"William Forstchen - Wing Commander 3 - Fleet Action" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

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Fleet Action by William
Forstchen
PROLOGUE
"According to the final calculations projected on your holo screens, I
think it is evident that over the next eighty days we run the risk of a
serious reversal that could set our war effort back by years."

A rumble of stunned and angry growls shook the room. Baron Jukaga
settled back in his chair and waited for the storm to settle.

"This is preposterous, an insult," Talmak of the Sutaghi clan snapped,
looking around the room as if seeking to find someone to blame and thus
sacrifice. "How did we ever get to this state? Our fleets are the finest, our
warriors filled with the zeal of skabak, the will to die for the glory of
Kilrah. By the blood of Sivar, we even outnumber the low born scum in
nearly every class of ship. How did this happen!" and as he finished he
slammed his fist down on his holo projector, shattering it, as if by so doing
the grim figures would simply die.

Baron Jukaga of the Ki'ra clan silently turned in his chair and looked to
the end of the table where the Emperor, and his grandson and heir Prince
Thrakhath, sat.

"Perhaps our Emperor can enlighten us," Jukaga said silkily, lowering
his head just enough to show obeisance, but doing it slowly, thus subtly
revealing a disdain and defiance. The Emperor, of course, was not visible
to those in the room. Sitting upon his high throne he was hidden from
direct view by a silklike screen emblazoned with the three crossed red
swords of the Imperial line. Sitting at the foot of the dais was Prince
Thrakhath, who shifted slightly under Jukaga's gaze, a soft yet audible
growl echoing from his throat as a signal of his readiness to accept
challenge, and also in reaction to the insult of directly placing a question
to the Emperor.

Baron Jukaga struggled to conceal a flashing of teeth, a revealing of his
true hatred for this Emperor whom he believed to be of lesser blood and
who had attempted to place the blame for the disaster at Vukar Tag on his
shoulders.

He had endured over a year in exile because of that disaster. It was only
due to the latest reversals that the other clans had finally pressed for his
release and use of his known talents as one who better than most