L ily projected holographs of the first, then the second, and finally the third sap above the table Kris Longknife's key staff were seated around.
"The same skill set," Megan said. "The same gear and technique. The same supports for the tunnels. We're looking at one group that likely intends to blow up all three walls of the palace at the same time."
"Unless we can sprout rotors back onto the castle," Jack growled, "this entire place is going down when the walls go up."
Kris Longknife shook her head. "Maybe I shouldn't have brought the children out here," she muttered.
"No way I'd want this an unaccompanied tour," Abby drawled.
"Me neither," Amanda added.
"You pay your money, child, and you take your chances," Great Gramma Trouble spoke from the experience of her hundred and thirty years.
"Besides," Jack said, "it's not like these squids have actually pulled this crap off on us. Someone's going to regret this very, very badly."
Kris scowled. "Yeah, but who is that someone? If we kill these diggers, we won't know anything about who has them digging. Even if we capture them, more than likely, they'll suicide like the last four we captured."
"What if we play a waiting game?" Grampa Trouble asked. "We've spotted the saps. We keep an eye on them, while keeping an eye out for any new ones. Maybe we find the hole where they started these digs from and put some nano spies around them to track who comes to talk to these guys or to trail them around. Sooner or later they're bound to find something."
"That sounds like solid detective work," Kris said. "It would be a good job for our Wardhaven Bureau of Investigation's special agents Taylor Foile and Leslie Chu. I bet they've been bored as hell."
"I'll get a note to them immediately," Nelly said.
"Bring them into the intel stream we're getting from all the major clan venues," Kris said. "Abby, unless you've got a whole lot on your plate running this place, I'd like you and the agents to head up that task force."
"No problem. I’ve got good people under me. They can take over the housekeeping chores and I'll dust off my spy gear, right Mata Hari?"
"It will be such good fun to be back in the game," Abby's computer agreed.
Kris Longknife fixed eyes on her cousin, Megan. "We'll need you to keep an eye on those saps. If they carry so much as a single kilo of explosives into them, we blow the tunnels."
"Yes, ma'am," Megan said. "How?"
Jack grinned at Kris. "Sounds like old home week," he told his wife and admiral.
"Fuel air explosive, again?" Kris asked her husband and general.
"Oh, right," Megan said. "The way you blew up the space station above Tarantic."
"I blew up the shipyard," Kris said, primly. "The rest of the space station just kind of followed it down."
"Yeah, right," Jack muttered.
"There is a problem," Megan said. "You noticed the way they're misting the face of the sap."
"So, we flood the place with gas fumes farther back," Grampa Trouble said. "Especially if they've got a few hundred kilos of explosives well back in the tunnel, the overpressure will take care of the diggers and blow out the walls of the tunnel."
That got a lot of nods from around the table. Once again, Megan heard a gulping noise from beside her. No doubt, Walt had never been around when Longknifes solved problems. She'd have to give him some time to debrief after this meeting.
That might be fun, actually.
"Meanwhile, Meg," Kris said, "Once you've got everything rigged to blow the tunnels if we have to, I want you and your friend here to go back to getting us access to the Iteeche data net. We need to see if we can strip information out of that thing. Maybe even a few good communications."
Kris stood up. "We need information. The Iteeche Empire has been a deep, dark mystery for way too long. Folks, lets strip the covers off this den of thieves and let sunlight in to disinfect this sewer."
Kris's demand was met with murmurs and nods of agreement. "Now, it's getting on near suppertime and my fanny has been tied up in meetings all day. I want to have supper with my kids and run them ragged so they'll sleep tonight. I sincerely hope you do not have any more business for us."
No one dared say a word.
They adjourned and headed for the commissary.