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

Something deep in my gut gave way. тАЬMaтАЩam, if you set up a counter blockade without congressional
approvalтАФтАЭ
 тАЬWhen our ships reach Earth, the first thing our captains are going to do is contact the defnet authorities
and notify them that weтАЩre not setting up a blockade but are merely participating in a parade. So if
congress wants to impeach me for ordering an unauthorized parade, let them tryтАжтАЭ

тАЬOf course our parade will block any ships trying to make Earth orbit,тАЭ I said. тАЬAnd this will escalate
into a shooting war.тАЭ I shook my head, my jaw falling slack.

тАЬWe can still salvage this,тАЭ she said. тАЬThey pull out. We pull out.тАЭ

тАЬAll right, IтАЩm back,тАЭ said Nasir. тАЬI have President Wong. Linking him now.тАЭ

My screen divided once more to include Vinnery, Nasir, and then Wong, whose face lacked color,
emotion, pretty much everything that indicated he was actually human. But then, amazingly, his lips moved
and his voice came in a reedy near-whisper. тАЬPresident Vinnery, I share in your dismay regarding the
blockade of your capital world. Unfortunately, we have just received requests for secession from all
Mars and Jupiter colonies and provinces. Unfortunately, we must conclude that your alliance has been
conspiring with these colonies to undermine our control of them. A treaty violation of this magnitude
cannot go unpunished. We will keep our blockade of Rexi-Calhoon in place until the Colonial alliance
officially rejects the requests from Mars and Jupiter. They are original colonies. They are properties of
Terra. I assure you, that will never change.тАЭ

тАЬAnd President Holtzman concurs with this blockade?тАЭ Vinnery asked.

тАЬI do,тАЭ said Holtzman, appearing at WongтАЩs shoulder, his stocky outdoorsmanтАЩs physique and woodsy
charm contrasting sharply with WongтАЩs cool intellect. тАЬI donтАЩt know what yтАЩall were thinking, trying to get
Mars and Jupiter to secede, but that was some dirty pool. And if you donтАЩt shut this down, weтАЩll be
putting you out of business.тАЭ

Vinnery spoke to me across a private channel. тАЬYou believe these people?тАЭ she asked.

I knew what it felt like to be a na├пve soldier, but at that moment, I received my first taste of being a na├пve
statesman. I had no idea until that moment that when push came to shove, politicians would rely on the
tactics and behavior of the playground.

тАЬListen to me, Holtzman, and listen to me carefully,тАЭ barked Vinnery. тАЬIf Mars and Jupiter wish to
become members of the Colonial Alliance, thereтАЩs nothing you can do to stop them.тАЭ

тАЬThatтАЩs where youтАЩre wrong,тАЭ said Holtzman, who suddenly turned to an aide, a scrawny man who
whispered something in the presidentтАЩs ear. HoltzmanтАЩs expression grew long.

тАЬI see our fleet has arrived,тАЭ said Vinnery.

тАЬA very unwise decision,тАЭ warned Wong, a hand to his ear as he listened to report. тАЬWeтАЩre not in the
mood for any parades this morning.тАЭ

I called up Vinnery on the private channel. тАЬMadam President. They mean business.тАЭ

тАЬSo do we.тАЭ