"David Weber & Steve White - Starfire 2 - Crusade" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weber David)

course, have ordered the attack, yet it was still the work of Terrans.

"I make this point,тАЬ Liharnow said very carefully and distinctly, "because a majority of the
Strategy Board have officially advised the KhanтАЩaтАЩkhanaaeee that they reject Lord TalphonтАЩs
hypothesis and that, even if he were correct, that fact could not in their judgment absolve Terra
of responsibility. They recommendтАЬ - he met MulrooneyтАЩs eyes once more - тАЬthat the Treaty of
Valkha be immediately repudiated as the first step in a renewed war with the Federation.тАЬ

"HiaтАЩkhan,тАЬ Mulrooney chose his words as carefully as the Khan, "this is the first I have heard of
any of these events. My government will be as shocked by them as your own, but I implore you
to proceed with restraint. If the Khanate attacks the Federation, we will have no choice but to
defend ourselves, and the consequences for both our peoples will be terrible.тАЬ

"That,тАЬ Liharnow said quietly, "is why I have summoned you in this irregular fashion. I have over-
ruled the Strategy BoardтАЬ - Mulrooney breathed in thankfully - тАЬso far, and First Fang Lokarnah
has supported my decision, but our courses of action are limited.

"First, we may accede to the demands of the Strategy Board. Second, we may punish these
Terrans ourselves, as honor demands. Third, we may require the Federation to punish them.
Should we accept the Strategy BoardтАЩs recommendations, the result will certainly be general
war. Should we punish them ourselves, we embark upon an almost equally dangerous road, for I
cannot believe the Assembly would permit the Federation Navy to stand idle while we kill
Terrans, regardless of their origin, for attacking the ships of a navy with whom they may believe
themselves to be still at war. But, Ambassador, should we adopt the third option, the Federation
may still find itself in a most unenviable position.

"You know our honor code. My warriorsтАЩ blood has been shed by shirnowmakaie, oath-breakers
who have violated their own sworn offer to parley in peace. There must be kh├╝narma, scale-
balancing. I could not deny that even if I wished to, and AmbassadorтАЬ - the KhanтАЩs eyes were
cold - тАЬI do not wish to. There is one and only one way in which the Federation may intercede
between the Zheee├╝ikouтАЩvalkhannaieee and those who have attackedu s.

"And that way is, HiaтАЩkhan?тАЬ It was a question, but MulrooneyтАЩs tone said he already knew the
answer.

"The Federation must become khimhok ia Zheeerli-kouтАЩvalkhannaieee,тАЬ the Khan said softly,
and Mulrooney swallowed. The term had no precise Terran equivalent, but it translated roughly
as "scale-bearer to the Orions.тАЬ In effect, the Terran Federation must step into the KhanateтАЩs
place, assuming the duty to punish those who had offended. Yet it was far more complex than
that, and his brain raced as he tried to envision all the implications.

The Federation would have a free hand but no Orion assistance. From the moment Terra
accepted the "scale-bearerтАЬ role, the Khanate would stand totally aloof, and the AllianceтАЩs
mutual assistance clauses could not be invoked. Worse, in a way, the final resolution must be
acceptable to the Khanate. The Federation might choose to be merciful or harsh, but if the
Orions did not perceive the ultimate solution as one which satisfied their observed no re-
deployment of additional Federation units, nor is the Lorelei System of great military value.
Finally, I have reviewed Lord TalphonтАЩs last report, and I am at least partially inclined to accept
his hypothesis as to his attackersтАЩ identity. I do not believe the Federation attacked the Tenth
Squadron,тАЬ MulrooneyтАЩs shoulders relaxed, only to tighten afresh as Lihamow finished, "but I