"Jack McKinney - Robotech 14 - Dark Powers" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinney Jack)

could shoot first.
And, the SDF-3 was only partially combat-worthy; letting the enemy get
to close range might mean ultimate disaster. Still, the REF mission had to
mean something more than crossing the galaxy only to fight battle upon battle,
had to mean more than war without end.
She went over every detail, to see if there wasn't one more preparation
she could make. Lisa looked around the bridge. There was the same small bridge
watch-gang setup that her mentor, Captain Gloval, had used, except that the
three enlisted-rating techs were male, as were the watch officer and Lisa's
exec, Commander Forsythe.
Rick and the other officers from the Tactical Information Center-the
ship's cavernous command, communications, and control facility-kept up the
flow of information, but none of it was very helpful. The Plenipotentiary
Council, the civilian body in overall control of the Robotech Expeditionary
Force, had convened just long enough to give Lisa operational control over the
situation; they were satisfied that she wasn't trigger-happy, and that she was
well aware of the dicey tactical dilemma.
Veritechs were scrambled, sent out to block the newcomer's way, and
intercept and engage if necessary. Alphas, Betas, and Logans were deployed to
their appointed places. Lisa's eye found the tactical display symbol for the
Skull team for a moment, and she thought of Rick-trapped down there among the
rows of consoles and techs' duty stations, monitors, and instruments. She knew
he was longing to be out there with his beloved former outfit.
She supposed his heart was even more with them in this moment than it
was with her. If so, that was something she could understand, could forgive,
as long as he carried out his current assignment.
She thrust the thought aside; the Veritechs were coming within range of
the unidentified dreadnought. Although the ship was as big as any Earth
battlecruiser, it was still far smaller than the mammoth SDF-3. It maintained
its worrisome silence.
According to the rule book, the next step should be a close flyby,
performed by VTs-a warning to the intruder. If there was still no
acknowledgment, it would be time for a shot across the battlewagon's bow.
She found herself about to order Ghost in for the flyby, avoiding the
use of Skull, but stopped herself. Although Rick would want to be with his old
outfit in the thick of things, he would just have to maintain his duties as a
commander. Edwards was too rash-he might even enjoy goading the newcomers into
a shooting incident. Max Sterling, who had taken over Skull, was a more
reliable man and the best flier in the REF.
She opened her mouth to give the command to Skull, when one of the male
enlisted-rating techs said, "The incoming ship is decelerating, Captain.
Changing course for possible insertion to Tirol orbit. It's deactivating its
weapons systems."
As soon as the tech relayed the information, a female voice from the
Tactical Information Center came up. TIC commo instruments were intercepting
radio transmissions from the newcomer.
When the transmissions were patched through to the bridge, Lisa found
herself listening to a strange, voice-processed-sounding garble. But bit by
bit, she began to recognize syllables.
"Zentraedi," Lisa's bridge officer, Mister Blake, said softly, but Lisa