"Debra Doyle & James MacDonald - Mageworlds 03 - By Honor Betray'd" - читать интересную книгу автора (Doyle Debra)

and amber lights. Warhammer kept on driving upward.
тАЬLost integrity in number-one hold,тАЭ LeSoit recited as he turned switches all over the panel. тАЬLost
integrity in number two. Closing airtight doors to maintain pressure in critical areas. Commencing jump
run now.тАЭ

iii infabede sector: rsf selsyn-bilai; udc veratina;
gyfferan farspace: nightтАЩs-beautiful-daughter
suivi point: entertainment district;
resistance headquarters; nammerin: namport

RSF SELSYN-BILAI waited in the darkness between the stars. With hyperspace
communications down hard all over the galaxy, and Admiral Vallant claiming Infabede Sector in defiance
of the Republic, no word had come out of Galcen Prime for over two weeks-no instructions from
headquarters to continue prosecuting the war, or to surrender.
Not that Jos Metadi intended the latter. Chance might have brought the Commanding General of
the Space Force to this remote area of space; but chance had also provided him with a ship. The Selsyn
was only a glorified cargo vessel that in better days had spent her time ferrying supplies from Prime Base
to Infabede, but at the time of the warтАЩs outbreak she had been the temporary home of a fully-armed
company of Planetary Infantry and a pair of long-range reconnaissance craft.
тАЬDamn, but it gripes me to leave you on this one,тАЭ General Metadi said to the commander of the
infantry detachment.
тАЬThereтАЩs no help for it,тАЭ Captain Tyche said. The Planetary Infantry officer checked the charge
on his blaster and slipped it into the molded-plastic holster of his light battle armor. His troopers, already
boarding their recon craft in the docking bay, would be wearing heavier gear, hardshell p-suits with
integral weaponry that could take out vehicles and knock down walls. тАЬIf you get killed, then itтАЩs all over
for us. But as long as youтАЩre safe, even if we lose the battle-тАЭ
тАЬ-the war goes on,тАЭ Metadi finished for him. The General, his aide, and the det commander had
gathered in the office of the SelsynтАЩs late CO for a final conference before the ship dropped out of
hyperspace. тАЬI know. I agree. It was my idea. But I donтАЩt have to like it.тАЭ
тАЬConsole yourself, sir,тАЭ said Commander Quetaya. Rosel Quetaya was a trimly built woman with
a loose cap of black curls and dramatic rose-and-ivory coloring-but Metadi had chosen his aide for other
reasons than her looks. тАЬYou could still die bloody in hand-to-hand. No guarantees.тАЭ
тАЬThat thought will have to keep me warm,тАЭ Metadi said. He began to pace about the cramped
compartment. тАЬAll right, Tyche, weтАЩre going to drop out at the rendezvous point in less than an hour.
Keep those recons inside our sensor shadow for as long as you can. If thereтАЩs anything out there waiting
for us, assume itтАЩs one of VallantтАЩs pickup ships and commence your attack. Meanwhile, I will remove
this vessel to a safe location and await your signal. If you donтАЩt make it . . . well, thatтАЩll be my problem,
not yours.тАЭ
тАЬToo true, General. I wouldnтАЩt want to trade you for it, either.тАЭ Tyche looked thoughtful. тАЬWhat
about any loyalists that might be mixed in with VallantтАЩs people? ItтАЩd be a pity to lose them.тАЭ
Quetaya nodded. тАЬIf we want to make up a fleet, weтАЩll need all the crews we can get.тАЭ
тАЬDonтАЩt worry about it right now,тАЭ said Metadi. тАЬConcentrate on taking that first ship. After the
smoke clears, we can think about sorting out the survivors.тАЭ
тАЬIтАЩd sure like to have an Adept on hand for that part,тАЭ Quetaya said. тАЬFor the sorting, I mean.тАЭ
тАЬNo you donтАЩt,тАЭ Metadi told her. тАЬEvery time IтАЩve had to work with Adepts, itтАЩs complicated
things beyond belief.тАЭ
Quetaya looked curious. тАЬI thought your copilot on the old Warhammer was an Adept.тАЭ
тАЬHe was,тАЭ said Metadi. тАЬTrust me, Commander. IтАЩm speaking from experience.тАЭ
The SelsynтАЩs intraship comm system clicked on. тАЬDropout from hyperspace in ten minutes,тАЭ a
voice blared. тАЬI say again, dropout from hyperspace in ten minutes. All hands take your assigned