"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 02 - Lasertown Blues" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

a high-class prostitute. Jack frowned as her gaze flicked his way and then
passed him by, as she went to the bar rather than a table and sat.

Daku set the glass down. тАЬSo where have you come from, with such high
hopes,тАЭ he prodded.
 Jack looked back to him. So this was going to be a show me yours and IтАЩll
show you mine session, he thought briefly. He hesitated only slightly before
pulling out a photo and slapping it down on the table, and answering, тАЬI
rangered there.тАЭ He watched for the otherтАЩs reaction.

Daku sucked in his breath as his fingers pulled the photo closer. тАЬWhere
did you get this?тАЭ

тАЬI bribed a member of the survey team.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs not a pretty sight.тАЭ

Jack didnтАЩt respond. It wasnтАЩt. The sight of a once verdant, beautiful
planet reduced to a char was beyond description. To Jack, the only hope in
the photo was that the dark blue seas and vaporous clouds still remained.

тАЬThis place was firestormed.тАЭ

тАЬYes.тАЭ

Daku pushed the photo back. тАЬThe only one IтАЩve heard of recently was
Claron. No warning.тАЭ

тАЬNo reason.тАЭ Except perhaps to wipe out Jack. A nerve ticked along his
jaw line. First Milos, to the Thraks, and then Claron, to firestorm. Vengeance
needed, twice over.

тАЬThereтАЩs always a reason. We just donтАЩt know it yet.тАЭ The dark face paled
a little. Then Daku said, тАЬThat was a bad affair.тАЭ

тАЬYeah.тАЭ Bad was an understatement. Memories flooded Jack, memories
of waking up to a firestorm inferno and escaping while an entire planet
burned. He pushed them back. тАЬWhere are you from?тАЭ

тАЬAfrica Two,тАЭ the man said and it was JackтАЩs turn to feel surprised. The
all black planet rarely dealt with the Triad systems. Segregated by choice
and desire, African Twos were seldom friendly toward other systems. It
seemed vastly out of character for a citizen to be interested in serving
Emperor Pepys as a guard. Daku sensed his reaction and said, тАЬI donтАЩt like
Thrakian warships in our space.тАЭ

That was a philosophy Jack could second. Despite treaties, enemies
should stay enemies. He did, holding up his glass. тАЬDeath to all Thraks,тАЭ he
said softly, proposing treason in his toast. He cared little if he revealed
himself. It was the threat of Thrakian swarms that had made him leave his