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

closed on the fleet these spheres started to detonate,
casting a fine mist over the League fleet.
"Power drain!" cried a crewer. "All systems are down!"
cried another.
"What's going on?" said Marshall.
"Ve must continue ze peace process," said Mitterand,
almost mechanically. "Ve need ze peace like ve need ze air."
And it was at that moment that the Insectoids attacked.
Still staying well clear of the League fleet and the
mist that enveloped, the Insectoid ship launched a massive
wave of missiles. The tail section of the missile exhausts
cut out as they entered the misty area, but inertia caused
them to continue moving forward.
Peterson eyed the missiles streaking towards them.
"Raise shields! Activate anti missile lasers!"
"We can't sir, we've lost all power except emergency
batteries!" said one of the crewers, frantically turning
switches on and off again.
The Augustus was rocked as a missile hit it amidships,
causing everyone on the bridge to stumble momentarily. Other
missiles slammed into other ships of the fleet, all of which
were helpless and dead in space. Several of the destroyers,
not large enough to survive a direct impact, burst into
pieces.
"What's going on here?" said Marshall. "This was
supposed to be an armistice!"
"All ships to battlestations, repel attackers!" Admiral
Peterson shouted into the hectic fleetcom channel. But with
so many voices over the comm he couldn't make himself heard.
Not that it mattered; most of the fleet was disabled, as dead
as museum pieces.
The Insectoids launched a second wave.
"Ve must continue ze peace process," said Mitterand
mechanically.
Marshall, almost out of his mind, grabbed Mitterand by
the shirt. "What are you talking about? They're blowing us to
pieces!"
Another set of missiles slammed into the fleet. This
time a number of cruisers were seriously damaged, several of
them critically. One blew up just starboard of the Augustia,
creating a white flash which shook the flagship.
"Ve must continue ze peace process," said Mitterand.
"Stop saying that!" Marshall shrieked, shaking
Mitterand and slapping him hard in the face. What happened
next surprised him even more.
Mitterand's face came off, revealing wiring and
circuitry underneath, with sparkling orbs for eyes.
Marshall reflexively let go, just as another missile
slammed into the Augustus, causing him to stumble. "What...
are you?"