"If anyone has the right to say I told you so...."
"No, General Lopitale. This isn't about blame. Is the President really just going to let them get away with it?"
The General smiled in spite of the gravity of the situation. "They might think so. We're still in the planning stages, but we've got some surprises in store for them. Drug runners are nobody's friend; we've used them before, we'll use them again. And don't believe these Pacific people are as united as they seem. We've contacted some groups angry at Eden. With our help, they'll begin operations.
"It's also openned eyes here. The FBI and BATF have acknowledged their inability to deal with militia movements and other domestic terrorists. Which means professionals like us will be able to clean up this mess and make this country strong.
"How is your project going?"
"Not well. Their engines self-destruct when the planes are shot down. But we've confirmed that they are using some kind open-ended fusion reactor. We've also discoverred some old papers on this subject by an Alan Wright and Verity Kendricks."
"Have you tracked them down?" The general tamped his pipe again.
"Yes. Alan Wright was killed ten years ago. Verity Kendricks is a battalion commander in the Pacific Militia. We dug deeper a discoverred they were connected to Eden. Eden and his girlfriend were hanger-ons to some seventies radicals. The FBIthink they bombed a post office that was already slated for destruction. They disappeared for a decade and then showed up again as university professor and wife. Kendricks, Wright, and his sister Linda Wright were students in one of his political science classes. Eden and Linda Wright started their Pacific Party and eventually got their own state. Linda Wright currently sits on their Executive Council, of which Eden is the chairman.
"Alan Wright and Kendricks seemed to form the technical wing of that party. They published technical papers together including a blueprint for what would become their technical operating sites. Wright was killed in an accident while excavating Tos Claire. Kendricks disappeared after, although Social Security records show her working in Los Angeles. And then she's back. What is it? Do you know something?"
"She flipped out. Maybe women should stay out of the army after all.
Anyway. She quit their army a few days ago on mental illness discharge.
She's interested us. Considerring her past, she should have a more important
role than some colonel. A falling out with Eden? Her instability and animosity
will prove most useful."