"Steve Gordon - Ensectoid 01 - The Ensectoid Invasion" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gordon Steve)

Directorate open to invasion? For a moment Zarat started to
think that maybe Kalin wasn't merely incompetent; perhaps he
was actually a traitor. That would explain the weakening of
the fleet.
"I realize these orders are hard for you to accept. And
I also realize that circumstances have forced us to have a
rocky relationship."
"Nothing you can say will make me abandon the Directorate.
Sir." said Zarat stonily.
Kalin paused, checking something. "This conversation is
scrambled. If you stay and fight your fleet will eventually
be destroyed. And it's important for your fleet to survive."
"What is the sense of surviving if we're not going to be able
to defend our planets?"
Kalin lowered his voice. "I was told, if you resisted
this order... I was told to tell you to trust me, I know what
I'm doing."
Told? Who tells the First Director to do anything? And
then the words struck home. "Trust me, I know what I'm
doing." There was only one person in the galaxy who had used
that line frequently, when talking to Zarat.
Suddenly, an incredible thought burst into Zarat's mind.
Kalin, watching the transformation of his face, nodded. "I
see you understand. But you are to tell NO ONE about this
conversation, not even your most senior officers." He then
proceeded to give Zarat a series of secret instructions that
he needed to commit to memory, and also provided him with
three names.
"Understood," said Zarat, when he was done. "Director? Will
this really work out?"
Kalin sighed. "In the short run.... no. But at least this way
we'll have a chance of restoring what we're about to lose."
Zarat swallowed. Well, at least he knew the truth. "What
about you, sir, will you need evacuation?"
"Don't worry about me, Admiral, just take your fleet to
safety. Kalin out."
Zarat sat alone for a moment. Then he activated ship-to-ship.
"I need to speak to the following three officers, alone.
Secured channel." He called for the names of three
communications officers on three different ships.

When Zarat returned to the bridge he said, "Prepare for
battle."
"Battle? Against whom?" said an aide.
"Admiral! A large number of enemy ships are showing on our
scopes!" cried the scanner officer. Suddenly, the ship was on
alert.
Zarat didn't even ask a single question about the size
or composition of the enemy. Instead, he simply said,
"Prepare to conduct a single pass. Then set course out of the