"David Weber - Fifth Imperium 02 - The Armageddon Inheritance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Weber David)

"According to these, the military amalgamation is a month behind schedule, thatтАЩs what," Horus began,
then paused and studied Hatcher's expression. "Why don't you look surprised or embarrassed or
something, General?"

"Because we're ahead of where I expected to be," Hatcher said and Horus sat back with a resigned sigh
as he saw the twinkle in his eye. Gerald Hatcher, he sometimes thought, had adapted entirely too well to
the presence of extra-terrestrials on his world.

"I suppose," the general continued unabashedly, "that I should've told you we've deliberately set a
schedule no one could make. That way we've got an excuse to scream at people, however well die/re
doing." He shrugged "Ifs not nice, but when a four or five-star general screams at you, you usually
discover a few gears you weren't using. Wonderful thing, screaming."

"I see." Horus regarded him with a measuring eye. "You're rightтАФyou should've told me. Unless you're
planning on screaming at me?"

"Perish the thought," Hatcher murmured.

I'm relieved" Horus said dryly. "But should I take it you're actually satisfied, then?"

"Given that we're trying to merge military command structures which, however closely allied were never
really designed for it, Frederick, Vassily and I are pleased at how quickly it's moving, but time's mighty
short."

Horus nodded Sir Frederick Amesbury, Vassily Chernikov, and Hatcher formed what Vassily was fond
of calling Horus's military troika, and they were working like demons at their all but impossible task, but
they had barely two years before the first Achuultani scout forces could be expected.

"Whets the worst bottleneck?" he asked.

"The Asian Alliance, of course." Hatcher made a wry face. "Our deadline hasn't quite run out, and they
still haven't gotten off the fence and decided whether to fight us or join us. It's irritating as hell, but not
surprising. I donтАЩt think Marshal Tsien's decided to oppose us actively, but he's certainly dragging his
feet, and none of the other Alliance military types will make a move until he commits himself."

"Why not demand that the Alliance remove him, then?" It was a question, but it didn't really sound like
one.

"Because we can't He's not just their top man; he's also the best they have. They know it, too, and so
much of their political leadership was in Anus pocketтАФand got killed when you took out the
enclaveтАФthat he's the only man the Alliance military still trusts. And however much he may hate us, he
hates us less than a lot of his juniors do." Hatcher shrugged "We've asked him to meet us face-to-face,
and at least he's accepted. We'll just have to do our best with him, and he's smart, Horus. He'll come
around once he gets past the idea that the West has somehow conquered him."

Horus nodded again. All three of his senior generals were "Westerners" as far as Tsien and his people
were concerned The fact that Anu and his mutineers had manipulated Terran governments and terrorist
groups to play the First and Third Worlds off against one another was just beginning to percolate
through Western brains; it would be a while yet before the other side could accept it on an emotional
basis. Some groups, like the religious crackpots who had run places like Iran and Syria, never would,