2

Daryl Boggs sat in the Command Centre for the weekly logistics briefing with President Coin. The usual group of department heads had gathered around the conference table to discuss the day to day running of District 13. The meeting had run its course and was winding down. Every department needed more than the district could supply. Materials shortages, maintenance priorities, personnel allocations, all were chronic issues with no definitive solutions in sight. Keeping District 13 up and running was a day to day challenge.

Remus Thread, head of External Networks (Supply), was speaking: "Yes, unrest in the districts is at an all-time high, but it lacks co-ordination. As you know, Everdeen's actions in the last Games were perceived as a deliberate challenge to the Capitol's authority, and that has inspired increased agitation. Our agents have encouraged this, but the districts are undisciplined and difficult to direct. The uprising in 8 is a good example: it was premature, and the result predictable. The Capitol's response throughout the country has been draconian, but not unexpected. Peacekeeper vigilance is at an all time high. All of our networks, our supply lines, are suffering. This is why we need more cooperation between, indeed integration of, the supply and the political networks. We need the unity of purpose that can only be achieved through unity of command."

"We are all well aware of your desire to amalgamate the networks," replied the department head for External Networks (Political), "but so long as you rely for supplies on overtly criminal elements, we can't take the risk that your people won't betray our political and intelligence agents simply for their own personal profit... or to save their own personal necks"

Remus' face visibly reddened, and he gripped the briefcase sitting on his lap. He was about to respond when President Coin rapped the table for attention. She surveyed the two department heads. "At this time, I think it is advantageous to have more than one network operating in each district, though there may be some room for a cross-over of responsibilities. We'll leave the subject open for discussion at a later date."

"On a different note." she said, deftly changing the subject, "We have managed to get some information on the quarter quell. We now know that the arena will be shaped like a giant clock, each hourly sector with a unique hazard, and that former Victors will be reaped. This is, of course, classified information."

There was a murmur of surprise and protest from around the table.

"That means Everdeen's going back in."

"That's probably the point: she is the Mockingjay after all." said the political spymaster. "It's a nice touch. Snow is clever."

Remus interjected, "But can we allow that to happen? Look: the Mockingjay came out of nowhere. Who could have anticipated that this girl and that emblem would have such a galvanizing effect? Is it an opportunity we can afford to lose?"

"You know the problem with engineering a rescue from 12. It would trigger a direct confrontation with the Capitol. We don't have the strength to take on the Capitol, nor can we afford a blockade even tighter than that we currently face." said Coin.

"She's not likely to survive a second Games. If the other tributes don't get her, the Capitol is sure to find a way. They're hardly oblivious to the impact she's had." said Boggs.

"We will not provoke the Capitol with an incursion into 12." said Coin.

With no further comments forthcoming, the meeting moved on to other topics. It drew to a close, and the various participants prepared to leave. Remus Thread, the only one with papers on the table, shuffled them together and put them in his briefcase. Most of those present, including Remus, were soon gone, leaving only those few scheduled to attend the subsequent security meeting.

Coin watched him leave, then looked to Boggs. "Remus Thread." she sighed. "What do you think?"

"Obviously, Remus is jockeying for position." he replied. "I suppose it's to be expected. His Capitol conditioning runs deep."

Coin nodded. "He's been very good in his position. He has real management ability in a difficult situation, and there's no denying that the flow of supplies to us from the other districts has improved under his watch."

"But... ?" asked Boggs.

"He's Capitol." said Coin. "All of us here are District 13 born and bred, except for him. And he's here due to circumstances, not because of any kind of personal conviction. I just can't help but feel that he should be kept out of the loop with regard to some of our more classified deliberations."

"There would be obvious efficiencies in amalgamating the external networks,'' she continued (the political department head looked grim), "but our political and military goals hang by a thread."

She chuckled. "I suppose its cruel to say, and uncalled for, but I would not want to see those goals hung by a Thread, if you take my meaning." She gave the others a significant look.

"If you're that distrusting, why leave him in charge of such sensitive operations?"

"Because he delivers." she replied. "But at the present time, I just can't see my way to allow him the necessary security clearance for our military and political councils."

"And where did he get that briefcase?" she added.

There was a general chuckle from around the table, and Boggs said, "I wouldn't have imagined there was one in the whole district."

Coin looked at the agenda displayed on a small screen before her.

"So. Our plan to free the tributes." she said, "Are we still concentrating our efforts on an arena rescue? What have we told our allies in the districts?"

"The most trusted among them are aware of the plan. Some of them are past victors themselves and may end up in the arena."

"Are we agreed that it seems prudent at this time to allow events to take their natural course, and to lay low?"

"At this point, we don't have much choice."

"My understanding is that the most immediate impediment will be the arena's force field. Can it be disabled from within?" asked Coin.

"We're working on that here, and our operatives in District 3 in particular are concentrating their efforts on force field vulnerabilities. Special efforts are being taken to keep in touch with them. Their tributes will be most likely to have the necessary technical expertise." said Boggs.

"It can't be destroyed from with-out?"

The head of Scientific Research and Development spoke up: "According to Plutarch, the field is extraordinarily intense. There are more generators than usual along the circumference, any one of which could support the entire field, though not at its full intended rating. One purpose of so many generators is to supply the power surplus necessary for the lightning strikes planned in the 12 o'clock sector, as well as some other power requirements that are quite without previous precedent. There are maintenance crews on hand and, the military tells us, a sufficient Peacekeeper force to deter attack by Nomes. Military intelligence feels that we might be able to take out a couple of generators, but there would be an overwhelming Capitol response before the job could be completed. Our only hope is that the nature of the field is such that it cannot withstand disruption from within, where an attack on it would be totally unexpected. Can the tributes cause a disruption on a scale sufficient to trigger a cascade of failures and bring the whole thing down? Current thinking is that it may be possible. We can use the power of the arena against itself."

Silence pervaded the room.

"I wonder if there's any way to rig the Reaping?" mused Coin. "Can we be confident that at least some of the Victors reaped will be supportive of our cause?"

"Undoubtedly," said the spymaster. "and we can bounce the business of rigging tribute selections off Plutarch. The whole business of reaping Victors is sure to be very unpopular, most of all with them. Some are already on our side. Others will cross over. Once the tributes have been selected, we hope that between them and their mentors, our plans can be firmed up. A lot of it will be done on the fly."

"Katniss, however, is not in on the plan and, so far, she's the only one we can be certain will be there." said Boggs.

"Well, isn't that how this whole plan got started?"

"It's just that it looks so grim for her."

"It doesn't look good for any of them. It never does. It will be useful if we can rescue Ms Everdeen," said Coin, "but not essential. I favor an emphasis on saving the Melark boy. Much of Ms Everdeen's popularity stems from his input, and he seems to have a native talent for public persuasion. Ms Everdeen's death would preclude her saying or doing anything that might lessen the Mockingjay's impact, while simultaneously creating an unassailable martyr. The Melark boy's obviously smitten with her. Grief fuelled eulogizing might be just what we need."

"It's all moot if we can't disable the force field."

"We'll cross that bridge when and if we come to it."

The meeting moved on to other topics.