"Alan Dean Foster - Damned 1 - Call to Arms" - читать интересную книгу автора (Foster Alan Dean)

hung against her thorax that the landing forces were being attacked in strength by an unknown, hitherto
unsuspected group of vessels. One-who-Decides did not panic. That was not in the nature of the
Amplitur.

The information arc allowed rapid communication with Amplitur on other ships. There were twelve in all:
only twelve among thousands of other peoples, scattered throughout the fleet. Twelve to make final
decisions and give advice. They were along more to offer moral support than strategy, since it had been
assumed that the Korath and their allies were more than capable of putting an end to the Sspari
resistance.

They were also present to aid in dealing with any unexpected developments, of which this certainly
seemed to be one.

Chapter Two

тАЭI thought the location and number of all surviving Sspari warships down to the last were well known to
us?тАЭ

тАЭSo was thought it,тАЭ said CoтАЩoi of the Crigolit, antennae twitching uncontrollably.

тАЭCalm yourself,тАЭ said One-who-Decides, issuing in addition to the words a projection of soothing
reassurance. The Crigolit relaxed visibly. тАЭExplain the apparent contradiction.тАЭ

тАЭThe attacking vessels are other than Sspari.тАЭ The KorathтАЩs voice was almost inaudible. тАЭThe fleet has
been forced to cancel the planned landing to deal with the new threat.тАЭ

тАЭHow many attacking vessels?тАЭ asked One-who-Decides. тАЭUncertain still.тАЭ The Crigolit paused as she
listened to the reports competing for time on her headset. тАЭReal-space conflict time is an approximation
at best, but the number large is.тАЭ

тАЭCapabilities?тАЭ

тАЭSome weapons new, not yet analyzed. Explosive plasma. Dangerous and difficult to avoid.тАЭ

тАЭArtificial intelligence guided?тАЭ

The Crigolit was hesitant. тАЭCannot yet be stated with any certitude.тАЭ The Commander shifted on the
cushion, wishing for the legs of a Molitar. тАЭChange to defensive mode. Break off the proposed landing
and contemplate an englobement.тАЭ

Suern of the Korath spoke up. тАЭMight that not be premature, Commander? The Sspari will gain hope
from it. I would rather deal with a dozen unexpected warships than give an enemy new hope.тАЭ

тАЭI would rather be thought hesitant than reckless. My first concern must be for our own. We can phase
to Underspace only a limited number of times. I would not like to be caught in real space, unable to
phase out, with an overpowering force waiting for us.тАЭ One-who-Decides conveyed a mental imperative
to the Korath, who blinked. тАЭIf this is a clever ploy of the Sspari we will find out soon enough. If not,
wisdom dictates caution. We will worry about the psychological effects on the Sspari later. Presently we
must do battle with what we can see.тАЭ The Crigolit acknowledged with a wave of both antennae while
the Korath spread its upper limbs.