. It withstood the abuse, and its hinged lid remained latched.

"What d'ye think you're doing?" Des Grieux demanded.

Wartburg threw down the other container. "I think I'm not doin'anybloodything with you, Des Grieux," he said. He jumped to the ground.

"Wait a minute, Trooper!" said the outraged depot superintendent. "You've got your orders!"

He waggled the flimsies in his hand at Wartburg, though in fact neither of the documents directly mentioned that trooper.

Trooper Flowers looked from Wartburg to Des Grieux to Farrell—and back. His mouth was slightly open.

"Look,Warrant Leader,"Wartburg said to Farrell. "Iheardabout this bastard. Noway I'm riding with him.Noway.You want me to resign from the Regiment, you got it. You wanna throw me in the lockup, that's your business."

He turned and glared at the man still on the deck of H271. "But I don't ride with Slick Des Grieux. If I ever get that hot to die, I'll eat my gun!"