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

the last to arrive. Even Johansen, whose cabin was almost as inconveniently placed as his, had
beaten him this time.

"Report!тАЬ he said crisply.

"Unknown drive fields, sir.тАЬ Observer First HinarouтАЩ frikish-ahnтАЩs experience showed in her
precisely enunciated report. "Bearing oh-seven-two level by on-three-three vertical. Range
approximately three-point-two light-minutes. Estimated base course two-four-nine by oh-oh-
three. Data are still rough, sir, but data base does not recognize them.тАЬ

"Are you certain of that bearing, Observer?тАЬ Khardan-ish demanded.

"Positive, sir.тАЬ

The least claw darted a quick look at Yahaarnow and Lieutenant Johansen and saw his own
surprise on both faces.

"Astrogation, back-plot ObservationтАЩs estimated base course.тАЬ

"Aye, sir. Computing now.тАЬ There was a moment of silence, and when the astrogator spoke
again he sounded startled. "Sir, assuming ObservationтАЩs course and bearing are correct, it looks
like they came from warp point six!

KhardanishтАЩs tufted ears flicked in quick acknowledgment, but he was deeply puzzled. Point six
was the warp point LoreleiтАЩs Human discoverers had named CharonтАЩsFerry, and if no survey
ship had ever gone into it and lived, how in ValkhaтАЩs name could anything come out of it?

"Unknowns are now at two-point-nine-five light-minutes, sir. Coming up in the outer zone of your
tactical display - now.тАЬ

Khardanish glanced into his holo tank. Human designers preferred a more compact, flat-screen
display, but Orion eyes had problems with such systems. Now he watched drifting lights blink
alive, glowing the steady yellow of unidentified vessels. They blinked again, ana suddenly each
bore a small light code denoting its estimated tonnage.

There were twelve of them, he noted digging his extended claws into the padded armrests of his
command chair. Most were no larger than his own destroyers, but the largest was a heavy
cruiser.

"Come to Status One,тАЬ he ordered. "Prep and download courier drones.тАЬ He waited for the
acknowledgments, then made himself lean back. "All right, Communications - standard Alliance
challenge.тАЬ

"Aye, sir.тАЬ

The range was still two and a half light-minutes - thirty minutesтАЩ travel for Znamae under full
drive - and the five-minute wait seemed eternal.

"They are responding, sir. I do not recognize - wait! Coming up from data base now.тАЬ The com
officer paused, then continued flatly, "Captain, they appear to be using pre-Alliance Terran