"William R. Forstchen & Ben Ohlander - Wing Commander 05 - The Price of Freedom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Forstchen William R)

Seether felt the adrenaline drain away as he squeezed his trigger and saw the last Arrow disintegrate into
atoms. The pilot, with squadron leaders markings on hisfighters tail assembly, had been passably good.
He would have felt a more enduring respect for his opponent, except the Confed pilot was dead. He had
no respect for the dead. Death was the ultimate failure, and he could not abide failure.

Drake Threes face appeared on his comm-screen."Target area sterile," she said, "no signals and no
pods. The last transport is attempting Mayday." She glanced downward a moment."Jamming successful."

Seether nodded and cut her off. "Drake One to Drake flight—standby for test procedure." He brought
his ship around in a tight arc and began his attack run on the sole remaining transport. The pigboat
wallowed from side to side, trying to evade his ship. He narrowed his eyes as he closed on the ship. "I'm
lighting the 'flash-pak.'" He flipped the safety cover off a special firing button and poised his thumb over
it.

The transport filled his forward view, growing larger and larger until he could see the rusted surface
details. The transport's single gun sputtered at him ineffectually.

He held his attack run to the last possible instant,then mashed the firing key. He immediately felt the
difference in the ship as the thin, convex disc was ejected from his bay. Small thrusters located along its
edge gave it ballistic stabilization as it spun and latched onto the transport's hull.

Seether pulled the control yoke back, kicking in his maneuvering thrusters as he swept in a tight turn
around the waist of the transport. He emerged above the disc just as it began to vibrate and shimmer.
The whole transport visibly shook as surface components ruptured and detached under the strain
imposed by the disc. He held his position as theAshiri Mara shook and rumbled. A violent flash of
oxygen and explosive fuels burst out of the hole in the ship's hull and exploded. A second fireball, then a
third emerged as the ship's interior spaces detonated in sequence. The final blast loomed over the
stricken ship's side like a malevolent flower. When it faded, only theAshiri Maru's outer hullremained, a
charred and scorched husk.

Seether recorded the ship's death on his gun camera. He chuckled, the sound like dice rolling in a cup as
he cued Drake Two's channel. "I'd call that a successful 'test,' wouldn't you?" He didn't wait for a
response. He reoriented his ship towards the hulk and launched a conventional grappling mine. He
watched the weapon tumbling towards the wreck a moment, then hit his "All Call" as he ghosted in after
the falling mine.

"Seether to Drakes.Come about to course three-one-zero, Z minus twenty and stand by."

The mine hit the hulk and detonated. Seether whipped his ship around in time to catch the blast on his
rear shields, just as he hit his afterburners. He let the blast propel him forward, accelerating him towards
his waiting wingmates. The adrenaline faded, leaving him cold. He used the mine-drop and afterburner
trick to test himself, probing himself for fear the way he might test a loose tooth with his tongue. He
prodded himself, satisfied with the results. No fear.

"Cloak on my command," he ordered."Now."

The four unmarked, black fighters vanished, leaving behind only the hulks and the dead.
 Chapter One
James Taggart, Assembly Master of the Confederation Senate, retired brigadier, and ex-spy, looked up