"Jack McKinney - Robotech Sentientals 4 - World Killers" - читать интересную книгу автора (McKinney Jack)

Edwards had been about to inflict new fear upon Minmei, some threat to
scare her back into line. But Minmei's sudden, maniacal laugh put fear into
him instead. "You know what you've finally done?" she screamed, frothing.
"You've awakened the dead! And now your life is finished!"
Minmei, gamine though she was, almost pounced on him with fingers
extended like claws; it took several groundpounders to hold her back.
"Straitjacket," Edwards said harshly, watching the struggle on the wet
pavement.
Rain ran from his alloy cowl and glistening eye-lens, and from the pale
fury of his face. "Put her in a straitjacket and get her over to my
headquarters."
After the rest had gone, he looked at the wall to which Minmei had
looked. In the dim light it was difficult to tell; those punctures were
random-products of material defects and pitting and so forth, weren't they?
And yet, someone had flown the Alpha that no one seemed to be able to
find. Someone had been standing next to her in a flight suit.
But Edwards didn't think Minmei would reveal the culprit's identity
soon; he could hear her mad laughter and weeping as his security police bore
her away.

"Commander! Faster-than-light craft appearing before us, screening our
course. Two SDF-escort class, and they're sending challenges."
Breetai looked up from the private calculations he was making. "Patch it
through."
He rose from the captain's chair on the bridge of the Valivarre. He
unhurriedly squared away his Zentraedi longcoat, which was heavy with braid
and decorations, all of them paid for in strife and blood. His skullpiece, all
crystal and resplendent alloy, reflected the light.
"Attention, Valivarre!" came the Human voice. A face appeared on a
screen above Breetai, a middle-age Human male's. The man was round-faced and
florid, wearing a braided officer's cap.
"This is Commodore Renquist of the REF cruiser Toku-gawa. On behalf of
the Plenipotentiary Council, I order you to heave to and surrender yourself,
your ship and crew, and the monopole ore."
The two cruisers were both of the latest type, designed and built by
Lang's people. Breetai was a bit surprised; he would have thought Edwards was
too unsure of his own position on Tirol to send so many of his faithful off on
the mission to bring back the Valivarre.
As for Renquist, Breetai recognized the man's name. A lickspittle who
had become one of Edwards's servants and been promoted over far more capable
officers. Breetai had half expected Adams or Benson or one of the others from
Edwards's inner circle to be in charge of any force sent against him, but
Edwards must have realized that those traitorous vermin were nothing to send
against the Valivarre and its hundred-strong Zentraedi warriors.
"You are guilty of piracy and mutiny as well as treason," Renquist was
saying, voice shaking a little. "I will remind you of your oath, and give you
one and only one chance to surrender."
"My oath and loyalty were given to the duly constituted Earth
government, and to Admiral Hunter," Breetai boomed. "Not to your stinking
General Edwards, or to you either, coward!"