"Charles Ingrid - The Sand Wars 06 - Challenge Met" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingrid Charles)

green gaze of the imperial eyes.

He approached the man in the chair, came to a halt, and saluted smartly.
There was a hard knot of pain on his right rib cage, where a burl of scar
tissue reminded him of a newly healed wound. Old man, he thought. You
didn't take very good care of our body.

Pepys looked up at him, an appraising expression on his tilted face. "At
ease, Commander," he said.

It took a moment for former Lieutenant Storm to realize he'd achieved
promotion in his lost years. He relaxed. The knot of pain slowly unraveled
itself and went away after one or two jolts as he breathed. He'd been told
he'd tackled a man in full dress battle armor with nothing but his hands.
There are old soldiers, and bold soldiers, but no old, bold soldiers, he thought as
Pepys stood up and trailed away, evidently expecting Jack to follow.

The privacy cubicle was barely large enough to hold a table and two
chairs. There were white cup circle rings on the empty top. Pepys dropped
into the larger chair, curling into it with the wiry grace of a small man. Jack
took a look around before taking the second chair.

The emperor gave a little smile. "Old habits die hard."
 "Habits?"

He waved a hand at the room. "No security in here. White sound screens
up… no recording but our own fallible memories."

Jack felt uncomfortable. He had been searching for equipment, a reflex as
unthought of as a sneeze or a yawn. Who had taught him to do such a
thing?

Pepys patted the tabletop. "I'm told you've absolutely no memory of the
last seven or eight years."

"I'm told the same thing," Jack answered wryly.

"Too bad. In the past you've worked both for me and—perhaps saying
against me is too strong—for yourself. You must have thought it was worth
it if you took the risk. As for myself, I'm pleased to be able to welcome you
back into a time when the Knights have been not only resurrected but
redeemed. There was a twenty year period when there was shame instead
of glory—"

Jack said nothing though the sudden tension in Pepys' languid form told
him the emperor expected a reply. He had no memory with which to judge.
"I'm told I have you to thank for that."

Pepys' intense gaze flickered a little. "Told, but not necessarily accepted.
What can I say to put you at ease, my boy?"