"Alastair Reynolds - Great Wall Of Mars" - читать интересную книгу автора (Reynolds Alastair)

тАЬYouтАЩve tolerated her attempts so far,тАЭ Voi said. тАЬAnd each time youтАЩve successfully destroyed
her ship with all the people in it. The net risk of a successful break out hasnтАЩt increased. So why
retaliate now?тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs very simple. After each violation we issued Galiana with a stronger warning than the one
before. Our last was absolute and final.тАЭ

тАЬYouтАЩll be in violation of treaty if you attack.тАЭ

WarrenтАЩs smile was one of quiet triumph. тАЬNot quite, Sandra. You may not be completely
conversant with the treatyтАЩs fine print, but weтАЩve discovered that it allows us to storm GalianaтАЩs
nest without breaking any terms. The technical phrase is a police action, I believe.тАЭ

Clavain saw that Voi was momentarily lost for words. That was hardly surprising. The treaty
between the Coalition and the ConjoinersтАФwhich VoiтАЩs neutral Demarchists had helped draftтАФ
was the longest document in existence, apart from some obscure, computer-generated
mathematical proofs. It was supposed to be watertight, though only machines had ever read it
from beginning to end, and only machines had ever stood a chance of finding the kind of
loophole which Warren was now brandishing.

тАЬNoтАжтАЭ she said. тАЬThereтАЩs some mistake.тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm afraid heтАЩs right,тАЭ Clavain said. тАЬIтАЩve seen the natural-language summaries, and thereтАЩs no
doubt about the legality of a police action. But it neednтАЩt come to that. IтАЩm sure I can persuade
Galiana not to make another escape attempt.тАЭ

тАЬBut if we should fail?тАЭ Voi looked at Warren now. тАЬNevil and myself could still be on Mars in
three days.тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt be, is my advice.тАЭ

Disgusted, Voi turned and stepped into the green cool of the shuttle. Clavain was left alone with
his brother for a moment. Warren fingered the leathery patch over his ruined eye with the chrome
gauntlet of his prosthetic arm, as if to remind Clavain of what the war had cost him; how little
love he had for the enemy, even now.
тАЬWe havenтАЩt got a chance of succeeding, have we?тАЭ Clavain said. тАЬWeтАЩre only going down there
so you can say you explored all avenues of negotiation before sending in the troops. You actually
want another damned war.тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt be so defeatist,тАЭ Warren said, shaking his head sadly, forever the older brother
disappointed at his siblingтАЩs failings. тАЬIt really doesnтАЩt become you.тАЭ

тАЬItтАЩs not me whoтАЩs defeatist,тАЭ Clavain said.

тАЬNo; of course not. Just do your best, little brother.тАЭ

Warren extended his hand for his brother to shake. Hesitating, Clavain looked again into his
brotherтАЩs good eye. What he saw there was an interrogatorтАЩs eye: as pale, colorless and cold as a
midwinter sun. There was hatred in it. Warren despised ClavainтАЩs pacifism; ClavainтАЩs belief that
any kind of peace, even a peace which consisted only of stumbling episodes of mistrust between