Дэвид Вебер: Mission of Honor

"Such as?" Elizabeth asked slowly, eyes slitted in concentration.

"I understand your missile production facilities have been taken off-line," Pritchart said. "Tom here tells me you've undoubtedly got enough of those ungodly super missiles in your magazines to thoroughly kick the ass of this Filareta if he really insists on following his orders. But that's going to cut into your reserves, and given that the Alignment managed to rip the hell out of your home system, I think it would be a good idea for you to conserve as much ammunition as you can in hopes we'll find someone a bit better suited to playing the role of target."

"And?" Elizabeth's eyes were opening wider in speculation.

"Well, it just happens that Thomas here has a modest little fleet—two or three hundred of the wall, I believe—waiting approximately eight hours from Trevor's Star in hyper. If you're willing to trust us in Manticoran space, perhaps we could help you encourage Filareta to see reason. And while I'm well aware our hardware isn't as good as yours , every indication I've seen is that it's one hell of a lot better than anything the Sollies have."

"Are you offering me a military alliance against the Solarian League? " Elizabeth asked very carefully.

"If McBryde was right, there isn't going to be much of a Solarian League very much longer," Pritchart replied grimly. "And given the fact that the same bunch of murderous bastards who shot up your home system are also directly responsible for you and I having killed a couple of million of our own people, I think we could say we have a certain commonality of interest where they're concerned. And it's not a case of selfless altruism on my part, you know. We're both on the Alignment's list. Don't you think it would be sort of stupid of either of us to let the other one go down and leave us all alone?"

Brown eyes and topaz met across a table littered with the remnants of breakfast, and it was very, very quiet.

"We're still going to have those problems, you know," Elizabeth said almost conversationally after a moment. "All those people on both sides who don't like each other. All that legacy of suspicion."

"Of course." Pritchart nodded.

"And then there's the little matter of figuring out where this Alignment's real headquarters is, and who else is fronting for it, and what other weapons it has, and where else it has programmed assassins tucked away, and exactly what it's got in mind for the Republic once the Star Empire's been polished off."

"True."

"And, now that I think about it, there's the question of how we're going to rebuild our capabilities here, and how much technology sharing—and how quickly—we can convince our separate navies and our allies to put up with. You know there's going to be heel-dragging and tantrum-throwing the minute I start suggesting anything like that!"

"I'm sure there will."

The two women looked at one another, and then, slowly, both of them began to smile.

"What the hell," Elizabeth Winton said. "I've always liked a good challenge."

She extended her hand across the table.

Pritchart took it.

Abercrombie, Sir Tyler

Home Secretary, Star Kingdom of Manticore.

Abrioux, Special Senior Inspector Danielle

one of Kevin Usher's top investigators, Federal Investigation Agency, Republic of Haven.

Adenauer, Commander Dominica Adenauer, Royal Manticoran Navy

operations officer, Tenth Fleet.

Adriopoulos, Commander Alexandros, Royal Manticoran Navy

commodore James Tanner's chief of staff.

Agnelli, Chief Steward Joanna, Royal Manticoran Navy

Sir Aivars Terekhov's personal steward.

Alexander, The Honorable William

Baron Grantville, Prime Minister of the Star Empire of Manticore; Hamish Alexander-Harrington's younger brother.

Alexander-Harrington, Admiral Hamish

Earl of White Haven; First Lord of Admiralty; husband of Emily and Honor Alexander-Harrington.

Alexander-Harrington, Admiral Lady Dame Honor, Royal Manticoran Navy, Grayson Space Navy

Duchess and Steadholder Harrington; CO, Eighth Fleet. Life of Hamish and Emily Alexander-Harrington. Special envoy to the Republic of Haven.

Alexander-Harrington, Lady Emily

Countess of White Haven; wife of Hamish and Honor Alexander-Harrington.

Alquezar, Joachim

Prime Minister, Talbott Quadrant.

Anisimovna, Aldona

senior operative for Mesan Strategy Council and Mesan Alignment.

Armstrong, Captain Veronica ("Vicki"), Royal Manticoran Navy

CO, HMS Artemis; Admiral Michelle Henke's flag captain.

Atkins, Corporal Joshua, Harrington Steadholder's Guard

one of Honor Alexander-Harrington's personal armsmen.

Attunga, Marguerite

a reporter for Manticoran News Service, Incorporated.

Bardasano, Isabel

Jessyk Combine cadet board member and senior director Mesan Alignment security services.

Barloi, Henrietta

Secretary of Technology, Republic of Haven.

Bautista, Vice Admiral Pйpй, Solarian League Navy

Fleet Admiral Sandra Crandall's chief of staff.

Beauprй, Lieutenant (JG) Andre, Republic of Haven Navy

Admiral Thomas Theisman's personal shuttle pilot.

Belardinelli, Antoine

President Eloise Pritchart's senior secretary.

Berkeley, Lieutenant (SG) Anthony, Royal Manticoran Navy

assigned Manufacturing and Prototyping Command, HMSS Weyland.

Billingsley, Master Steward Chris, Royal Manticoran Navy

Michelle Henke's personal steward.

Blackett, Sergeant Luke, Harrington Steadholder's Guard

James Harrington's personal armsman.

Blaine, Vice Admiral Jessup, Royal Manticoran Navy

CO, Links Terminus Home Fleet detachment.

Boisvin, Lieutenant Йdouard, Royal Manticoran Navy

XO, HMS Stevedore.

Boltitz, Helga

Henri Krietzmann's personal aide.

Borderwijk, Captain Alenka, Republic of Haven Navy

Admiral Thomas Theisman's senior aide.

Bouchard, Lieutenant Commander Jerod, Royal Manticoran Navy

astrogator, HMS Artemis.

Bourchier, Senator Ninon

Senator, Republic of Haven; Constitutional Progressive Party.

Brantley, Lieutenant Commander Harper, Royal Manticoran Navy

communications officer, Eighth Fleet.

Brigham, Commodore of Mercedes, Grayson Space Navy

Admiral Honor Alexander-Harrington's chief of staff, Eighth Fleet.

Browne, Commander Ishmael, Solarian League Navy

XO, SLNS Joseph Buckley.

Cabeзadas, Jennifer

John and Laura Cabeзadas' older daughter.

Cabeзadas, John

a tourist passing through HMSS Hephaestus with his family.

Cabeзadas, Laura

John Cabeзadas' wife.

Cabeзadas, Miguel

John and Laura Cabeзadas' son.

Cabeзadas, Serafina

John and Laura Cabeзadas' infant daughter.

Cachat, Special Officer Victor