ComStar compound, Tharkad city,
Tharkad, Donegal Province,
Lyran Alliance
"I'm glad to see you're looking better than you did when the MP's found you." Precenter Martail Davion looked up as Cairo enter the briefing room, "I hear they had to pump your stomach twice to get rid of all the alcohol you'd consumed."
"I never could hold my drink." Cairo sat down without even attempting to salute, "So, why have I been dragged from the stockade?"
"We have a mission that fit's your individual skills perfectly." Davion activated the holo-projector built into the table; a large glob representing Tharkad appeared in mid air, one area highlighted in green, "We may have a slight problem with one of our Generals, Lord Basil Spendlove. He got his rank through his support of my sister, but he's too well connected to simply replace or retire. He thinks he's a tactical genius, but he got his rank through political connections rather than merit." The hologram zoomed into to a topographical map of the equatorial regions, "Spendlove is in charge of the area surrounding the city of Costa Mesa. It's a low-priority zone, but they've been steadily losing ground to Word of Blake. At first we hoped it was just incompetence on Spendlove's part, but we now have reason to believe it's more than that."
"So?" Cairo shrugged, "Relive him of duty."
"I wish we could, but like I said, he's connected." Davion passed over a sheet of paper, "I'm sending the Irregulars to reinforce the Costa Mesa region: it's quite enough that you should be able to get your unit back to full strength, but I want someone down there I can trust."
"You? Trust me?" Cairo laughed, "That's rich!"
"Believe me Colonel, I wish there was someone better qualified I could send, but you're all I've got." The Precenter Martail pulled a small electronic pad from his pocket and pressed a button on the top, "That should disable the surveillance equipment for a while, before they work out it's more than just random interference."
"Nice stocking filler." Cairo examined the device, "Think Woolworth's do them?"
"I doubt it." Davion looked un-amused, "What I am about to say dose not leave this room. You divulge it to anyone and I will not hesitate to have you arrested, tried, convicted and executed for treason."
"You have my attention." Cairo sat up.
"You're a lose cannon Colonel, but right now that's what I need." Davion drew a sheet of paper from inside his jacket and passed it over, "You will destroy this before you leave the room."
"Very cloak and dagger." Cairo scanned the paper, "Operation command authority codas for the Costa Mesa region? What is this?"
"Like I said, it may be more than simple incompetence." Davion sat back in his chair, "If you should find surfactant evidence that General Spendlove is deliberately hindering the defence of his sector, you are to terminate his command and take over yourself until a replacement can be found."
"Terminate his command?" Cairo asked, his eyebrow raised
"With extreme prejudice, if necessary." Davion pulled a cigarette lighter from his pocket and set light to the page containing the operational codes, "We have no time for the lengthy trial Spendlove's arrest would generate, so if you find he is sabotaging the war effort, you have the Archon's permission to take any steps necessary to maintain the integrity of the Costa Mesa region."
"Isn't that a polite way of saying you want me to…" Cairo asked.
"Yes." Davion's gaze never faltered, "It is. If necessary." He turned of the jammer, "Good luck Colonel; you may need it."
To Be Continued…