"Michael Stackpole "The Bacta War"" - читать интересную книгу автора

Isard waved their exchange away. "No matter-any gains they made in your absence
would vanish when your return."
"Leaving the Virulence here would prevent even minimal gains." Drysso stroked
his goatee. "While I have the utmost respect for and confidence in Captain
Varrscha, her ship is not required on this mission."
"Nor is it required to safeguard Thyferra." Isard smiled slowly. "I have the
Thyferran Home Defense Corps to ward off the Rogues, if they do what you say
they will. What few of them the THDC allows to survive will be useless to the
Ashern rebels. We can easily hold out for twelve or twenty-four hours-whatever
it takes for your return. And the Viru-lence will be going with you to guarantee
your return. Ait Convarion made the mistake you are making in underesti-mating
Antilles. Convarion paid for his arrogance with his life."
Drysso accepted Isard's warning without a flicker of re-action. "I assure you,
Madam Director, the Lusankya will return from Yag'Dhul victorious."
"I trust this will be the case, Captain Drysso, otherwise you'll have no reason
to return here at all." Isard nodded solemnly. "You will find the consequences
of failure most disagreeable."
Isard shifted her attention to Captain Varrscha and Vorru waited for the
Virulence's commander to collapse. "Captain Varrscha, you understand the mission
as it has been given to you?"
"Yes, ma'am. The Virulence is to offer all aid and assis-tance to the Lusankya
to complete its mission. I will execute Captain Drysso's orders instantly."
"Ah, I see." Isard's eyes narrowed. "You have served as Captain Drysso's
subordinate officer for years now, yes?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Following his orders is admirable, but what would you do if you thought he was
making a mistake?"
"I don't understand the question, ma'am."
Anger curled its way through Isard's voice. "Are you ca-pable of taking the
initiative, Captain? If the Lusankya were suddenly faced with a threat, could
you act to head that threat off without an order from Captain Drysso?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Very good, Captain." Isard strolled over to where the other woman stood, her
voice dropping to the level of a growled whisper. "Understand this: The Lusankya
is more valuable than you or your ship. Its preservation is vital for our
continued success here at Thyferra. You will do whatever you must to see to it
that the ship returns here. Captain Drysso may consider your presence to be that
of an observer, but I consider you a shield between the Lusankya and disas-ter."
Isard spun away from her and addressed all three of the individuals in the room.
"If Antilles knows we are coming, he will have something prepared to oppose us.
Even if he has not anticipated us, I do not think he will be helpless. He will
be desperate, and desperation can inspire people to great feats of heroism. In
desperation there is danger for our forces, so you must be careful. If your
victory costs us too much, we could be in jeopardy."
Drysso's face became a resolute mask. "Victory will be mine, Madam Director."
"Those are famous last words, Captain Drysso." Isard snorted derisively. "Do
your best to see you do not join the teeming mass of failures for whom those
were the last words."
Iella Wessiri snapped the trigger assembly for her blaster car-bine back into
place and tightened the bolt to secure it. She picked up a power pack to slam it