Unfinished Business

Chapter Nineteen

“This is going to make winning the War look like a quick game of go,” the Brigadier said with a sigh. “If I had to apply to the High Command for permission and resources, like I did in the old days, I wouldn’t even try it. Luckily, as a bandit kingpin and underground cell leader, I’m a little less restricted in my operations.” He surveyed the lecture room where nearly a hundred volunteers associated with the rescue had been gathered.

“As you may have heard, all of our preliminary operations were successful, to some degree or another. We have the tools now to plan the rescue in detail. We have as much intel as we’re going to get. I think we also have the manpower. So let’s start breaking this down.”

The Brigadier crossed to tag the holographic schematic of the Suri Madron, and it floated in the air behind him with helpful bits of data displaying all around it in different colors. Then he promptly ignored it. “The existence of the Suri Madron has become an embarrassment to the current government, in the wake of the Miranda Affair. As I’m certain you have heard, there is widespread dissatisfaction with the Unity Party in the Alliance Parliament that runs from outraged editorials in the Central worlds to riots and near-insurrection on the Rim. The caretaker government is struggling to hold on to the reigns of power even as it tries to answer the outcry for accountability. The opposition is poised for a strong attack in the next election. The party stalwarts are regrouping and throwing the responsible parties to the wolves. Corporate shake-ups are happening daily. It’s a real gorram mess.

“Which means that someone, eventually, is going to want to investigate the Pax. Where it came from, who was responsible, that sort of thing. Which will lead them to the Suri Madron. In fact, the Public Policy Oversight Committee has even authorized an inspection of the facility, though they cannot agree on who should do the inspection. There is another faction wit