"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 03 - Celestial Hit List" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

and a young man with old eyes. Jack shifted, angry but uneasy over being
at odds with his commander.

“He’s the emperor,” Purple said quietly. “The Sand Wars brought down
old Regis, but Pepys is determined not to make the same mistakes. He’ll
talk to you when he’s ready.”

Jack started to say more, but his next words were drowned out by the
noisy arrival of the equipment racks and he turned, almost lovingly, to the
rack which held his own armor, opalescent Flexalinks hanging rigidly from
its hooks.
 The sunlight became fiercer, its reflection arrowing off the equipment as
the Knights suited up.



“We shall demand retribution.”

The ambassador of the Thrakian League lounged on his slant board and
eyed the general pacing in front of him. “You shall do no such thing. If I am
able to obtain an invitation to the ceremonies, you will be expected to show
decorum.”

“Decorum!” General Zlakt halted. His faceted eyes glared at those of his
ambassador. “The being destroys a ship, and we are made chitinless by the
likes of you!”

The ambassador waved an arm. “May I remind you, general, that we
were in the process of annexing a mining colony on the fringe of Dominion
territory. We will not be given a chance to explain our motives. We are
dangerously close to losing the treaty on the basis of your hasty orders.”

“And we are no closer to Lasertown than before.”

“No. And it’s my understanding that the site suffered considerable
damage and is of no use to us anymore, as it is. I’ll not have you
jeopardizing all I’ve worked for these last twenty years because of a
warrior’s rage!” The ambassador sprang up from the slant board, bounding
over to face the Thrakian general.

The two confronted each other, genes of an ambassador opposed to those
of a warrior.

The general made a low, guttering sound from deep within his chitin.
Then he said, “That warrior rage served you well during the Sand Wars.”

“No doubt of that, Zlakt. But the Triad Throne has a new emperor and it
is not likely we can push forward our advances like that again.” Ambassador
Dhurl retreated a step. He swirled the end of his robe about and over his
shoulder. “You may never admit it, but we ambassadors are soldiers of a