"Elizabeth Moon - Serrano 6 - Change of Command" - читать интересную книгу автора (Moon Elizabeth)

He must be dead. No one could survive that. And he, Kevil Mahoney, was aliveтАФat least for
nowтАФbecause his friend's head had taken the brunt of whatever attack.

The New Texas Godfearing Militia had sworn vengeance on them. Evidently it had been no idle
threat.

He needed to know what had happened. Who was in charge now? What was Fleet doing? But he felt a
dark chilly fog rising over him, and slipped into that darkness unsure if it was death or a drug.



Hobart Conselline permitted none of the emotions churning inside him to show in his face or
demeanor. His secretary's expression of cautious solemnity proved he'd been successful; the silly
man couldn't tell how his employer was taking the news. Good.



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"It's been confirmed by three separate agencies, milord," his secretary said.

"Terrible!" Hobart said, and shook his head. "I suppose it was those terrorists, in retaliation
for the executionsтАФ"

"That's the speculation at this time, milord."

"How many were killed or injured?"

"Lord Thornbuckle and three security personnel killed; Ser Mahoney is alive but in critical
condition. He is not expected to live."

"A terrible, terrible situation." Hobart shook his head again. Terrible for some, certainly. Bunny
Thornbuckle's relatives and friends were no doubt reeling in shock and confusion. So would the
whole Council be, if someone didn't take hold and give the guidance that had been so sorely needed
for the past several years. If Kevil Mahoney had been uninjured, they might have turned to him,
but without either Bunny or Kevil, the Families would mill about like panicky sheep, baaing
uselessly at the wolfpack around them. He knew exactly what far-sighted, strong, decisive leader
should take charge.

"Send our condolences to Miranda," he told his secretary. "Inform my wife's secretary that I'm
sure my wife will want to call on her." Poor, beautiful, clever Miranda, so unlucky in her choice
of men and her children.

Poor Brun, for that matter. Like everyone who had met the child, he had enjoyed her
scatterbrained, madcap beauty. She had needed a good husband to settle her down, but Bunny had
insisted on letting her run wild, with disastrous results. Another instance of Bunny's lamentable
lack of decisive, firm leadership. Nothing like that had happened to the Conselline daughters, nor
ever would. Bunny's older children had turned out well enough, though young Buttons was no second