Rover Strike: Vortex

Episode 16: Turning The Tide

By Gerhard Naudé

All Rover Strike names © Gerhard Naudé
All Road Rovers names © Warner Brothers and rightful owners
Buford's Collie Squadron © Robert Baer Jr.

Any question, comments, complaints, feedback or suggestions can be 
sent to gnaude_@hotmail.com.

Gathering Site
Yuli County, Xingjian Province
People's Republic of China
27 January
20:01 PM:

This is a collection of tents by the Tarim River's banks, located among
some trees in the semi-arid area. There are dozens of sapiens, almost all
of them creatures native to China and all of them armed with a variety of
weapons with no exceptions. They are gathered in clusters around large
bonfires. One of the sapiens, a giant Panda, comes up and calls to the
others.

Panda(Mandarin):"Come, fellow warriors! Mister F is about to make his
                 speech."

Almost immediately they all follow the Panda and gather around a radio
set up on a chair. They take their seats in front of the radio while the
Panda adjusts the frequency. He then takes his seat as the voice of
Mister F comes over the speakers.

Mister F(Mandarin):"Fellow freedom fighters of the supposed People's
        Republic of China. I say supposed because it has been proven
        that 'people' here means 'exclusively human'."

One sapien, a tiger who clearly had too much drink, balls his fist in
the air.

Tiger(Mandarin, drunken):"Down with China... hic!"

His companion slaps his hard against the back of the head. The tiger
then pipes down to hear the rest of the speech.

Mister F(Mandarin):"You have seen first paw what the humans leaders in
        Beijing have done. They have reduced you all to fifth-class
        citizens, in some cases little more than slaves with fancy titles
        around your necks."

There is angry grumbling in the crowd.

Mister F(Mandarin):"But that will all soon change! The global rebellion
        against our human oppressors has begun! Even now, our brothers
        in the Elite Guard are waging a war of righteous liberation
        against one of the darlings of China's so-called anti-mutant
        establishment, Adriaan Vorster!"

A cheer goes up in the crowd.

Mister F(Mandarin):"Already the Elite Guard's bravery has inspired other
         liberators in countries around the world to rise up against
         the human scum! Especially in China, where many freedom fighters
         have begun to rise up, ready to challenge the illegal authority
         of the communist human regime!"

Cheers go up from the listening crowd.

Mister F(Mandarin):"I leave you now with this message: Do not be intimi-
        dated by the paper tigers posing as governments and superpowers.
        For our time has come to overthrow our human overlords! Gather
        your compatriots, arm yourselves and prepare for the great up-
        rising after the hairless ones! For victory will soon be upon
        us! Down with humanity!"

The crowd cheers again, shouting "down with humanity", as the radio mes-
sage ends. Some of them fire their rifles into the air.

Studio
Wardrome
Moving Along N1 Highway, Limpopo Province
Republic of South Africa
At That Moment:

The studio is a room filled with all kind of broadcasting equipment and
stuff found in film studios. There are cameras, floodlights, computers,
make-up accessories, mixing equipment and radio microphones. Wolf-sapien
technicians and film crews operate the equipment. The chief radio producer
is looking at Franco, who is seated by a powerful microphone.

Producer:"And we are off the air, Supreme General."

Franco grins as he leans back.

Franco:"Another fine speech."

Producer:"And another perfect broadcast. And the Chinese have still not
          been able to block the signal, either."

Franco:"At this point it is like a plugging a leaking dam with a finger.
        Even if they do block the signal, the damage has been done."

He gets up and walks over to the film set, where it has been set up like
a television interview studio. Two chairs sit on either side of a small
table in front of a green screen. The one chair is lit up, but the other
is shrouded in complete darkness. In the lit-up chair is Melanie Malloy,
dressed in a business suit and holding some papers. She watches as Franco
sits down in the dark chair, several make-up artists gathering around him.
The wolf general looks at Melanie.

Franco:"Are you ready, Miss Malloy?"

Melanie:"You really think you can get away with this horse s***?"

Franco:"My, what language. And to answer your question, yes. I can, I 
        have and I will."

The film producer comes up to Franco, holding a clipboard.

Producer:"We're ready for the live internet broadcast."

Franco:"And those special interest groups?"

Producer:"Their websites stand ready to receive your anti-mutant inter-
          view."

Franco:"Good."

Melanie:"How do you think you can send a message to groups that clearly
         hate your kind?"

Producer:"All it takes is the proper lighting, some make-up and the right
          camera angles, and they wouldn't know the difference."

Franco:"That's right. Plus they will be too strung up with emotion to
        use their minds anyway."

Melanie:"And I'm supposed to hold this interview with you?"

Franco:"That's right."

Melanie:"Says who?"

Franco points behind Melanie. She glances back and sees a squad of grin-
ning Alpha Soldiers cradling their rifles.

Franco:"Says them. And before you get any ideas about that 'sacrificing
        yourself for the greater good' thing, remember that if you try
        to mess with me your compatriot dies as well."

Melanie looks at Samuel Knowles, who is seated behind one camera and is
clearly unnerved by the situation they are in. She sighs.

Melanie:"Point taken."

Franco grins wickedly.

Franco:"You are as clever as you claim to be."

Producer:"One minute, everyone!"

Everyone gets ready for the live interview to the anti-mutant groups on
the internet.

Briefing Room
Road Rover Mission Control
United States of America
28 January
8:03 AM:

A conference is underway in the briefing room. The Master, Striker and
a few other base Rovers are seated around the briefing table. On the
screens are live footage from the Pentagon and the United Nations. 
Cadwell and Norwood appear respectively on these screens.

Master:"Right now the Elite Guard is moving south. It's making good
        progress and the South Africans cannot muster enough resistance
        to halt this army's advance. The Vorster government is trying
        to bring its army in Namibia to the frontlines, but that is
        being hampered by sporadic attacks by the Sapien Liberation
        Army."

Norwood:"What about your Road Rovers, Professor?"

Master:"I have them investigating where Franco is getting all these
        minerals and ores from as well as probing for any weak spots
        in the three Elite Guard brigades. But they cannot confront the
        Elite Guard without an international force behind them."

Cadwell:"Which we cannot get because every world leader is too busy 
         yelling at each other. We got a carrier strike force in inter-
         national waters near South Africa, but we cannot move in without
         making the Chinese, Vorster's biggest allies, lose their s***.
         Meanwhile the Chinese have a force sitting in Madagascar, but
         they're also stuck because they know the US congress and public
         would go bezerk if they tried to intervene."

Norwood:"The United Nations is completely paralyzed now, and Franco keeps
         pumping his insidious propaganda to both sides. What's worse, the
         world markets are in a tailspin. Stock prices are plummeting
         while precious metal prices are going through the clouds."

That last line makes Striker sit up and think quickly. He then snaps his
fingers.

Striker:"That's it! That is why he is attacking South Africa!"

Everyone looks at Striker.

Master:"You know the reason, Striker?"

Striker nods his head.

Striker:"Ja, I do know now after Mark mentioned the market prices."

Cadwell:"Well please inform us because you seem to be in the light while
         the rest of us are in the dark."

Striker looks around at everyone.

Striker:"Eerste. KH Military, GONV, Spider Cartel, Mayhem Mercenaries,
         Elite Guard. One of them lacks something the others have. What
         is it?"

Everyone else frown as they think. Striker then answers anyway.

Striker:"Financial footing. The KH Military gets funding from Malcolm
         Industries, as does the Mayhem Mercenaries from the European 
         Corporation. The Spider Cartel gets its funds from the massive
         illegal drug market. And the GONV is self-sufficient and doesn't
         really need money to operate. But the Elite Guard does not have
         such a luxury as far as we know."

Norwood then realizes what Striker is saying.

Norwood:"Of course! Without money it cannot launch major campaigns on a
         global scale like the other factions. And by invading South
         Africa he not only drives up the price of metals but he can
         loot it and sell it on international markets for a big profit."

Striker:"Even more if he sells on the black market. And South Africa is
         rich in minerals and is the leading producer of some the minerals
         we have seen the Elite Guard smuggling out."

Master:"So this way they can fill their coffers while at the same time
        damaging the global economy."

Cadwell shakes his head and holds up one hand.

Cadwell:"Hold on! If he needed money why doesn't he just rob banks, steal
         funds via the internet or engage in piracy? The entire invasion
         looks too complex for a simple robbery and far less discreet."

Striker:"That is where the tweede point comes in, major. Our successes
         against the other four factions were, in some ways, due to the
         international support we could muster to fight them. The Road
         Rovers would not have won the Colombian War and Techno War
         without the aid of the United Nations. And international support
         aided in our efforts against the Spider Cartel and the merce-
         naries too. Franco seems to have realized this and has launched
         this campaign of racism and hatred between the pro-sapien and
         anti-mutant camps to prevent an international coalition from
         being formed against the Elite Guard. Not just for this current
         invasion, but also for any of his future plots."

Master:"So this means this plot of his is simply a means of launching
        the Elite Guard into the big leagues of global villains."

Striker:"That's right, Master."

Striker then looks at Norwood and sighs.

Striker:"Mark, we were completely wrong about Franco during our EDF years.
         He is still a brutal savage, but beneath the madness he is no
         idiot. He is a brilliant military and political genius. If he
         was like this back in 1979 the world we know now would not be
         here today."

Norwood:"I completely agree. This Franco has surprised me over and over
         again. He isn't half the bumpkin I thought he was. I guess this
         is why he became the KH Military leader in the first place. And
         it also makes him much more dangerous than before."

Striker:"Presies, Mark. And if he can get Elite Guard to the same level
         as the KH Military or the other factions, then I'm afraid the
         future looks bleak."

Norwood nods somberly.

Cadwell:"Okay, so we have figured out what the reasons are for Franco's
         South African adventure. But that brings us no closer to
         finding a way to stop him."

The Master shakes his head, thinking.

Master:"No, I think it does."

Cadwell looks at the Master.

Cadwell:"If you got something then I'm all ears, professor."

Master:"I think we now have located Franco's Achilles Heel: all those
        convoys carrying the stolen minerals out of South Africa. We
        know they are undefended, probably because the Elite Guard never
        thought that some like this Miss D would tell us about them. So
        I tell my Rovers to begin attacking the convoys as well as their
        drop-off and pick-up points it would disrupt Franco's plans."

Cadwell:"To me that sounds like a tick biting an elephant."

Master:"Yes, but even a tick bite can become dangerous if left untreated.
        Franco is making us dance to his tune, so by attacking this vital
        part of his operations we will force him to dance to ours. He
        will be forced to draw some of his invading armies away from the
        frontlines to the defense of this chain."

Striker:"That would certainly force changes upon Franco's original battle
         plans and his time table."

Cadwell:"That won't stop his invasion."

Master:"No, but it would slow him down and buy us time to find a way to
        stop him."

Striker:"It will also buy time for the South African army to get out of
         Namibia and into the Transvaal region, either by slowing down
         the Elite Guard or forcing them to use the SLA to protect the
         convoys instead of harassing the SANDF."

Norwood thinks.

Norwood:"It isn't much, but it is certainly a good start. It's better
         than just sitting around and watching Franco succeed."

Cadwell:"I don't see any other options, either. Unless this Miss D of
         yours pulls another rabbit out of her hat."

Master:"I hope she does. In the meantime we will have to make do with
        what we have. I will order my Rovers to go for Franco's mineral
        convoys and see what happens."

Striker:"I hope it does have an effect on Franco's plans. If it does
         not, then we are in very serious trouble."

Everyone else nods in grim agreement.

Briefing Room
Jumbo Rover
Windhoek
Namibia
6:03 PM:

All the Rover units are gathered in the briefing room. Hunter is up
on the podium, while the unit leaders sit in front with the rest of
their team members behind them. On the big screen is a map of the
southern African region showing Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and
northern South Africa. Red markers and lines are scattered all across
the map. Hunter looks at the Rovers.

Hunter:"Okay, everyone. We got some fresh orders straight from the Master.
        So listen up and pay attention."

Everyone's attention is now on Hunter as he turns to the map, holding a
long baton in his paws.

Hunter:"Okay, these markers here show the locations of all the Elite
        Guard's loading sites for the minerals they are smuggling out of
        South Africa. They also show which mines they have captured and
        are busy looting. The red lines are the routes of the convoys
        transporting the stolen goods."

Everyone takes note of the markers. Hunter continues.

Hunter:"The Masters believes th Elite Guard's mineral smuggling operation
        is one of the big reasons behind this invasion. They need money
        to finance their operations while at the same time giving the
        global economy a kick to the tail."

There is grumbling amongst the Rovers. Hunter continues again, a grin on
his face.

Hunter:"However, thanks to our mysterious Miss D we know where the
        Elite Guard is moving the stuff and loading them up. More impor-
        tantly, we know they are poorly defended because Franco probably
        didn't expect us to find out about. Now that we know, it's time
        for us to be kicking some tail."

Smiles and grins appear among the audience as well.

Hunter:"Here's what we're gonna do. We're going to attack the Elite
        Guard-controlled mines, convoys and transport ships. Each team
        has a specific target assigned to them. It's noted on the papers
        for the unit leaders."

The unit leaders examine the folders they were given, taking notes of
their targets. Hunter elaborates.

Hunter:"Here's how each team will approach the targets. Those who will
        target the mines will have to destroy the mining equipment and
        and collapse the tunnels to keep the Elite Guard from looting
        them further. The teams going for the convoys will need to
        destroy the vehicles and render them useless. Don't bother to
        try and recover the cargo. They're too heavy, but see if you
        can dispose of it in some way, if possible. The last group of
        teams will attack the freighters and cargo planes at the
        loading points. These will be the toughest missions since the
        ships and planes are better defended. Their jobs will be to
        sink the freighters and down the airplanes or damage them
        enough to be of little use to the Elite Guard. Again, don't
        brother with the cargo if you can't dispose of it."

The Rovers nod and the unit leaders take down notes.

Hunter:"The folders will give you your targets and their locations.
        We will use the cover night to surprise the bad guys. And be
        sure to grab any nuggets of important information or files
        from commanding officers. Any questions?"

Hunter looks around, but nobody asks any questions. Hunter nods and
smiles.

Hunter:"Cool! Let's hit the road, Rovers!"

Most of the Rovers howl. Those who don't wince from the loud sound of
all the howls. The various units begin to file out of the room.

Chromite Mine
Limpopo Province
South Africa
21:07 PM:

This is one of the chromite mines owned by the company Samancor in the
country, but it has fallen to the Elite Guard. Flags bearing the Elite
Guard insignia fly over the many structures and buildings that make up
the mine. Large piles of rock lie near conveyor machines that carry
the ore from large mining machines. Other heavy equipment such as diggers
and heavy trucks are parked near the foreman trailers. A set of large
buildings mark the location of the workers tenements. Everywhere there
is Elite Guard soldiers on guard duty, although a few are keeping watch
over the few human workers who are busy loading the Elite Guard trucks
with the chromite. The entire operation is lit up by dozens of lights,
ranging from small bulbs to large floodlights. Beyond the lights under
the cover of darkness, the Road Rovers are creeping towards the mine.
Colleen is scanning the mine with special binoculars.

Colleen:"Quite an operation these Elite Guard blokes have here."

Hunter:"What do you see, Colleen?"

Colleen:"I can see soldiers forcing the mine's workers to work for them.
         They're loading the chromite onto their trucks."

Hunter:"Are there workers in the mines?"

Colleen:"Doesn't look like it. There are no lights and the elevators
         are closed, but I can't say with absolute certainty that there
         is anybody down there."

Hunter:"Any heavy weaponry about?"

Colleen:"None, Huntie. Seems the Elite Guard is satisfied defending the
         mine with just the grunts."

Hunter:"Cool! Okay, here's the plan."

The Rovers gather closer to listen to Hunter's plan.

Hunter:"First, we need to get the civilians out of here. They're probably
        being held in their living quarters, so I want Shag to dig a
        tunnel from outside the perimeter all the way to the quarters."

Exile:"But comrade, some of those workers might not likeski us cano-sapiens.
       If they see Shag, they might go cuckoo clock."

Shag mumbles in agreement, looking a little worried.

Hunter:"Don't worry. I've thought that out before. Shag will just dig the
        tunnel and create the opening in the quarters, then toss a letter
        saying a friend is helping them escape. They should figure it out
        from there without risking Shag or raising the alarm by mistake.
        Sound good, bud?"

Shag nods his head and pulls out a pen and paper from his fur. As starts
to write on it Hunter continues explaining his plan.

Hunter:"I'll run into the mining area and do some circles around the bad
        guys to draw their attention. While they're distracted the rest
        of you move in. Blitz, you will run and free the remaining workers
        loading the trucks. And pop their tires while you're at it."

Blitz grins, rubbing his paws together.

Blitz:"There will be much biting and wailing."

Hunter:"Uh... okay. Exile, you go in and use your heat rays to sabotage
        the mining equipment and machines."

Exile:"Dokey okey, comrade."

Hunter:"Colleen, go to the mine entrances and blow up the shafts."

Colleen:"Will do, Huntie Wuntie."

Hunter:"Good. Let's go kick some tail, Road Rovers."

They all split up and make their way around the mining site, staying in
the dark. Shag crawls to a spot close to the worker dormitories, then
begins to dig. It doesn't take long for Shag to dig a good tunnel and
leave a heap of dirt by the hole. After a few minutes he comes to right
under the dormitories. The sheepdog digs upward until he hits the concrete
floor. Shag reaches into his fur and pulls out a drill and face mask.
He puts on the mask, then prepares to start the drill. Above him, a large
group of workers were lying in their bunks. Suddenly one of them hears
something under the ground. He springs up and looks to the centre of
their room. He can see cracks forming in the concrete. He turns to the
others and speaks in a loud whisper.

Worker 1:"Hey! There is something happening here! Wake up!"

The others who are awake spring to their feet and look at the cracks,
while those who are sleeping wake from the noise. Soon the workers are
gathered around the spot, where the cracks have become very noticeable.
Finally the cracked floor gives wall and collapses, forming a hole. The
workers look curiously at the hole.

Worker 2:"Hello? Who's there?"

Worker 3:"Ssssh! Quiet! The guards might hear."

The workers approach the hole cautiously. An object flies out of the
hole and lands at the feet of one worker. The worker picks up it and
sees it is a letter in an envelope.

Worker 4:"It looks like a letter."

Worker 2:"What does it say?"

The worker opens the envelope and takes out the folded paper. He unfolds
it and looks at the letter in the faint light.

Worker 4(reading):"This tunnel will lead to freedom. Get in and follow
        it out, then run away from the mine. Signed, a friend."

The workers look at each, then at the hole.

Worker 1:"Should we take tunnel?"

Worker 3:"I don't know..."

The workers look hesitantly between themselves and the hole. Finally a
worker goes to the hole and begins to climb in.

Worker 5:"If this tunnel leads out of here I'm taking my chances. I am
          not spending another minute with the mutant thugs outside."

The other workers decide to follow suit. One by one they enter the hole
while getting their co-workers from the other rooms. Back outside at
the other end, Shag is putting up a sign with an arrow pointing away
from the mine. He then goes to a nearby bush and takes cover. Shag waits
and watches until the first worker appears, followed by friends. Very
soon the workers make a beeline into the darkness, guided by the sign.
Shag then radios Hunter with his collar.

Shag(into radio):"Rhunther! Rha rhoohers rhare rheaving."

Hiding behind a rock near the main gate of the mining site, Hunter gets
Shag's radio call.

Hunter(into radio):"Thanks, Shag. Now it's my turn."

Hunter stands up, then takes a quick look at the gate. Several Alpha
Soldiers are on duty at the gate. Hunter then comes out from behind the
rock and runs super fast to the guards. He appears right next to one
soldiers.

Hunter:"Heya, guys! How's it wagging?"

The startled soldiers look at Hunter.

Soldier 1:"What the...? Who are you? Are you with the SLA?"

Hunter acts as if he is thinking, then nods his head.

Hunter:"Yeah, you could say that."

This calms the soldiers, though they are looking very annoyed.

Soldier 1:"You SLA people can't leave us alone. We already told you to 
           refer all messages to either generals Seneschal or Diehard."

Hunter:"What? Can't Franco take calls?"

Soldier 1:"You know perfectly well you can't contact him directly because
           he is leading the invasion and is too busy for you lot."

One of the other soldiers looks at Hunter's armor and sees the logo on
the retriever's belt.

Soldier 2:"Hey, he's a liar! He's not SLA! He's a Road Rover! Raise the
           alarm!"

Hunter:"Lookatthetime!Gottago!Bye!"

Hunter takes off and runs super fast into the mining area, leaving a
trail of fire in his wake. The gate soldiers open fire on him but they
miss completely while one of them hits a button that sets off a siren.
In a matter of seconds the entire garrison is on alert and running to
their posts. Hunter dodges between the building, equipment and soldiers
while avoiding heavy fire. With all the attention on Hunter, the others
move in. Blitz bites his way through the fence, then creeps on the
heap of chromite that is being loaded up. The workers there have been
forced into a tight group while Alpha Soldiers guard them. However, their
attention is on Hunter and thus do not see Blitz coming up from behind
the mine heap. He locks his sights on the rear of a nearby soldier.

Blitz:"Let the biting begin!"

The Doberman runs up and bites the soldier's butt. The wolf-sapien lets
out a loud scream and drops his rifle, startling his companions.

Soldier:"AAAAH! MY A**!!!"

Blitz tears off the seat of his pants, leaving a pair of gaping hopes.
The soldier runs away, yelping in pain. The others try to react, but
Blitz is quickly upon on them and bites off the gun barrels of their 
AK-47s. They then try to reach for their pistols, but Blitz pounces them
before they can do it. He quickly bites several rears in succession,
causing the wolves to yelp and yipe in pain and run around grabbing
their backsides. The remain Alphas lose their nerve at the sight of the
snarling Doberman and break ranks. Blitz watches them go.

Blitz:"Yah, that is right. You keep running, girlie wolves!"

He then turns to the workers, who are huddled together in terror at the
sight of Blitz.

Blitz:"You may go now. You're free."

But the workers refuse to even more, paralyzed with fear. Blitz growls.

Blitz:"Run now, or I bite you!"

To emphasize his point he snarls and bares his fangs and claws. The
workers get the point immediately and make a mad dash for the hole in
the fence. Blitz watches as they all flee into the darkness, then turns
to the trucks. He examines the wheels.

Blitz:"I wonder if this will count for my 1,000 tooshies? These are
       rear wheels and since I bite rears, biting these wheels should
       count."

Blitz goes up to one truck and takes a bite from its one rear wheel.
He rips off a chunk of rubber, causing the wheel to become as flat as a
pig's nose. He makes a face and spits out the rubber piece.

Blitz:"Yuck! These tooshies taste dirty!"

Blitz decides to use his claws instead to vandalize the trucks' wheels.
Meanwhile, Exile uses his eye beams to melt a hole at his side of the
mining fence and goes through. He sneaks up to the large compressors,
cutters, ore crushers and conveyor belts that make up part of the mine's
operations. He can see that nobody is guarding them.

Exile:"Timeski to make things heat up."

The husky goes the conveyor belts and fires his heat beam at the gears
turning the belts. The gears turn red from the heat, and then melt. The
belts come to a halt. Exile then goes to the compressors and heats them
up as well. The machines turn red, then explode as the compressed air
bursts through the weakened metal skin. Exile backs off from the blown
compressors.

Exile:"Ah. As my comrades would say, the machineski is full of air that
       is hot."

He chuckles at his joke, then turns to the other machines as goes about
sabotaging them. In short order he brings the crushers and sorters to
a halt by melting their critical components. The husky then moves on
to go after the bulldozers, tractors and trucks. Meanwhile Colleen sneaks
her way to the mine shaft entrances, performing punches and kicks to
any Elite Guard soldier who spots her nearby. She comes to one shaft
where a pair of Alphas are standing guard and fully alert. The collie
creeps as close as she can, then jumps out of cover and runs towards the
two soldiers.

Colleen:"Time to let these get a good kick!"

The surprised soldiers spot Colleen and try to aim their rifles at her.
But before they can draw a bead Colleen jumps into the air.

Colleen:"Ban Ki Moon!"

Both of Colleen's feet land square on the soldiers' chests, knocking the
air out of their lungs. The soldiers drop to their knees, wheezing and
gasping. Colleen springs to her feet and grabs one soldier by the ears,
making the wolf winch in pain.

Colleen:"All right, guv. I got some questions and I want you to answer
         it."

Soldier(in pain):"I'm not talking!"

Colleen:"Is there anyone down inside the mines?"

Soldier(in pain):"S**** you!"

Colleen:"Okay. Time to play rough."

Colleen kicks the wolf's legs out from under him, making him drop to
the ground on his stomach. The collie puts one foot down on his back to
keep him pinned, then reaches down to grab his nose. She pulls on it,
making the soldier yelp in pain.

Colleen:"Got your nose."

Soldier(in pain):"Let go! You're hurting me!"

The other soldier recovers and sees what is going on. He tries to grab
his pistol, but Colleen punches him in the face.

Colleen:"Oi! I'm in no mood for a threesome, guv. Sorry."

She turns back to the soldier under her foot and pulls even harder on 
his nose.

Colleen:"Answer me, guv, or you'll be sniffing with your mouth."

Soldier(in pain):"No, no! The mines are empty! There is no one there!"

Colleen:"You sure? You're not lying, are you?"

Soldier(in pain):"No, I swear it is true!"

Colleen(smiling):"Good."

Colleen releases his nose, then punches his head into the ground to
knock him out cold.

Colleen:"Thank you for your help, mate."

With the guards neutralized, Colleen runs over to the elevators that lead
down into the shafts. She opens all the gates to each lift, then takes
out a number of bone-shaped grenades. The collie goes to one lift,
activates a grenade, throws it in and then hits the descend button. She
then repeats the process with the other lifts in rapid succession. The
elevators head down the shafts, carrying the beeping explosives. Colleen
runs away and takes shelter behind a barrel. Moments later there is a
series of blasts from the shafts as the grenades explode, blasting the
lifts apart and causing the shafts to collapse and block up with debris.
Colleen stands up and wipes her paws.

Colleen:"That should put them out of business for a while."

The damage now done, Colleen, Exile and Blitz quickly make themselves
scarce and leave the mining area. Shag watches as the last few workers
come out of his tunnel and run into the darkness. The Rovers then radio
Hunter, who is still running literal circles around the Elite Guard
troops.

Colleen(into radio):"Shafts are now out of commission."

Exile(into radio):"All mining machines are now kaput, comrade."

Blitz(into radio):"Workers freed, tires popped and tooshies all bitten."

Shag(into radio):"Rhall rhe rhorhers rhare rhree!"

Hunter(over radio):"Excellent work, everyone! Regroup back at the Sonic
      Rover ASAP!"

Hunter keeps running to allow time for the others to get away safely.
Deciding enough time has gone by, he runs super fast to an Elite Guard
captain and puts his arm around the wolf.

Hunter:"Sorry about having to run so soon, but I got other appointments.
        You've been really great hosts!"

The wolf-sapien captain is furious and red with rage.

Captain:"You son of a-"

Hunter takes off again, running out the gate and on the road leading
from the mine, leaving only a trail of fire and the destruction wrought
upon the mine's operations.

Mineral Convoy
Near Mozambique/Zimbabwe Border
Mozambique
23:25 PM:

Another line of Elite Guard trucks carrying their illegal cargo is making
its way along an unmarked route to its destination. The headlights pierce
the almost pitch-black darkness of the night. Above in the sky the Stealth
Rover is hovering silently and invisibly over the trucks. Inside the dimly
lit cockpit Elexis and Tanarus are at the flight controls. Tanarus is
piloting while Elexis is monitoring the convoy via an infra-red camera.

Elexis:"Just as we thought. The convoy is following the same route as the
        previous one. No sign of any different routes or deviations."

Tanarus:"They're over-confident, still thinking we don't know about this
         operation. It makes it easier for us to stop them, too."

Elexis:"So do we make our bomb run?"

Tanarus:"Let me first hear from Phoenix if they are in position."

Elexis nods and uses the radio on the control panel before her to call
Phoenix.

Elexis(into com):"This is Stealth Rover. Are you guys in position?"

Phoenix(over com):"We're in position a short distance ahead of the convoy.
       You can go ahead with the bomb run."

Elexis(into com):"Roger that. Starting bomb run."

Elexis turns off the radio and gives her husband the thumbs up. Tanarus
nods and begins to turn in a wide circle until the Stealth Rover is
heading downward and directly towards the row of trucks. As it comes
closer Tanarus pushes a button that both brings up a target HUD and opens
the Stealth Rover's bomb bay doors. He brings the craft lower and lower,
locking onto the leading truck. When the Stealth Rover comes close enough,
Tanarus pushes a button to release the payload. A purple orb is released
as the Stealth Rover pulls up. The orb flies in an arc as it drops towards
the convoy. It lands right in front of the leading truck and bursts,
releasing a huge goop of sticky liquid over the ground and the truck.
The driver hits the brakes as his windshield is cover with the goo and
his engine is suffocated by the liquid. The rest of the convoy comes to
a stop. Above Elexis checks the convoy on the Stealth Rover's camera.

Elexis:"Nice shot, Dear! That stopped the entire convoy."

Tanarus:"Thanks. Time to let Phoenix know they're on next."

Back on the ground, hiding in the darkness just ahead of the convoy is
Phoenix and Illanov. They are watching the Alpha soldiers work to get
the leading truck cleaned up. Phoenix's watchcom beeps softly and she
answers.

Tanarus(over com):"This is Tan. You're good to go."

Phoenix(into com):"Copy that."

She then switches the communications channel to Shephard.

Phoenix(into com):"Shephard, you can go ahead with phase two."

Shephard is hiding a short distance behind the convoy, lying on the
ground with his M249 resting on a rock. He is observing the convoy with
his gasmask's night vision.

Shephard(into com):"Copy that, Ma'am. Beginning phase two."

He picks up four flash bangs. He then pulls the pins and tosses them one
by one in a very rapid succession. The flash bangs fly through the air to
land by the trucks at the rear of the convoy. Seconds later the grenades
go off one after the other, producing ear-splitting bangs and bright
flashes that shatter the darkness. The soldiers are caught off guard,
scrambling about frantically for cover. The lieutenant in charge barks
out orders as he pulls out his pistol.

Lieutenant:"Defensive positions! Ready your weapons!"

While the soldiers try and get their rifles ready, Shephard lies down
and takes hold of machine gun. He takes aim and opens fire, firing a
barrage of bullets at the trucks' tires. The tires make loud bangs as
they are punctured. Shephard fires short bursts are the soldiers,
keeping them not just pinned down but also distracted. Phoenix and
Illanov observe the chaos.

Phoenix:"They're definitely not the best troops around."

Illanov:"Probably because the best troops are off with Franco's invasion
         force."

Phoenix:"That makes your job easy, Alex. You're up next."

Illanov:"Dah, comrade."

Illanov takes out his EMP jammer and several tennis ball bombs, then
starts to creep towards the trucks. The Alpha soldiers fire blindly
back at Shephard, but their shots fall short. Illanov sneaks as close
to the trucks as he dares. When he gets close enough he switches on
his EMP jammer and turns invisible. The EMP causes the truck's headlights
to flicker and then die, plunging the convoy into darkness. The startled
soldiers begin to scramble and fire blindly in all directions. The
lieutenant barks out orders above all the noise.

Lieutenant:"Find me a flashlight! A flame! Any light! Now!!"

Illanov uses the confusion to go up to a truck and throw a tennis ball
into the back. He makes his way up the convoy, tossing balls into the
back of each truck while moving away to turn visible and recharge his
energy. Once the German Shepherd tosses the final bomb into the front
truck he runs back to Phoenix is. As he does he switches off his EMP
jammer, causing the trucks' headlights to shine again. The soldiers are
relieved at the return of the light.

Lieutenant:"Finally! Now get your guns on that b*****d! Blow him to
            bits!"

But Shephard has already sneaked away, carrying his M-249 with him.
Illanov returns Phoenix.

Illanov:"There. All done, comrade."

Phoenix:"Good work, Alex. I'll let Corsair and Merit know."

Some distance away on top of a large termite mound is Corsair and Merit.
Corsair has his laptop open and plugged into Merit, who is acting as a
transmission tower. Merit swivels his head to Corsair.

Merit:"I have received the clearance signal from Phoenix. The devices
       are armed and ready for detonation."

Corsair:"Finally! These mosquitoes are starting to bug me. Let's blow
         the trucks and get out of here."

He checks the laptop screen and makes sure that all the bombs are getting
reception. Satisfied, he arms the bombs.

Corsair:"One for the money, two for the show, three to get ready..."

He looks up at the convoy, his finger on the enter key.

Corsair:"... and here we go."

Corsair presses the enter key. Moments later the tennis ball bombs go
off and explode, blasting apart the backs of the trucks with a loud
bang and flash. The explosions seriously damage or destroy the vehicles,
sending their cargo into the air to fall in chunks to the ground. Many
of the Alpha soldiers are caught in the blast, among them the lieutenant.
Nearby Phoenix watches as the trucks' ruptured gas tanks caused them to
burst into flames.

Phoenix:"That should do the trick."

Illanov:"Dah, comrade. That convoy won't be going anywhere."

Phoenix:"But we need to get going. Let's get back to the Stealth Rover."

Illanov nods as Phoenix calls the rest of the team on her watchcom.

Phoenix(into com):"Mission accomplished, everyone. Fall back and head
       to the Stealth Rover."

Shephard(over com):"Copy that, Ma'am."

Corsair(over com):"Bugging out, boss."

Merit(over com):"Instructions received."

Phoenix(into com):"Tanarus, bring in the Stealth Rover. We're getting
       out of here."

Tanarus(over com):"Roger that. Bringing her in."

Phoenix then turns to Illanov.

Phoenix:"Let's go before the surviving soldiers start looking for us."

Illanov:"Lead the way, comrade."

The Pomeranian and the German Shepherd start to leave the scene while
the others also head back to the Stealth Rover. The surviving soldiers
try to help the injured while the trucks burn into the night.

EG Kraken Vessel
Anchored 11 Kilometers From Shore
Somewhere Along Southern Mozambican Coast
02:01 AM:

Sitting off the coast of Mozambique is another Kraken Vessel, almost
invisible in the night time. It's anchors are lowered, keeping it in
place. There is very little light coming from the vessel, including the
bridge. The only lights there are on the control panels and a few red
lamp lights. The ship's wolf-sapien captain, his first mate and some
sailors are here on deck. The captain is scanning the shore with a pair
of night vision binoculars.

Captain:"Where is that convoy? They're late."

First Mate:"We had anticipated delays, captain. The routes the convoys
            have to take are not easy to traverse. Maybe one truck got 
            a flat or developed engine troubles."

Captain:"But then they would have made radio contact with us about the 
         delay."

He lowers the binoculars and turns to the first mate.

Captain:"I don't like this. Put the guards on heightened alert and tell
         them to keep their eyes peeled."

First Mate:"Aye, captain."

The captain turns back to the shore and raises his binoculars.

Captain:"There is trouble brewing. I can feel it."

Sure enough, beneath the ocean waves some distance away, the Ocean Rover 
is slowly doggy-paddling up towards the freighter. Inside the submarine
is Buford's Collie Squadron. The unit leader Ben Maddog is piloting the
submarine, while the sisters Molly, Abby, Vicki and Linda are seated
behind him. The brother Roger is seated next to Ben, monitoring their
approach to the vessel.

Roger:"We're getting close to the ship, Dad. Range is 50 meters and
       closing."

Ben:"That's close enough. Let's stop here. We don't want to risk alerting
     them to our presence."

Ben brings the submarine to stop, letting it drift suspended near the
freighter's hull. He turns to his daughters, who are all in uniform and
wearing fins on their feet and holding rebreathers and goggles. Each of 
them also has a bag carrying limpet mines shaped like doggie bowls.

Ben:"Are you girls ready?"

The four collies nod their heads.

Abby:"Ready for a swim, Dad. Just say the word."

Ben:"Good. Just remember, you must just place the mines on the hull, set
     the timers to ten minutes and then get back here immediately. Don't
     waste time and be careful not to alert the guards on deck. And if
     the ship starts moving, get out of there."

Vicki:"Don't worry, Dad. We'll in and out before the Elite Guard ever
       knows we've been there."

Ben:"Good. Get into the airlock and get to work."

The girls stand up and waddle their way to the airlock. Molly closes
and seals the hatch, then Linda presses some buttons on a console.
The collies put the rebreathers into their muzzles and the goggles
over their eyes as the airlock fills up with sea water. Within seconds
they are floating in the water. Linda presses buttons on another
console which opens the outer hatch. The four collies then swim out
of the Ocean Rover. They switch on their goggles' vision enhancements
to allow them to see in the darkness of the water. They then swim to
the looming black hull of the Kraken Vessel. Meanwhile on the deck of
the ship a number of Alpha Soldiers are on patrol. Two of them are
busy lighting cigarettes.

Soldier 1:"Wish I was on the frontlines with the others instead of
           being on this bucket."

Soldier 2:"I agree. This is a top secret operation, so that means we
           are not going to get any action."

Soldier 1:"Tell me about it."

As they puff on their cigarettes a third soldier walks up to them.

Soldier 3:"Got word from the bridge. The captain wants us to be on
           heightened alert."

Soldier 1:"What for?"

Soldier 3:"The convoys are late and the captain suspects something fishy 
           is going on. So we are to keep our eyes open for trouble."

Soldier 2:"Sounds good to me. Any action is a welcome relief on this 
           boring bucket."

The two other wolf-sapiens nod their heads in agreement. Below the water
the four collies swim up to the hull of the vessel. Abby indicates via
hand gestures where to plant the mines. Vicki enthusiastically swims to
her spot, while Linda also does the same. Molly and Abby go to their
positions. They start to open their mine bags, accidentally releasing
the air inside them. They then each take out a mine and start to arm
them, ignoring the air bubbles floating to the surface. Back on deck one
of the soldiers leans over the edge to take a casual glance at the water
below.

Soldier 1:"Nothing suspicious here. Just a flat..."

The bubbles break the surface by the ship's hull and the soldier sees it.
He immediately becomes more alert.

Soldier 1:"Hey, I just some bubbles coming up the side here."

The two other soldiers come up and lean over the side. The ocean is once
again calm.

Soldier 2:"You sure? Could have been a fish."

Soldier 1:"I don't know, but it's pretty close to the hull."

Back beneath the water the collies begin to attach their first mines and
setting the timers. Linda then tries to take out her second mine,
releasing even more bubbles that rise to the surface. On the deck on the
opposite side another soldier spots the bubbles.

Soldier 5:"Hey, I'm seeing bubbles here too."

One of the other soldiers run over to him.

Soldier 4:"You sure?"

Soldier 5:"Yes, they were right by the hull."

Soldier 1:"Somebody better get some flashlights."

The second soldier digs around in his uniform and pulls out a flashlight.

Soldier 2:"Got one right here."

Soldier 1:"Nice. Shine it on the water and let's see if we can spot
           anything down there."

The second soldier nods and switches on the flashlight. They begin to
scan the water while more soldiers take out flashlights and join the
search. Under the water the Collie Squadron all plant their second
limpet mines except for Abby. She is struggling to set the timer on the
mine she is holding. The collie decides to swim to the surface. Her
head rises above the water and she lifts the mine out of the water to
better see the timer. Unfortunately nearby two of the soldiers are
scanning the water with their eyes and a flashlight. Suddenly one of
them spots Abby's head and indicates to his friend to shine the light
on her. When the beam falls on her the collie looks up, her startled
face looking directly at the soldiers' surprised faces.

Soldier 1:"Hey, you!"

The soldier reaches for his rifle, but Abby quickly dives under the
water. The second soldier turns to others and whistles loudly to get
the attention of his comrades.

Soldier 2:"WE GOT AN INTRUDER! RAISE THE ALARM!!!"

Immediately the soldiers rush to the sides of the ship, pulling out
their rifles. A few second later a loud siren pierces the silence of
the night. Some of the soldiers begin to open fire where Abby had gone
under the water. Below the other collies are startled by the sound of
the siren above and then the whizzing of bullets through the water.
They all duck directly under the hull for cover. On the bridge the
captain gets the report on the intruder from his first mate.

Captain:"A frogman, they say? Then get the shock charges and have them
         dropped over the sides. That should flush him out."

First Mate:"Aye, captain!"

On deck some wolf-sapien sailors begin to distribute blue and white 
canister-shaped devices to the soldiers. One soldier twists the device
and it begins to beep.

Soldier 3:"Fire in the hole!"

He drops the device down into the water. Other soldiers begin to toss
their devices overboard as well. Underwater the devices sink slowly
down to where the collies are planting the mines. Molly sees them and
taps on Linda's shoulder. Linda turns and sees the devices, then she
grabs Molly's pay and guides her deeper under the hull while signaling
to Vicki and Abby. Vicki sees the signals and then the devices and
also takes cover. Abby, however, is slow to see the device. When she
does see one close to her she tries to swim away. Next moment the
device detonates in a bright flash and bang, sending out a powerful
shockwave out in a radius. Abby is caught by the wave and knocked out
cold, her regulator dropping from her muzzle. Alarmed, Vicki ignores
the blasts from the other charges and swims towards Abby, who is now
floating lifelessly. She reaches her only to discover that Abby is out
cold. Vicki grabs her and swims to the surface as soon as the last
charge has detonated. Back on deck the soldiers line the sides, rifles
and flashlights scanning the surface alongside the hull. Vicki brings
Abby to the surface, trying to keep to the darkness. She tries to get
her sister to breathe by pressing her paw to her chest.

Vicki(softly):"Come on, sis. Come on..."

Above, one soldier spots them.

Soldier 6:"Down there!"

Vicki takes a deep breath as she puts her rebreather into Abby's mouth, 
then quickly dives under the water. The soldiers open fire on them,
their bullets zipping past the two collies in the water. One bullet
manages to tear a hole into Vicki's left fin, but she manages to bring
her and Abby under the ship's hull. Linda signals to Vicki that she
will handle Abby while she and Molly plant the remaining mines. Vicki
and Molly nod. Vicki exchanges rebreathers and gives Abby to Linda, then
she and Molly take their mines and resume planting them on the hull.
Linda brings Abby up to the surface on the other side of the hull and
begins working to get her breathing.

Linda(softly):"Come on, Abby... don't die on us..."

After a few tense moments, Abby begins to splutter and cough to Linda's
relief. Unfortunately, it also alerts the soldiers on the deck. Several
flashlights shine on the two collies.

Soldier 7:"Over here! There's two of them!"

Linda quickly places the rebreather into Abby's mouth, then she pulls
her sister down beneath the water as the soldiers on the deck open fire
on the two. The bullets just miss both of the collies while they swim
for cover under the hull. Abby and Linda exchange the rebreather as 
they wait for Vicki and Molly to finish mining the ship. Back on deck
the soldiers keep scanning the waters around the vessel for signs of
the intruders.

Soldier 1:"I don't see them. Maybe they're dead or drowned."

Soldier 2:"Then where's the bodies?"

Soldier 3:"Let's throw some charges down there. It seems to work again
           them."

The other soldiers and begin to gather up more shock charges to toss
into the water. Below the water Molly and Vicki finish planting the last
few mines and setting the timers. Vicki then helps Linda carry Abby and
share her rebreather as the collies swim away from the Kraken back to
the Ocean Rover. On the deck the soldiers are getting ready to throw
their charges overboard.

Soldier 4:"On my mark! Three... two... one..."

Suddenly the limpet mines on the ship's hull all detonate simultaneously.
Powerful blasts rock the ship and blow holes into the hull, causing the
vessel to lurch violently. The soldiers and crew fall to the floor, and
a few tumble overboard. Large sprouts of water shoot up on either side
of the hull. On the bridge the captain and his crew are thrown to their
feet. The captain quickly gets back to his feet.

Captain:"Damage report, now!"

The crew work quickly to assert the damage to the vessel. A few seconds
later the First Mate reports back.

First Mate:"Reports of multiple hull breaches! We're taking on water!"

Captain:"Close the emergency bulkheads now!"

First Mate:"Aye captain!"

Another loud siren echoes through the night as the ship's crew scramble
about like ants. The Kraken Vessel begins to lurch forward and to one 
side. Back at the Ocean Rover the four collies get into the airlock and
wait until the water is drained out. Linda and Vicki hold onto Abby, who
is still dazed.

Vicki:"You okay, sis?"

Abby:"Ugh... my head... and what's that ringing noise?... ow..."

Linda:"You got in trouble there, sis. Vicki and I had to lend a paw to
       keep you from drowning."

Molly:"Very weird, considering you two are always competing with one
       another."

Linda and Vicki blush and look embarrassed at each other.

Linda:"Let's not mention that to the others."

Vicki:"Ditto."

Molly giggles. The airlock opens and the four collies come into the sub.
Ben and Roger turn to the group, immediately noticing Abby's weakened
state.

Ben:"What happened to Abby?"

Vicki:"She got a little shell-shocked but she's okay, Dad. The Elite
       Guard got wind of what we were doing."

Roger:"Did you manage to plant the mines?"

Molly:"Yeah, but we lost some of it when the ship's crew started dumping
       depth charges on us."

Ben:"No need to worry about that. The Ocean Rover's scanner is showing
     the ship to be listing badly. Even if it doesn't sink, it is too
     crippled to be of use. That is good enough. Well done girls."

The collie girls all smile, then help Abby lie down on the bench while
Ben and Roger begin to guide the Ocean Rover away. Meanwhile the Kraken
Vessel is now listing badly but is still afloat. On the bridge the
captain is getting the latest damage report from the first mate.

First Mate:"We've managed to stop the flooding by closing all of the
            bulkheads, but we've taken too much water to pick up any
            more cargo."

Captain:"How many are flooded?"

First Mate:"We're pumping three compartments, but four others are going
            to need a dry dock to be emptied."

The captain swears.

Captain:"This means we won't be able to take on any more loads. Continue
         with the pumping. Once we've pumped out the water we weigh
         anchor and head back to Madagascar for repairs."

First Mate:"Aye, captain."

The first mate leaves the bridge while the captain turns to pick up a
radio.

Captain:"I had better inform high command."

He begins to make the call to his superiors.

Control Room
Wardrome
Moving Along N1 Highway, Limpopo Province
Republic of South Africa
6:24 AM:

The control room of the Wardrome is a buzz with activity as the giant
war machine continues to slowly make its way down along the highway
with the rest of the Elite Guard invasion force. General Franco is
seated on his throne and receiving the latest reports from Generals
Diehard and Seneschal on the main screens.

Diehard:"Ze resistance during ze night was pathetic and we have captured
         additional objectives."

Seneschal:"Aside from a few ragtag militias and resistance groups, we
           have had no trouble in capturing our objectives. This keeps
           and we will be in Pretoria in no time at all, Supreme General."

Franco grins, putting his paws together.

Franco:"Excellent, excellent. And there seems to be no sign of the Road
        Rovers, either."

Seneschal:"Not one bit, Supreme General."

Diehard:"Ze are cowards, hiding as zey realize ve are invincible."

Franco is even more pleased.

Franco:"Yes, their absence is just benefiting my plans."

At that moment a wolf-sapien with the rank of Colonel rushes up to
Franco's throne and quickly salutes. His name tag reads "CL. ARROW".

Arrow:"Supreme General!"

Franco turns to the colonel.

Franco:"Ah, Colonel Arrow. I trust Operation Treasure Ship is still on
        schedule?"

Arrow:"Sir... Operation Treasure Ship is dead in the water."

The smile on Franco's face is immediately replaced by a blank stare.

Franco:"What."

Arrow:"The entire network was attacked by the Road Rovers last night."

This makes Franco stand up out of his throne immediately. Even Diehard
and Seneschal are shocked at the news.

Seneschal:"How the bloody h*** did they find out about Operation Treasure
           Ship?! It was top secret!"

Diehard:"Zat's impossible!"

Franco approaches Arrow and grabs him by the collar.

Franco:"How certain are you of your facts, Colonel? I am not happy at
        all about this news you just told me!"

Arrow:"Several commanders have confirmation that the attackers were
       definitely the Road Rovers, sir. They are positive about their
       IDs."

Franco:"How bad are our losses among the Special Recovery Teams?"

Arrow:"Most attacks were on our convoys, with many trucks either destroyed
       or badly damaged. Several mines were put out of operation, and
       even two of our Kraken Vessels have been crippled by the Rovers."

Franco shoves Arrow aware and pounds his fists on his throne, swearing
and cursing loudly.

Diehard:"Ze Road Rovers could not have known about Treasure Ship. I smell
         rat, Mein Supreme General."

Seneschal:"What are we going to do now? Treasure Ship is the lynchpin of
           this whole invasion, the whole point!"

Franco paces back and forth, thinking hard. He then stops as he gets an
idea, then turns to his generals.

Franco:"We need to improve the defenses around Treasure Ship. I want
        additional troops and vehicles guarding the mines, convoys, ships
        and airfields. I want enough firepower to keep the Road Rovers
        away from the mineral network."

Seneschal:"All of that is going to make it difficult to conceal Treasure
           Ship, sir."

Franco:"That doesn't matter anymore, general. The Road Rovers know about
        the operation so subtlety is out the window. So now we need to
        keep it running or else my plan is a waste!"

Seneschal:"But we are going to get the additional forces, sir?"

Franco rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Franco:"You and Diehard will have to divert some of your troops to the
        task of protecting Treasure Ship and the SRTs."

Seneschal:"But we need them to fight the South Africans!"

Diehard:"Bah! Most of ze South African army is stuck in Namibia. Ze
         won't be able to pose a serious threat to us before ve reach
         Pretoria."

Seneschal ignores Diehard and looks at Franco.

Seneschal:"Why don't we have the SLA protect Treasure Ship, Supreme
           General?

Franco stops to consider it, but Diehard is very upset about that
suggestion.

Diehard:"Are you out of your mind, Herr Seneschal? Are you seriously
         suggesting we protect ze invaluable SRT operation with zose
         idiots?"

Seneschal:"And why not? Our 'allies' are cannon fodder anyway."

Diehard:"Zat is just it! Zey are foolish idiots and very gullible! Ze
         cannot be trusted with Treasure Ship!"

Seneschal:"So what? All we have to do is tell them another lie about
           how the STR operation is part of the greater sapien libe-
           ration movement. After all, they have swallowed all the other
           lies we've been telling them without question."

Diehard:"Zat is another thing. Ze have been too easy to accept everything
         ve have told zem at face value and without question."

Seneschal:"Call them very trusting, gullible or stupid if you like, but
           who cares? It is not we had any intentions of keeping any of
           the promises we made to them. And we are planning to destroy
           the SLA once we occupy Gauteng."

Diehard tries to protest again, but Franco raises one paw to cut him
off.

Franco:"I concur with Seneschal. Contact the SLA leadership and have
        them assign their forces to protecting Treasure Ship. It will
        allow us to keep our forces on the frontlines while they fight
        the Road Rovers on our behalf."

Diehard:"I am not certain about zat latter part, Mein Supreme General.
         The SLA believes zey could persuade ze Road Rovers to fight for
         zeir cause, and ours."

Franco laughs derisively.

Franco:"That is a lost cause, but let them waste their breath. The Road
        Rovers will not turn, and the SLA cannot be deterred from their
        'Grand Scheme'. Conflict will be inevitable. Besides, the two
        parties will end up killing each other and doing our work for
        us."

Seneschal nods eagerly in agreement, but Diehard is still skeptical.
Franco turns to them.

Franco:"Contact the SLA High Command and inform them that we need assis-
        tance to protect the Special Recovery Teams. But do not tell 
        them about the true goal of the operation. Instead, say it is
        to help fund our liberation brothers and sisters fighting in
        other countries."

Seneschal chuckles.

Seneschal:"That should work well, Supreme General. The SLA leadership
           are saps for the whole global liberation b******t. I will
           call them immediately."

Diehard just grunts and frowns. The Road Rovers have managed to find
and hit at the Achilles Heel of General Franco's plans, but now the
Sapien Liberation Army is being drawn into the fight. Will the Road
Rovers be able to keep the pressure on Franco? Will the SLA tip the odds 
in the enemy's favor? And will the attacks be enough to stop the Elite
Guard's march on Pretoria?


THE END