"William Forstchen - Wing Commander 4 - Heart of the Tiger" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

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Heart of the Tiger by
William R. Forstchen &
Andrew Keith
PROLOGUE
Prince Thrakhath stood before the throne with head lowered.

"You failed me, grandson."

The Prince remained silent.

"When your new fleet left for Terra you promised that the war was at
an end, that the humans would be finished. Now you return, half your fleet
destroyed, a fleet that strained our resources to the utmost to build. Our
coffers are empty, grandsonтАж" The Emperor paused.

"Empty!" His voice thundered in the audience hall.

Thrakhath looked back up.

"What now?" the Emperor roared. "Wait another half of eight years to
build more carriers? And how will they be crewed? Too many firstborn
sons of the nobles rode to their deaths aboard your fleet."

"They died gloriously for the Empire," Thrakhath replied calmly. "Their
names shall be enshrined in the temples of their ancestors."

"Do you really expect them to believe that any more?" the Emperor
gasped. "I am talking about our survival. After your defeat before Terra
two assassination plots against me were barely thwarted. The other clans
are poised on the edge of open rebellion."

Thrakhath looked at his grandfather in open amazement.

The Emperor nodded slowly.

"And if they had succeeded I daresay you would already be dead now as
well."

The old warrior sighed and fell back into his chair.

"I want the new weapon unleashed," the Emperor finally said.