Темное, кривое зеркало. Том 3 : След на песке.(ЛП)

Their tactics are seemingly without rhyme or reason. There is no logical pattern to their choice of targets. Of this I am certain. The worlds that have come under fire so far have no distinguishing characteristics. There is no progression from one area to another; no discernible goal; no readily ascertainable purpose.

The respected representatives from the other clans will no doubt regard this as inadequacy on my part, and far be it from me to presume to compare myself to the wisdom of such people, but if I may reach above myself for a moment, I believe I have a theory.

None of us has been able to discern an overall strategy to the actions of the race we have dubbed 'Shadows'. We know that they are not a haphazard race in general, because when it comes to a direct engagement there are clear, well-defined tactics and very precise attack formations. They have tactics, they merely lack a strategy.

I believe their strategy is nothing but the spreading of chaos. They exist to create fear in our minds, to disrupt and damage, but not to destroy.

My lords, I do not think they want us dead. On the contrary, they want us alive, but…. directed in some way. They want us to panic, to blame each other for our lack of skill, to sow doubt and dissension. Their reasons for this, alas, I have not been able to determine, but then I am just a simple warrior and such things are doubtless beyond me. Perhaps the revered Shalma Drekenn may be able to enlighten me.

What is clear is that they have some purpose for us, and I for one have no intention of letting them accomplish it….

An excerpt from A Report upon the War, by Parlonn, Warleader of the Fire Wings clan, presented before the Gathering of Fanes in the city of Tuzanor, in the third year of the last great Shadow War.

[This report was declared highly seditious in light of Parlonn's later actions and was sealed in the Great Archives in Yedor following the conclusion of the war. All copies were lost when the Library was destroyed by human bombardment in the Earth Year 2259.]

* * *

They came from nowhere, simply appearing, shimmering into view. There were three of them, black and sinister, shadows against the night sky.

The crew of the two Drazi ships knew full well what they were, and they were not afraid. Perhaps these…. mysterious aliens had been able to defeat the Brakiri expeditionary force sent out against them, but what could you expect from Brakiri anyway? This crew were Drazi, and they were true warriors. After all, hadn't they fought these…. Shadows already? At Epsilon 3. They had survived that, and they would survive this.

The first Sunhawk was sliced in pieces by the first Shadow ship. Its crew died without the chance even to scream. The other soared forward, firing its forward ion cannons. The Shadow dodged the blast effortlessly and rose above the warship.

An instant later, the second Sunhawk was gone.