"Walter Jon Williams - Dread Empire's Fall 02 - The Sundering" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Walter John)

 Williams, Walter Jon - [Dead Empire's Fall 02] - The Sundering

hadnтАЩt showed. She was in the process of composing a reply when the acting captain, Morgen,
interrupted.

тАЬMartinez?тАЭ he said. тАЬMartinez of theCorona ?тАЭ

тАЬIndeed yes,тАЭ Foote said. His drawl, which spoke of generations of good breeding and privilege, took
on a malicious edge, and it was carefully pitched to carry to the next table of recruits. тАЬHe sends
messages to our young Sula nearly every day. And she replies as often, passionate messages from the
depth of her delicate heart. ItтАЩs touching, great romance in the tradition of a derivoo singer.тАЭ

Morgen looked at her. тАЬYou and Martinez are, ahтАжтАЭ

Sula didnтАЩt know why this revelation was supposed to be embarrassing: Lord Gareth Martinez was one
of the few heroes the war had produced, at least on the loyalist side, and unlike most of the others was
still in the realm of the living.

Sula ate a piece of flattened hash before replying, and when she did she pitched her voice to carry, as
Foote had done. тАЬOh, Martinez and I are old friends,тАЭ she said, тАЬbut my Lord Lieutenant Foote is always
inventing romances for me. ItтАЩs his way of explaining why I wonтАЩt sleep withhim. тАЭ

That one hit: she saw a twitch in FooteтАЩs eyelid. Again the acting captain suppressed a smile. тАЬWell, I
hope youтАЩre saying good things about us,тАЭ he said.

Sula fixed Foote with her green eyes and replied in tone-perfect imitation of his drawl. тАЬMostof you,тАЭ
she said. She took a drink of water. тАЬBy the way,тАЭ she said, тАЬI wonder how Lord Lieutenant Foote comes
to know of my correspondence?тАЭ

тАЬIтАЩm the censor,тАЭ Foote said. His smiling white teeth were perfectly even. тАЬI view every torrid moment
of your outgoing videos.тАЭ

тАЬThereтАЩs still censorship?тАЭ Sula was surprised by the inanity of it. тАЬDoesnтАЩt Foote have better things to
do?тАЭ They crewed a wrecked cruiser, with most of its officers dead, few of its weapons functioning, and
the forward third of the ship a half-melted ruin, torn open to the vacuum of space. Surely one of the few
remaining officers could find better use for his time than poking into her correspondence.

MorgenтАЩs round face took on a solemn caste. тАЬCensorship is more important now than ever, my lady.
WeтАЩve got to keep word of what happened at Magaria from spreading.тАЭ

Sula hastily washed down a piece of flat bread in order to unleash her reply. тАЬSpreading towhom ?тАЭ she
said. тАЬTheenemy ? The enemy knowperfectly well they massacred forty-eight of our ships! They know
we only have six ships left in the Home Fleet, and theyтАЩve got to know theDelhi тАШs a wreck.тАЭ


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 Williams, Walter Jon - [Dead Empire's Fall 02] - The Sundering


Morgen lowered his voice, as if encouraging Sula not to spread this news to the enlisted personnel, who