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

Jack's muscles bunched. He knew instinctively he was not Pepys' boy.
Though, if current memory served, he had sworn allegiance to Regis and
this was Regis' successor. The audience chamber they sat in suddenly felt
crowded, filled with dark and fleeting shadows. Pepys did not seem to
notice them and, as Jack moved involuntarily away from them, they
dissipated. Ghosts, he thought. But whose? "Tell me why we were in
disgrace." And, as he watched a range of emotions move over the emperor's
freckled visage, he knew why the Knights believed in a "Pure" war. The
environment, the planet, must never suffer for the sins of the flesh that
occupied it. Nine months and another Pepys could spring up to take the
place of this one. But there would never be another Milos, or Dorman's
Stand.

"Because you did not keep Milos," Pepys replied smoothly. "And as for
the why—we hope you can tell us. Baadluster, in his capacity as Minister of
War, will be here shortly, and then we'll move to a room where you can be
recorded. You see, you're one of the few living survivors of that battle. The
Thraks moved in so quickly, we have few tapes and documents of what
actually happened." He held up a thin hand. "But you need only tell it
once."

Jack could feel the thin sheen of sweat that had erupted suddenly across
his forehead. They were asking for his nightmare and they would have it. So
be it. What would they give him in exchange? His last few years? He
doubted that. Trust no one, the disk had whispered in his ear. If you would
know the truth, find St. Colin. "Then tell me about the Walker you want me
to find."

"Ah." Pepys shifted in his chair, moving his weight from one hip to the
other and leaning on the opposite arm. "We knew each other well once,
before he became a Walker and went on his missionary way, and then
became a saint. He's a good man and, damn it all, that's the basis of all this
trouble. If he were not, we and the Walkers jockeying for position to replace
him could be rid of him." Pepys grimaced at Jack's expression. "Speaking too
frankly for you?"

Jack felt at a loss. He sensed the layers in the emperor's speech and knew
that this man had reasons upon reasons for everything he did. As for Jack,
he was just a foot soldier. Nothing more, and nothing less. His gut reacted
for him. "A good man is worth the trouble."

Pepys sat upright in his chair. His hair fairly sparked as he ran a hand
through it. Then he grinned as though the joke was upon himself. "Yes, I
guess he is."

"The question would be," Jack added slowly, "why he hasn't come back
on his own."
 "What are you up against? Commander Storm, I think it likely you're up
against nothing less than the Ash-Farel. As recent as your emotions for the