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

position for herself.
Isard remained standing just inside the hatchway and stared at Convarion. "Your
discovery of the deception con-cerning the freighters was impressive,
Commander."
"Thank you, but it was no more than should be expected from any of our
personnel. I chose to wait for all of my ships to be away because the Rebels
used the tactic of mis jumping ships in the case of the bacta convoy that
Warlord Zsinj am-bushed at Alderaan. I had to assume that same tactic might be
used again. Because of Corrupter's speed, I could arrive in synch with my ships
at their destination even if I delayed leaving. I had my navigators plot the
outbound vectors for my ships and noticed three were off course. We plotted
possi-ble stopping points along that route and proceeded after them. It was a
fairly basic pursuit operation."
Irritation flared in Isard's molten left eye. "And destroy-ing the Alazhi, was
that no less than I should expect from our personnel?"
"As I explained in my report-"
"As you lied in your report." Isard's eyes narrowed. "Analysis of your ship's
data records show your gunners opened fire three seconds after reversion. A
signal went out to Alazhi five seconds after reversion, and the volley of shots
that destroyed Alazhi came eight seconds after reversion. You chose to shoot
regardless of their response."
Convarion's face constricted, pulling flesh taut over his cheekbones. "I shot in
response to contingencies I had
worked out prior to our arrival. Alazhi was alone, which meant the other ships
had already been captured and moved. Alazhi had been disarmed and damaged.
Because it was sur-rounded by hostile snubfighters and was moving in
conjunc-tion with them, I had to assume it was under their control. I was aware
of your policy of punishing collaborators, and I chose to implement it
immediately. Punishment delayed is punishment stripped of connection with the
crime that trig-gered it. While Xucphra Alazhi's crew will not have a chance to
learn from their mistake, other crew of other ships know the policy is not an
idle threat."
"So you chose to implement a policy without asking my permission?"
Convarion nodded. "I did."
"And you are prepared to take full responsibility for do-ing so?"
A slight hesitation marked Convarion's reply. "I am."
The down-turned corners of Isard's mouth rose. "Then you will execute the
families of those crewmen on the Alazhi. We brought them with us in the
shuttle."
Color drained from Convarion's face. "If that is your wish."
"What I wish, Captain Convarion, matters not." Isard strode toward him and
plucked the rank cylinder from the right side of Convarion's tunic. "What I
order is all that mat-ters. What initiative you take must be within your mission
parameters, it must not exceed them. Do you understand me?"
The naval man nodded, but Vorru detected a stiffness to his motion signifying
resistance. Elements of the Imperial mil-itary had never accepted Isard's de
facto running of the gov-ernment, which was why many of them
proclaimed themselves Warlords and created their own little empires.
Those who had remained loyal, either to her or the concept of the Empire, still
could bristle when she gave orders.