"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 04 - Alien Salute" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

watched Denaro a second longer. The Walker ministry had suffered a
profound loss on Bythia. Denaro did not look as if he would tolerate it for
long.

Amber must have sensed his thoughts. Her chin pointed in the militant's
direction. "I hope Colin keeps an eye on that one."

"He'll have to," Jack answered. "I've done all I can. I've got the Thraks to
worry about now." He'd escorted a wave of humanity aboard the shuttles to
the transport. The Thrakian warship orbiting Bythian space was
momentarily distracted by the necessity of getting its own personnel
off-planet. He had time, but only a little, and he didn't like seeing it wasted.
The column shuffled forward. He and Amber were at the rear and would be
last. "AmberтАж" and he hesitated, because what he said next the young
woman would not want to hear, and he knew it. "I don't intend to be chilled
down."

She pulled back. "I have to go alone?"

"Yes."

"I don'tтАФ"

"You have to. Just as I have to stay up and alert."

Amber looked up at him. Her chin jutted defiantly, and then her jawline
softened. "You don't think the Thraks will let us go?"
 "Not if they don't have to. This transport is a load of potential hostages.
Colin, my command, almost everyone on here is of value to the League."

"It would be worth even more if you could have gotten that
bushskimmer out alive."

Jack had no answer for that. He'd lost a valuable witness in the Sassinal
riots, a man who could testify to the firestorming of Claron. But that was
over now. At least he'd heard the testimonyтАж words he'd never forget. He
looked down at Amber. "It's over," he said.

She nodded. She grabbed up his gauntleted hand and held it tightly and
even though he wore battle armor, he could almost feel the chill of her grasp
through it. "What if they insist on cold sleep?"

Her question suggested that she knew instinctively what also worried
him: the transport pilot was in command here now and not Jack. He
shrugged. "It'll take a lot more men than Harkness has got to hold me
down."

Now she knew why he hadn't removed his armor once they'd boarded.

Amber laughed briefly. "I hope I'm awake when they try."