"Ben Weaver - Brothers in Arms 03 - Patriots in Arms" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weaver Ben)

command center aboard the capital cruiser Falls Morrow. Presently, she was working on matters
involving human rights violations, the sharing of recently discovered Racinian ruins on Drummer Fire, and
on the release of forty-seven Aire-Wuian missionaries being held prisoner on Earth by leftist guerrillas.

Vinnery sighed at me from the tabletтАЩs screen. Her steely gaze, well-kempt blonde hair, and perfectly
smooth black business attire allayed my fears, if only a little. She looked powerful, monarchal. But that
image shattered the moment she spoke. тАЬColonel, what the fuck is going on there?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm not sure, Madam President. I havenтАЩt even reached the capitol building yet.тАЭ

тАЬWell, weтАЩre just outside Sol, and IтАЩve put in calls to President Holtzman and President Wong. WeтАЩll see
if those idiots have the balls to call me back.тАЭ

Admittedly, I had seen the president upset, but I had never heard her speak as coarsely. тАЬMaтАЩam,тАЭ I
began tentatively. тАЬIтАЩm sure the other chiefs are either in the conference room or en route. IтАЩll contact
them immediately and demand an explanation.тАЭ

тАЬYou do that. And network me in.тАЭ

I nodded and tapped for a contact list. A sidebar appeared on the screen with the tablet numbers of
Eastern Alliance Security Chief Paraven Nasir and Western Alliance Security Chief Leanne Kashnow. I
dialed Nasir first, not because his name came first in the list but because Kashnow was as curt as she
was egotistical, and, given the circumstances, there was no way in hell I would tiptoe around her like I
usually did.

Nasir answered, and I could see he was on the move, heading down one of the capitol buildingтАЩs long
hallways toward our conference room. тАЬHello, Paraven. Standby please,тАЭ I said, then brought President
Vinnery online. The screen divided to show both parties.

Nasir frowned, and while he was in his forties like me, the political arenaтАЩs heat had not been kind to his
dark skin. тАЬGood morning, Colonel. And to you, too, Madam President. Is something wrong? Has our
meeting been rescheduled?тАЭ

тАЬWhy are thirty-nine of your cruisers blockading my capitol world?тАЭ Vinnery demanded.

тАЬWhat are you talking about? I know nothing of any cruisers.тАЭ

тАЬDonтАЩt fuck with me, Nasir!тАЭ

Oh my god, I thought. I canтАЩt believe sheтАЩs talking to him like this.

тАЬI repeat, I know nothing of any cruisers! Hold please. I have another call.тАЭ

тАЬHeтАЩs lying,тАЭ Vinnery told me. тАЬHeтАЩs lying through his fucking teeth.тАЭ

тАЬMaтАЩam, if thereтАЩs anything I can do to help you calm down,тАЭ I began.

тАЬColonel, I have every reason to be upset, more so because IтАЩve just ordered the entire Eighth Fleet to
Earth.тАЭ