The security side of business is somewhat more complex. There, the cost benefit analysis isn't so clear. It's all about risk analysis. What's the chances of a given scenario happening? How much will it cost to defend against it? How much damage will it do if it happens? Which is more economical: accepting a risk and paying for the consequences, or spending the coin to keep it from happening in the first place?
From our vantage point overlooking what amounted to an abandoned industrial park, it appeared the company that had stolen the AR3's had chosen to skimp a little on physical security. Given the planet's situation, they'd been making a safe bet. If I hadn't taken an interest in the theft, chances were they could have gone out here for months, if not years, with no one being the wiser. "Catch the attention of a Dragon" was probably not listed on their contingency plans.
Niki and I had been keeping up surveillance for several days, getting to know the routine of the bored-looking guards and the limits of the perimeter security fencing. We knew where they had the cameras, where the blind spots were, where they parked the stolen AR3 and, it appeared, the two knockoff's they'd partially completed. We'd also, rather, I'd also, jacked into the communications system undetected, giving us everything we needed.
They did most of their mobility testing at night, away from prying eyes. They'd even done some live fire with the machine's on-board weapon systems, figuring, correctly, that even the auto-cannon wouldn't be heard in the nearest settlement some 50 kilometers away.
"So, what's the plan? The real plan. Besides finding the rig."
I hadn't been keeping Niki from my plans, so much as working out details as the information came in. "Overall? We go in, take the rig. Use it to secure the facility, then transport the rig off-world. You, obviously, drive the rig. Details? Still working out a few specifics. I'm still debating how to handle these Corpers. Other then that, our transport is inbound for Highgate, about 18 hours out. An AR3's obviously too big to lift out of here in the Matagi, and the Corvette's on station doing comms relay for us, so I ordered up some help."
Niki gave me 'that' look, frowning slightly. Smart lady. Intel and Black Ops experience. She knew there were things I'd left out.
"Not sure why we're doing this, rather than calling in a Commando unit to hit this place with a couple drop ships. Unless . . ." She let her voice trail off for a minute, looking at me with those intense, dark, eyes, before finally saying what she'd probably been thinking the whole time. "Unless you've got no intention of giving it back, or even telling SpecOps you found it. Steal the rig from the people that stole it. Question is, what're you gonna do with it when we're done here?"
Part of me wanted to laugh. She was right, of course. I wasn't giving it back to the ADG or letting SpecOps know we'd recovered it. "Question is, what are you going to do with it after we're done, Niki. I'm not qualified to drive it. But no, we're not giving it back, and I'm not telling them we have it. I've got my reasons and I'll explain them on the boost out of here. But I'm going to ask you to trust me on this, ok? I know your reputation and I respect it. I just need you to trust me until we can get the rig out of here."
She just looked at me for a long moment. I could almost see the gears turning over as she decided whether or not to keep trusting me and whether she could take me if she decided this was all a bad idea. "Our deal holds, Niki. You can walk. Now, if you want. No coercion, no threats. I don't play that way. We do this recovery, I'll read you into the rest of it. After that, you don't want to play along any more, you can still walk. Hell. If you don't agree at that point, we can hard land the rig into a rock somewhere and make sure no one gets it. So you still in?"
"I'm in. I think you're crazy. But I'm in."
Plans come together
Crazy is as crazy does
All for a good cause
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