God's Dogs

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

Sun Tzu

The intelligence revealed that the government was a mishmash of duly elected senators offset by a bureaucracy run by royal appointees. The senate had passed laws to fix the economy, but those laws were administered by a bureaucracy ruled by royal appointees that were reluctant to upset the status quo of unearned privilege, old money making more money through interest on loans, or returns on investment. In short, they were afraid they might have to work for a living if things changed too much.

The people, some three billion, lived on a temperate world consisting of three major continents, several archipelagos, with half of the world covered in oceans. The asteroid fields held substantial mineral wealth, so that the destructive industries bypassed Svenwold in favor of space-based mining, smelting, and manufacturing. The world, as a result, boasted pristine forests, rivers, mountains, and wetlands.

Fully half the population worked in space on month-on month-off schedules, while the other half worked in agriculture, education, retail, money management, and other industries. There existed both an underclass and organized crime, but before the recession, Svenwold was a good place to live, work, raise a family, and enjoy life.

It was clear that leadership had failed these people, and the people knew it.

Quinn also knew the League Navy would oppose the Empire in space when their ships arrived. The League would make a stand here, and a fleet was assembling already, but the situation on the ground had to support the efforts in space. The worse-case scenario would be for the population to pass a referendum welcoming the Empire as a protected world. Hence the real need for a Coyote team.

The next day, they were in a large briefing room with the dozen SpecOps members assigned to them. They were finalizing the first phase of an evolving plan. Quinn was speaking.

“We approach each of the five CEOs on the same day, give our presentations, and respond to the Empire agents that are on site or show up later.”

The colonel responded, “You’re sure those agents will react.”

“Pretty sure,” Quinn replied. “It’s too close to their end game for them not to.”

Moss added, “The League figures Empire ships will be here within sixty days.”

“Okay.” The colonel sighed. “We’ll support this plan. The agents’ response is the unknown we’ll have to adapt to.”

A sergeant spoke up, “A few of the senators are looking to put together regional committees to address the economic problems. I think we need to support those efforts and get the rebel CEOs onboard with reforms. Otherwise we just push this problem down the road.”

A lieutenant agreed, “Our intelligence people would support that agenda, colonel.”

The colonel said, “I’ll see to it we reach out to those senators. Maybe we can provide them with secure places for their meetings with the CEOs we can convert.”

Another sergeant down the table spoke up, “Wouldn’t that be taken as somehow subversive?”

The colonel nodded his head as he considered his response. “Well, our oaths are to the people not the royalty. I can see we might be splitting hairs with the logic, but I don’t think helping senators come up with a solution to a constitutional crisis is subversive.”

Pax leaned forward and asked, “How much power does the senate have to address a constitutional crisis?”

“It doesn’t have enough power to do so by itself,” the colonel replied heavily. “What I think the senate will do is push for a referendum.”

“Like the empire’s people were planning,” the lieutenant said.

Pax smiled. “Steal their thunder, then.”

“Yeah,” the lieutenant smiled back.

Quinn cut in, “Then we need to clarify our position in this. We are supposedly a military solution, not a political solution. Even so, military action is an extension of politics. We’ll supply the senate’s committee on reform with these CEOs, assuming they agree, and take down as much of the enemy’s infrastructure as we can. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes,” the colonel said after those of his people at the table nodded their affirmatives.

The next morning, the operation kicked off. The SpecOps people set up perimeters at the five locations they knew the CEOs were located. Quinn’s team would visit each in turn.

Dressed in their light armor with their helmets retracted and carrying only side arms, the team marched into the first target, a high-rise office building. They began stunning Empire agents as they worked their way to the CEOs office. Quinn and Pax entered the office with their helmets still retracted. River and Moss guarded the entrance with their helmets now active.

The CEO was a hefty man with gravitas. He sat placidly at an ornate desk flanked by three agents.

Quickly stunning the agents, Quinn and Pax approached the confused CEO, and Quinn dropped a folder on the desk.

“You can’t do that,” the CEO blustered.

“We’re Coyotes,” Quinn informed him. “Laws don’t apply to us. Read the file. You jumped in bed with the wrong people.”

“I did my due diligence,” the CEO countered. “The Empire allows for self-governance.”

“You didn’t check the fine print. This file documents all the various civil rights, humanitarian, and economic violations the League is aware of. In short, once the revolution is over, so are you. You’ll disappear and the emperor will appoint your replacement.”

“I don’t believe it.”

“You’ll be lucky to survive the day,” Quinn continued. “Especially now that they know a Coyote team is involved.”

Then they turned to leave.

The CEO called out, “Wait.”

Quinn stopped, but Pax continued to the door.

The CEO said, “If what you say is true, then I need protection.”

“Not my problem.”

“What are my options?”

“Your state senator is convening a committee to introduce changes in how things are done around here. It’s in a secure location. I suggest you give him a call.”

“I will.”

“Before these agents recover from the effects of being stunned.”

“I’ll follow you out.”

He grabbed his jacket, the folder on the desk, and followed the team out. As they prepared to exit the building, they met with a reinforced rebel squad running down the street and trucks arriving with more troops.

The team laid down a barrage to force the rebels to cover. Then they retreated into the building, shielding the CEO.

The SpecOps people waited for the rebels to begin their advance on the building. When they made it inside the kill zone, the soldiers opened fire on the rebel’s rear and both flanks. It was over quick.

Quinn left the CEO to the SpecOps people. The team hopped onto their shuttle and headed for the next stop on their list.

At the final location, they met stiffer resistance, but the element of surprise was still working for them. This time when they left, they brought along two captive agents for Pax to question.

The CEOs joined the senators’ working committee for government reform. Over the next few weeks, the momentum to force a referendum welcoming the Empire stalled. Instead, a different referendum was being drafted that would change the structure of the executive branch – which included the king, queen, and their cronies – opening it up to more scrutiny by the senate and more accountability to the people.

Media outlets, talk shows, and formal debates pushed the reform movement, and the referendum began to take shape. Within two weeks, the rebellion stalled as well. Except, of course, actions provoked by the Empire’s agents.

Pax found out there were about 2000 agents on Svenwold. They recruited and trained another 5000 locals to create a cell network for terrorist activity, training guerrilla fighters, and people to organize rallies in support of the revolution.

Pax also found out the grand finale was to disrupt as much infrastructure as they could in a coordinated attack timed with the arrival of the Empire fleet.

“We need to prevent the order going out to start the attack,” Quinn said to the others in the briefing room once Pax relayed his findings.

“How?” the colonel asked.

“We need to locate their field headquarters.”

Pax said, “The captives only know where their own HQ is. They did know the main HQ was somewhere on the big continent – Fjordland.”

“Probably in the major city, Jutcom,” Foxworthy commented. “We have a presence there. I’ll have someone capture an agent we can interview.”

“It will be too late,” Quinn grumbled. “A better idea would be to harden as many targets worldwide that you can. You should also alert your disaster response people and get them ready to deploy. We’ll also have to figure out which target the agents will go after themselves. We know from their past takeovers they will hit a strategic target.”

The colonel shook his head. “We don’t know which target they consider strategic. I’d guess they would go after the energy grid, but it could be the spaceports.”

Pax said, “Get me a couple of agents, and I’ll see what I can find out.”

Later that day, they flew down to Jutcom so Pax could interview the captive agent. The shuttle landed at the military base on the outskirts of the city. The interrogation took place at the military police station.

Pax did find out where the main agent HQ was, but the captured agent didn’t know the strategic target the Empire forces would attack.

“Looks like we get to raid the HQ after all,” Moss smiled.

They were in a conference room in the police station. With them was a SpecOps sergeant, Brad Bjornson. He was a swarthy, muscular man, barrel-chested and battle hardened. He offered, “We can handle that assignment.”

“How are your computer guys?” Quinn asked.

The sergeant grimaced. “Probably not as good as yours.”

“How about we hit the HQ and secure their command center,” Quinn said. “Then your guys come in and make sure we don’t get run over.”

“Sounds good. When?”

“Tomorrow at 0300.”

“We’ll be there.”

The team dropped on the roof of a warehouse complex near the HQ, worked their way over to the correct building, silenced the rooftop security, and entered the building. After eliminating a few booby traps, they found the command center.

After stunning the on-duty officer, River got to work in the computer net that the stunned duty officer hadn’t had time to lock down.

Quinn called in Sgt. Bjornson. He entered from the ground floor. Since River had deactivated all the security systems, his two squads secured fifty agents with little trouble. He decided he liked working with Coyotes after all.

River also disabled the command codes to initiate a general insurrection, downloaded the rebel and agent information, identified the targeted infrastructure, then she changed the passwords and access channels.

Sgt. Bjornson showed up as they finished. He smiled at them. “Pretty slick operation. Now what?”

Moss eyed him. “You’ve got the bad guys taken care of?”

“Sure do.”

“Well, you’ll need a forensic computer crew in here,” River said, “to go through all this data. I think the whole operation is right here. I'm sure they have backup sites somewhere, but that won't matter once you use this information to tear apart their organization.”

“What about you guys?” the sergeant asked and sat on a desk.

Moss grinned. “I think we’re done. You can have the pleasure of cleaning up your world now. And we’re sorry if you felt we stepped on your turf.”

The sergeant chuckled. “You did step on our turf, but you didn’t piss on it. We’re good with you guys.”

About then, others from the sergeant’s team showed up, and they got hold of the local constabulary to arrange for their forensic people. The team spent the rest of the day going over the data with the locals. Then they headed back to the space station to hand a copy of the data over to League Intelligence.

The next day, back in dress uniforms, they met with the king and queen. A new lieutenant with a squad of six soldiers escorted them to the same operations room.

On the way, Quinn asked, “How’s Lieutenant Branson?”

“Recovering. Something about a lacerated solar plexus.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Quinn said ambiguously.

The lieutenant shrugged and led them through the double doors to the busy throne room. Once again they marched up to the dais, and the lieutenant announced the team. They saluted and waited for the royal couple to acknowledge them.

The queen was first to rise and approach them. She stepped from the dais and spoke.

“After the League chases off the Empire fleet, we’ll have things back to normal. Thanks for your contribution.”

“It’s not going back to normal, I’m afraid,” Quinn said.

That caught the king’s ear and he strode toward them. “What do you mean?”

“The CEOs that bankrolled the rebellion came onside with the promise they would help draft a referendum to change the constitution. It looks like the crony system is finished.”

“What?” the queen exclaimed. “They are rebels, traitors to the throne. They will be shot.”

“Read your Sun Tzu,” Moss spoke up. “It’s a good primer for governance.”

Quinn said, “The rebels have legitimate grievances that the senators are addressing. The media have been following the story. I’m surprised you don’t know about it. Your bureaucracy dropped the ball many times over. The system needs to change.”

“We didn’t contract you for that,” the king said. “You’re a military force not a political one.”

Quinn smiled. “As Moss said, ‘Read your Sun Tzu.’ Ending the rebellion is what we were after. We succeeded.”

Then the team turned as a group and left the room – the lieutenant and his squad hurrying after them.