"John G. Hemry - Stark's War 3 - Stark's Crusade" - читать интересную книгу автора (Hemry John G)

Stark’s latest words seemed to amuse the enemy general. “I see. So you are just offering
friendly advice? Why should I pay more attention to you than to the representatives of the U.S.
government? They are paying us handsomely for the use of our facilities. What can you offer in
exchange for my turning down such an opportunity?”

“I’m not offering you anything.”

“Nothing? You bargain poorly. Perhaps you are, what is the American expression, out of
your league?”

“My soldiers are the best combatants on the lunar surface. We’re a helluva lot better at
playing the game up here than your forces are, General, and we’ve proved that more than
once.” The smile vanished from his opponent’s face. “Stirring up a hornet’s nest isn’t in your
best interests. You’d be wise to listen to what I’m telling you.”

“Listen to you? Or you will do… what? You think I am interested in your ‘advice’? Advice
from a mob with no offensive capability?”

“I repeat; we’re not a mob. Maybe we’re not taking orders from authorities on Earth right
now, but we’re still a fully functioning military organization, we’re still dedicated to defending
the American citizens in the Colony here, and I assure you that we have the ability to launch
attacks anywhere, at any time, in support of that mission.”

“Of course you can. Attack our defenses, your fighting spirit against our entrenched
weapons and soldiers. Just as your friends did. What was it called? The Third Division? Before
we ground them into the dust? Have you managed to recover all of their bodies yet?”

Stark’s vision hazed red with anger as the enemy commander mocked the deaths of
thousands. Third Division had been effectively destroyed during the ill-planned and poorly led
offensive that had triggered the mutiny by Stark and the other noncommissioned officers on
the Moon. The disaster had been the final straw after decades of poor leadership on Earth and
years of seemingly endless war on the lunar surface, the final straw for soldiers who believed
they could no longer trust in anyone but themselves. I risked everything to try to save some of the
apes in Third Division, and I’m not gonna listen to some smug, pompous ass make fun of their
sacrifice.

Stark raised one hand, as if pointing a weapon, then plunged it down to break the
communications circuit. The enemy General’s image vanished, leaving Stark’s command
center momentarily silent.

Sergeant Vic Reynolds, Stark’s friend and chief of staff, kept her eyes on the screen for a
moment after it went dark, then glanced over at Stark. “Let’s kick his teeth in.”

“Yeah. Let’s do that.”
 * * *


Shapes moved against the endless night of space. Blunt objects carrying people and cargo,
the convoy of shuttles hung in a ragged formation while a pair of escorting warships herded
them toward the lunar landing field awaiting their arrival. There were wolves among the stars,