Up to the command center, then, to plan the mission. There’s only a couple routes to the naval base that make any sense, one skirting the neighborhood where we had the encounter, one going through a part of it. To skirt it would be easier driving, but more out of the way, use more fuel, fuel that could be put to other use elsewhere. We decide to take that route with little discussion. The estimate is about 6.5 gallons of fuel, about one less of we travel through the neighborhood. To risk a person is worse than risking fuel. We go, we make it fast, we make it back alive.

The next problem comes with the destination itself.

At this point I was confused. Weren’t we going there for a little intel, nothing more?

“Thing about navy boys,” Oleg said, “is they don’t really behave like they used to. This is an isolated base, but they have all the munitions and ships they need for a very long time. That kind of thing, it goes to your head. There is no such thing as command anymore. Their senior officer is all they have to lead them, and all that firepower. And he’s a real prick too. That base is one of the most powerful places in the world right now, with access to things we could only dream of for here.”

Pawel spoke up. “Just watch yourself. You’ll want to be conservative in everything there, every glance and gesture. Don’t provoke anyone, follow orders.”

“Monica isn’t allowed.” Ricardo chided.

She gave him the finger.  ”We had a couple of incidents,” she explained to me.

“Monica, are the vehicles ready?”

“They’ll run fine. Been working on the solar arrays, so they aren’t very fortified.”

“What can you do?” Oleg asked, in all seriousness.

“By tomorrow? Shit. You’re kidding me, right?”

“We need information and alliance immediately.”

“Alliance?” I asked.

“The Navy boys aren’t entirely friendly. They can afford not to be. But they aren’t unfriendly. They’re the playground bully. Every time we go there, it’s a matter of breaking down barriers of diplomacy. So Monica? What can you do?”

“Batteries are low enough, I won’t be able to get much going unless you want to get on the bike all night.”

Pawel jumped up. “I’ll take the first shift.”

“We leave at dawn.”

===

Can I say how much I miss painkillers? Sleeping with broken ribs means you don’t sleep, so much as work to find a comfortable position for a few minutes, doze off out of exhaustion, then wake up from the pain of breathing. Maybe I shouldn’t go. Judgment clouded by pain and sleep deprivation can get you killed.

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