"L. E. Modesitt - The Ecolitan Institute 01 - Ecologic Envoy" - читать интересную книгу автора (Modesitt L E)

Ministry's teams, indicates that only Accord has a capability sophisticated enough to develop and deploy
individualized weapons--"

"Was this really a weapon?" snapped a senior Fleet Admiral.

"Admiral," answered the Commodore, "have you ever run across a swamp fever virus that killed an entire room full
of people within a unit or two, simultaneously? At the same time when two armed security guards were killed by
hand?"

The silence dragged out. Finally, the Commodore turned back to the Grand Admiral.

"That brings up the hand-to-hand ability. We might have a dozen men with the ability to disable a pair of
two-meter-tall armed guards in seconds. Several other terrorist groups might have a handful spread across the Empire.
None of us have anyone with that ability also immune to swamp fever, mutated or not, or with the ability to walk
through a crowded restaurant into a private dining room and assassinate twenty people and then leave without even
being noticed."

"Not even noticed?"

"Not so far as we can determine." The Admiral surveyed the faces again. "You might ask why this all points to
Accord. I'll tell you. What the Commodore has not said is that all members of the Institute are either naturally immune
or immunized against swamp fever and a number of other fast-acting diseases. He also has not mentioned that the
Ecolitan Institute maintains the most intensive hand-to-hand combat training in the civilized worlds, along with a
special corps that is little more than a crack terrorist unit." . "Can we prove any of this?"

"That's not the point. Accord wanted to send us a message. They sent it, and we've received it. It doesn't change a
thing. Single individuals, no matter how gifted, cannot stop the massed force of history that we will bring to bear."

The Admiral frowned slightly after finishing the declaration, then touched the control console. The holo star map
and the wall charts vanished.

"We can't wait for another set of elections on Hernando, not with this kind of a challenge. How soon can we go with
Plan B?"

The Commodore cleared his throat. "That's already underway, but the flagship won't be ready for about three,
standard months--"

"See if you can make two." The Commodore nodded.

The Admiral touched the amber stud, and the security screens winked off. "Adjourned."



...V...



Restinal paused outside the open door. "Come in, Werlin. Come on in." Restinal didn't recognize the voice, but it was
apparent from the cheerful tone of the invitation that the speaker. recognized him.