DENEB THREE<br >THE DRAGON TEETH that lined one end of the rain-soaked，<br >fog-shrouded valley looked like something that belonged in the<br >Second World War on old Earth. Directly in front of them were<br >several strands of concertina wiring swinging in the wind<br >generated by the on-going thunderstorm， and behind that，<br >outlmcd by the flashing of green-gold lightning was a concrete<br >pillbox that could rake the whole approach with machine gun，<br >laser， and mortar fire. On the far side of the valley， just visible<br >through the sheets of dark rain， was an open plain that would<br >allow the tanks to spread out and engulf the majority of the<br >alien infantry， if they could get through.<br > Second Lieutenant David Steven Jefferson crouched in the<br >thick mud behind one of the dragon teeth and watched as the<br >machine gun probed again. Flashes of orange from the muzzle<br >and then streaks of bright red from the tracers， some of them<br >striking the wet ground and then tumbling skyward. Jefferson<br >didn t move as the rounds came close， splashing him with mud.<br > "Okay， Lieutenant，" yelled Staff Sergeant Richard Mason.<br >He had to raise his voice to be heard over the hammering of the<br >distant gun and the crashing of the thunder that masked the<br >enemy movements. " Okay，" he repeated. "You got us into<br >this. How the hell you going to get us out ?"<br > Jefferson nodded because it was a good question. Unfortu-<br >