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6G: The Next Horizon
The first book on 6G wireless presents an overall vision for 6G – an era of intelligence-
of-everything – with drivers, key capabilities, use cases, KPIs, and the technology
innovations that will shape it. These innovations include immersive human-centric
communication, sensing, localization, and imaging, connected machine learning and
networked AI, Industry 4.0 and beyond, with connected intelligence, smart cities and
life, and the satellite mega-constellation for 3D full-Earth wireless coverage. Also
covered are new air interface and networking technologies, integrated sensing and
communications, and integrated terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks. In addition,
novel network architectures to enable networked AI, user-centric networks, and native
trustworthiness are discussed. Essential reading for researchers in academia and indus-
try working on B5G wireless communications.
Wen Tong is the CTO of Huawei Wireless and is the Huawei 5G chief scientist.
Dr. Tong is also an IEEE Fellow and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of
Engineering. He was the recipient of the IEEE Communications Society Distinguished
Industry Leader Award, and the R. A. Fessenden Medal.
Peiying Zhu is Senior Vice President of Wireless Research at Huawei and is a Huawei
Fellow. She is also an IEEE Fellow and a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of
Engineering.
“This is the first comprehensive book on 5G, beyond 5G, and 6G written by experts in
the field. It elaborates very clearly the potential of 5G and future enhancements before
outlining the 6G vision and technical challenges. I highly recommend this book to all
in academia and industry who are interested in advanced research.”
Rahim Tafazolli, University of Surrey, UK
6G: The Next Horizon
From Connected People and Things to Connected
Intelligence
Edited by
WEN TONG
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
PEIYING ZHU
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
University Printing House, Cambridge CB2 8BS, United Kingdom
One Liberty Plaza, 20th Floor, New York, NY 10006, USA
477 Williamstown Road, Port Melbourne, VIC 3207, Australia
314–321, 3rd Floor, Plot 3, Splendor Forum, Jasola District Centre, New Delhi – 110025, India
79 Anson Road, #06–04/06, Singapore 079906
www.cambridge.org
Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9781108839327
DOI: 10.1017/9781108989817
© Cambridge University Press 2021
This publication is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception
and to the provisions of relevant collective licensing agreements,
no reproduction of any part may take place without the written
permission of Cambridge University Press.
First published 2021
Printed in the United Kingdom by TJ Books Limited, Padstow Cornwall
A catalogue record for this publication is available from the British Library.
ISBN 978-1-108-83932-7 Hardback
Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy
of URLs for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this publication
and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain,
accurate or appropriate.
Contents
Part I Introduction 1
Index 458
Abbreviations
Arashmid Akhavain
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Xueli An
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Germany
Hadi Baligh
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Alireza Bayesteh
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Jean-Claude Belfiore
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., France
Xiaoyan Bi
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Yan Chen
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Wenshuan Dang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Merouane Debbah
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., France
Yiqun Ge
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Huanhuan Gu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Maxime Guillaud
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., France
Gaoning He
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
List of Contributors xv
Jia He
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Artur Hecker
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Germany
Huang Huang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Rong Li
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Xu Li
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Yanchun Li
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., France
Zhongfeng Li
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Hui Lin
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Yingpei Lin
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Germany
Fei Liu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Singapore
Yong Liu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Jianmin Lu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Hejia Luo
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Jiajin Luo
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Yongxia Lv
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Jianglei Ma
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Mengyao Ma
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
xvi List of Contributors
Amine Maaref
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Michael Mayer
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Rui Ni
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Chenghui Peng
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Morris Repeta
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Xueliang Shi
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Huan Sun
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Rob Sun
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Danny Kai Pin Tan
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Hao Tang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Wei Tan
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Wen Tong
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Guangjian Wang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Jian Wang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Jun Wang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.,China
Lei Wang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
David Wessel
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
List of Contributors xvii
Jianjun Wu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Xun Xiao
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Germany
Xiuqiang Xu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Xueqiang Yan
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Chenchen Yang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Xun Yang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Ziming Yu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Kun Zeng
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Chunqing Zhang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Hang Zhang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Huazi Zhang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Liqing Zhang
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Mingyu Zhao
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., China
Peiying Zhu
Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd., Canada
Preface
applications of this network, with an emphasis on the new radio air interface and
network architecture. This book serves as a collective result of our research team’s
quest to define 6G. With that in mind, it should be viewed as a starting point, espe-
cially due to the fact that innovation never stops. Along those lines, 6G’s trajectory
will eventually be shaped by experts around the globe, as we hold firmly that open
innovation and a single, globally unified standard are the foundation upon which 6G’s
success will be built. Just like its predecessors, the success of the 6G wireless network
will translate into the success of the open and global ecosystem.
Finally, the wireless revolution we are familiar with today has been in progress for
over four decades, with a widespread impact that continues to surpass all expectations.
As such, we can neither underestimate nor overestimate the potential of the wireless
future. With this spirit, let’s recall that Guglielmo Marconi once asserted in 1932 that
“it is dangerous to put limits on wireless.”
Part I
Introduction
Discovering Diverse Content Through
Random Scribd Documents
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Governor
of Glave
This ebook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States
and most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no
restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it
under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this
ebook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the
United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where
you are located before using this eBook.
Language: English
Retief turned back the gold-encrusted scarlet cuff of the mess jacket
of a First Secretary and Consul, gathered in the three eight-sided
black dice, shook them by his right ear and sent them rattling across
the floor to rebound from the bulk-head.
"Thirteen's the point," the Power Section Chief called. "Ten he makes
it!"
"Oh ... Mr. Retief," a strained voice called. Retief looked up. A tall
thin youth in the black-trimmed gray of a Third Secretary flapped a
sheet of paper from the edge of the circle surrounding the game.
"The Ambassador's compliments, sir, and will you join him and the
staff in the conference room at once?"
Retief rose and dusted his knees. "That's all for now, boys," he said.
"I'll take the rest of your money later." He followed the junior
diplomat from the ward room, along the bare corridors of the crew
level, past the glare panel reading NOTICE—FIRST CLASS ONLY
BEYOND THIS POINT, through the chandeliered and draped ballroom
and along a stretch of soundless carpet to a heavy door bearing a
placard with the legend CONFERENCE IN SESSION.
"Ambassador Sternwheeler seemed quite upset, Mr. Retief," the
messenger said.
"He usually is, Pete." Retief took a cigar from his breast pocket. "Got
a light?"
The Third Secretary produced a permatch. "I don't know why you
smoke those things instead of dope sticks, Mr. Retief," he said. "The
Ambassador hates the smell."
Retief nodded. "I only smoke this kind at conferences. It makes for
shorter sessions." He stepped into the room. Ambassador
Sternwheeler eyed him down the length of the conference table.
"Ah, Mr. Retief honors us with his presence. Do be seated, Retief."
He fingered a yellow Departmental despatch. Retief took a chair,
puffing out a dense cloud of smoke.
"As I have been explaining to the remainder of my staff for the past
quarter-hour," Sternwheeler rumbled, "I've been the recipient of
important intelligence." He blinked at Retief expectantly. Retief
raised his eyebrows in polite inquiry.
"It seems," Sternwheeler went on, "that there has been a change in
regime on Glave. A week ago, the government which invited the
dispatch of this mission—and to which we're accredited—was
overthrown. The former ruling class has fled into exile. A popular
workers' and peasants' junta has taken over."
"Mr. Ambassador," Counsellor Magnan broke in, rising. "I'd like to be
the first—" he glanced around the table—"or one of the first,
anyway, to welcome the new government of Glave into the family of
planetary ruling bodies—"
II
Retief grounded the lighter, in-cycled the lock and stepped out. The
hot yellow Glavian sun beat down on a broad expanse of concrete,
an abandoned service cart and a row of tall ships casting black
shadows toward the silent control tower. A wisp of smoke curled up
from the shed area at the rim of the field. There was no other sign
of life.
Retief walked over to the cart, tossed his valise aboard, climbed into
the driver's seat and headed for the operations building. Beyond the
port, hills rose, white buildings gleaming against the deep green
slopes. Near the ridge, a vehicle moved ant-like along a winding
road, a dust trail rising behind it. Faintly a distant shot sounded.
Papers littered the ground before the Operations Building. Retief
pushed open the tall glass door, stood listening. Slanting sunlight
reflected from a wide polished floor, at the far side of which
illuminated lettering over empty counters read IMMIGRATION,
HEALTH and CUSTOMS. He crossed to the desk, put the valise down,
then leaned across the counter. A worried face under an oversized
white cap looked up at him.
"You can come out now," Retief said. "They've gone."
The man rose, dusting himself off. He looked over Retief's shoulder.
"Who's gone?"
"Whoever it was that scared you."
"Whatta ya mean? I was looking for my pencil."
"Here it is." Retief plucked a worn stub from the pocket of the soiled
shirt sagging under the weight of braided shoulderboards. "You can
sign me in as a Diplomatic Representative. A break for you—no
formalities necessary. Where can I catch a cab for the city?"
The man eyed Retief's bag. "What's in that?"
"Personal belongings under duty-free entry."
"Guns?"
"No, thanks, just a cab."
"You got no gun?" The man raised his voice.
"That's right, fellows," Retief called out. "No gun; no knife, not even
a small fission bomb. Just a few pairs of socks and some reading
matter."
A brown-uniformed man ran from behind the Customs Counter,
holding a long-barreled blast-rifle centered on the Corps insignia
stitched to the pocket of Retief's powder-blue blazer.
"Don't try nothing," he said. "You're under arrest."
"It can't be overtime parking. I've only been here five minutes."
"Hah!" The gun-handler moved out from the counter, came up to
Retief. "Empty out your pockets!" he barked. "Hands overhead!"
"I'm just a diplomat, not a contortionist," Retief said, not moving.
"Do you mind pointing that thing in some other direction?"
"Looky here, Mister, I'll give the orders. We don't need anybody
telling us how to run our business."
"I'm telling you to shift that blaster before I take it away from you
and wrap it around your neck," Retief said conversationally. The cop
stepped back uncertainly, lowering the gun.
"Jake! Horny! Pud! come on out!"
Three more brown uniforms emerged from concealment.
"Who are you fellows hiding from, the top sergeant?" Retief glanced
over the ill-fitting uniforms, the unshaved faces, the scuffed boots.
"Tell you what. When he shows up, I'll engage him in conversation.
You beat it back to the barracks and grab a quick bath—"
"That's enough smart talk." The biggest of the three newcomers
moved up to Retief. "You stuck your nose in at the wrong time. We
just had a change of management around here."
"I heard about it," Retief said. "Who do I complain to?"
"Complain? What about?"
"The port's a mess," Retief barked. "Nobody on duty to receive
official visitors! No passenger service facilities! Why, do you know I
had to carry my own bag—"
"All right, all right, that's outside my department. You better see the
boss."
"The boss? I thought you got rid of the bosses."
"We did, but now we got new ones."
"They any better than the old ones?"
"This guy asks too many questions," the man with the gun said.
"Let's let Sozier answer 'em."
"Who's he?"
"He's the Military Governor of the City."
"Now we're getting somewhere," Retief said. "Lead the way, Jake—
and don't forget my bag."
Sozier was a small man with thin hair oiled across a shiny scalp,
prominent ears and eyes like coal chips set in rolls of fat. He
glowered at Retief from behind a polished desk occupying the center
of a spacious office.
"I warned you off," he snapped. "You came anyway." He leaned
forward and slammed a fist down on the desk. "You're used to
throwing your weight around, but you won't throw it around here!
There'll be no spies pussyfooting around Glave!"
"Looking for what, Mr. Sozier?"
"Call me General!"
"Mind if I sit down?" Retief pulled out a chair, seated himself and
took out a cigar. "Curiously enough," he said, lighting up, "the Corps
has no intention of making any embarrassing investigations. We deal
with the existing government, no questions asked." His eyes held the
other's. "Unless, of course, there are evidences of atrocities or other
illegal measures."
The coal-chip eyes narrowed. "I don't have to make explanations to
you or anybody else."
"Except, presumably, the Glavian Free Electorate," Retief said
blandly. "But tell me, General—who's actually running the show?"
A speaker on the desk buzzed. "Hey, Corporal Sozier! Wes's got
them two hellions cornered. They're holed up in the Birthday Cake
—"
"General Sozier, damn you! and plaster your big mouth shut!" He
gestured to one of the uniformed men standing by.
"You! Get Trundy and Little Moe up here—pronto!" He swiveled back
to Retief. "You're in luck. I'm too busy right now to bother with you.
You get back over to the port and leave the same way you came—
and tell your blood-sucking friends the easy pickings are over as far
as Glave's concerned. You won't lounge around here living high and
throwing big parties and cooking up your dirty deals to get fat on at
the expense of the working man."
Retief dribbled ash on Sozier's desk and glanced at the green
uniform front bulging between silver buttons.
"Who paid for your potbelly, Sozier?" he inquired carelessly.
Sozier's eyes narrowed to slits. "I could have you shot!"
"Stop playing games with me, Sozier," Retief rapped. "There's a
squadron of Peace Enforcers standing by just in case any apprentice
statesmen forget the niceties of diplomatic usage. I suggest you
start showing a little intelligence about now, or even Horny and Pud
are likely to notice."
III
At the curb, Retief held out his hand. "Give me the power cylinder
out of your rifle, Jake."
"Huh?"
"Come on, Jake. You've got a nervous habit of playing with the firing
stud. We don't want any accidents."
"How do you get it out? They only give me this thing yesterday."
Retief pocketed the cylinder. "You sit in back. I'll drive." He wheeled
the car off along a broad avenue crowded with vehicles and lined
with flowering palms, behind which stately white buildings reared up
into the pale sky.
"Nice looking city, Jake," Retief said conversationally. "What's the
population?"
"I dunno. I only been here a year."
"What about Horny and Pud? Are they natives?"
"Whatta ya mean, natives? They're just as civilized as me."
"My boner, Jake. Known Sozier long?"
"Sure. He useta come around to the club."
"I take it he was in the army under the old regime?"
"Yeah—but he didn't like the way they run it. Nothing but band
playing and fancy marching. There wasn't nobody to fight."
"Just between us, Jake—where did the former Planetary Manager
General go?" Retief watched Jake's heavy face in the mirror. Jake
jumped, clamped his mouth shut.
"I don't know nothing."
Half an hour later, after a tour of the commercial center, Retief
headed towards the city's outskirts. The avenue curved, leading up
along the flank of a low hill.
"I must admit I'm surprised, Jake," Retief said. "Everything seems
orderly. No signs of riots or panic. Power, water, communications
normal—just as the general said. Remarkable, isn't it, considering
that the entire managerial class has packed up and left?"
"You wanta see the Power Plant?" Retief could see perspiration
beaded on the man's forehead under the uniform cap.
"Sure. Which way?" With Jake directing, Retief ascended to the ridge
top, cruised past the blank white facade of the station.
"Quiet, isn't it?" Retief pulled the car in to the curb. "Let's go inside."
"Huh? Corporal Sozier didn't say nothing—"
"You're right, Jake. That leaves it to our discretion."
"He won't like it."
"The corporal's a busy man, Jake. We won't worry him by telling him
about it."
Jake followed Retief up the walk. The broad double doors were
locked. "Let's try the back."
The narrow door set in the high blank wall opened as Retief
approached. A gun barrel poked out, followed by a small man with
bushy red hair. He looked Retief over.
"Who's this party, Jake?" he barked.
"Sozier said show him the plant," Jake said.
"What we need is more guys to pull duty, not tourists. Anyway, I'm
Chief Engineer here. Nobody comes in here 'less I like their looks."
Retief moved forward, stood looking down at the redhead. The little
man hesitated, then waved him past. "Lucky for you I like your
looks." Inside, Retief surveyed the long room, the giant converter
units, the massive busbars. Armed men—some in uniform, some in
work clothes or loud sport shirts—stood here and there. Other men
read meters, adjusted controls or inspected dials.
"You've got more guards than workers," Retief said. "Expecting
trouble?"
The redhead bit the corner from a plug of spearmint. He glanced
around the plant. "Things is quiet now; but you never know."
"Rather old-fashioned equipment isn't it? When was it installed?"
"Huh? I dunno. What's wrong with it?"
"What's your basic power source, a core sink? Lithospheric friction?
Sub-crustal hydraulics?"
"Beats me, Mister. I'm the boss here, not a dern mechanic."
"Oh, you're already in trouble, Jake. But if you stick with me, I'll try
to get you out of it. Where exactly did the refugees head for? How
did they leave? Must have been a lot of them; I'd say in a city of this
size alone, they'd run into the thousands."
"I don't know."
"Of course, it depends on your definition of a big shot. Who's
included in that category, Jake?"
"You know, the slick-talking ones; the fancy dressers; the guys that
walk around and tell other guys what to do. We do all the work and
they get all the big pay."
"I suppose that would cover scientists, professional men, executives,
technicians of all sorts, engineers, teachers—all that crowd."
"Yeah, them are the ones."
"And once you got them out of the way, the regular fellows would
have a chance. Chaps that don't spend all their time taking baths
and reading books and using big words; good Joes that don't mind
picking their noses in public."
"We got as much right as anybody—"
"Jake, who's Corasol?"
"He's—I don't know."
"I thought I overheard his name somewhere."
"Uh, here's the communication center," Jake cut in.
Retief swung into a parking lot under a high blank facade. He set the
brake and stepped out.
"Lead the way, Jake."
"Look, Mister, the corporal only wanted me to show you the outside."
"Anything to hide, Jake?"
Jake shook his head angrily and stamped past Retief. "When I joined
up with Sozier, I didn't figger I'd be getting in this kind of mess."
"I know, Jake. It's tough. Sometimes it seems like a fellow works
harder after he's thrown out the parasites than he did before."
A cautious guard let Retief and Jake inside, followed them along
bright-lit aisles among consoles, cables, batteries of instruments.
Armed men in careless uniforms lounged, watching. Here and there
a silent technician worked quietly.
Retief paused by one, an elderly man in a neat white coverall, with a
purple spot under one eye.
"Quite a bruise you've got there," Retief commented heartily. "Power
failure at sunset," he added softly. The technician hesitated, nodded
and moved on.
Back in the car, Retief gave Jake directions. At the end of three
hours, he had seen twelve smooth-running, heavily guarded
installations.
"So far, so good, Jake," he said. "Next stop, Sub-station Number
Nine." In the mirror, Jake's face stiffened. "Hey, you can't go down
there—"
"Something going on there, Jake?"
"That's where—I mean, no. I don't know."
"I don't want to miss anything, Jake. Which way?"
"I ain't going down there," Jake said sullenly.
Retief braked. "In that case, I'm afraid our association is at an end,
Jake."
"You mean ... you're getting out here?"
"No, you are."
"Huh? Now wait a minute, Mister! The corporal said I was to stay
with you."
Retief accelerated. "That's settled, then. Which way?"
IV
Retief pulled the car to a halt two hundred yards from the periphery
of a loose crowd of brown-uniformed men who stood in groups
scattered across a broad plaza, overflowing into a stretch of
manicured lawn before the bare, functional facade of sub-station
number Nine. In the midst of the besieging mob, Sozier's red face
and bald head bobbed as he harangued a cluster of green-uniformed
men from his place in the rear of a long open car.
"What's it all about, Jake?" Retief enquired. "Since the parasites
have all left peacefully, I'm having a hard time figuring out who'd be
holed up in the pumping station—and why. Maybe they haven't
gotten the word that it's all going to be fun and games from now
on."
"If the corporal sees you over here—"
"Ah, the good corporal. Glad you mentioned him, Jake. He's the man
to see." Retief stepped out of the car and started through the crowd.
A heavy lorry loaded with an immense tank with the letter H
blazoned on its side trundled into the square from a side street,
moved up to a position before the building. A smaller car pulled
alongside Sozier's limousine. The driver stepped down, handed
something to Sozier. A moment later, Sozier's amplified voice
boomed across the crowd.
"You in there, Corasol! This is General Sozier, and I'm warning you to
come out now or you and your smart friends are in for a big
surprise. You think I won't blast you out because I don't want to
wreck the planet. You see the tank aboard the lorry that just pulled
up? It's full of gas—and I got plenty of hoses out here to pump it
inside with. I'll put men on the roof and squirt it in the ventilators."
Sozier's voice echoed and died. The militiamen eyed the station.
Nothing happened.
"I know you can hear me, damn you!" Sozier squalled. "You'd better
get the doors open and get out here fast!"
Retief stepped to Sozier's side. "Say, Corporal, I didn't know you
went in for practical jokes."
Sozier jerked around to gape at Retief.
"What are you doing here!" he burst out. "I told Jake—where is that
—"
"Jake didn't like the questions I was asking," Retief said, "so he
marched me up here to report to you."
"Jake, you damn fool!" Sozier roared. "I got a good mind—"
"I disagree, Sozier," Retief cut in. "I think you're a complete imbecile.
Sitting out here in the open yelling at the top of your lungs, for
example. Corasol and his party might get annoyed and spray that
fancy car you've swiped with something a lot more painful than
words."
"Eh?" Sozier's head whipped around to stare at the building.
"Isn't that a gun I see sticking out?"
Sozier dropped. "Where?"
"My mistake. Just a foreign particle on my contact lenses." Retief
leaned on the car. "On the other hand, Sozier, most murderers are
sneaky about it. I think making a public announcement is a nice
gesture on your part. The Monitors won't have any trouble deciding
who to hang when they come in to straighten out this mess."
Sozier scrambled back onto his seat. "Monitors?" he snarled. "I don't
think so. I don't think you'll be around to do any blabbering to
anybody." He raised his voice. "Jake! March this spy over to the
sidelines. If he tries anything, shoot him!" He gave Retief a baleful
grin. "I'll lay the body out nice and ship it back to your cronies.
Accidents will happen, you know. It'll be a week or two before they
get around to following up—and by then I'll have this little problem
under control."
Jake looked at Retief uncertainly, fingering his empty rifle.
Retief put his hands up. "I guess you got me, Jake," he said.
"Careful of that gun, now."
Jake glanced at Sozier, gulped, aimed the rifle at Retief and nodded
toward the car. As Retief moved off, a murmur swept across the
crowd. Retief glanced back. A turret on the station roof was rotating
slowly. A shout rose; men surged away from the building, scuffling
for way; Sozier yelled. His car started up, moved forward, horns
blaring. As Retief watched, a white stream arced up from the turret,
catching the sun as it spanned the lawn, plunged down to strike the
massed men in a splatter of spray. It searched across the mob, came
to rest on Sozier's car. Uniformed men scrambled for safety as the
terrified driver gunned the heavy vehicle. The hose followed the car,
dropping a solid stream of water on Sozier, kicking and flailing in the
back seat. As the car passed from view, down a side street, water
was overflowing the sides.
"The corporal will feel all the better for an invigorating swim in his
mobile pool," Retief commented. "By the way, Jake, I have to be
going now. It wouldn't be fair to send you back to your boss without
something to back up your story that you were outnumbered, so—"
Retief's left fist shot out to connect solidly with Jake's jaw. Jake
dropped the gun and sat down hard. Retief turned and headed for
the pumping station. The hose had shut down now. A few men were
standing, eyeing the building anxiously. Others watched his progress
across the square. As Retief passed, he caught scattered comments:
"—seen that bird before."
"—where he's headed."
"—feller Sozier was talking to...."
"Hey, you!"
Retief was on the grass now. Ahead, the blank wall loomed up. He
walked on briskly.
"Stop that jasper!" a shout rang out. There was a sharp whine and a
black spot appeared on the wall ahead. Near it, a small personnel
door abruptly swung inward. Retief sprinted, plunged through the
opening as a second shot seared the paint on the doorframe. The
door clanged behind him. Retief glanced over the half dozen men
confronting him.
"I'm Retief, CDT, acting Charge," he said. "Which of you gentlemen
is Manager-General Corasol?"