As a consequence of how we’re set up, it’s unlikely that the SAF as a whole would mutiny against the FAF, Major Booker thought. But it also wasn’t out of the question that the FAF might back them far enough into a corner to make mutiny necessary. In order to protect herself, General Cooley was considering using the FAF’s own methods. In other words, she was ready to use the military might of the SAF as part of her own individual resistance. If there was any move to have her arrested or executed, all the general would have to do is declare that her unit was prepared to launch an armed resistance en masse. The instant that she did, the SAF would be seen as a rebel force and attacked. The squadron would then have no choice but to fight the FAF. Even if they didn’t want to, they’d still fight, because all but the terminally clueless would realize that a firing squad awaited them all even if they surrendered to arrest without firing a shot.
A FAF attack wouldn’t mean that the SAF would be banding together in common cause. While it might seem that way from the outside, it would be nothing more than individual minds utilizing whatever abilities they had in order to survive. General Cooley herself was a representative of the sort of person who possessed that sort of consciousness, Major Booker began to realize. That general had made the SAF what it was, and the squadron reflected her character and way of thinking. She had made the SAF not an organization run from the top down, but rather something that was her. A part of her being. The very essence of her. Something that she’d use to strike back if she were struck. That was all. It didn’t matter if it were the JAM doing the striking or anyone else. The general was convinced she was doing the right thing. It was a simple, straightforward conclusion, but he doubted that the people in the FAF would see it that way. There was a definite problem there…
If the SAF existed as a corps-level organization, like the Strategic Reconnaissance Corps, a flexible response to the attack on Cookie wouldn’t be much of a problem. That was because corps-level formations could take part in the overall strategy conference and give a clear idea of how much individual action they’d need. But the SAF could make no such plays. We’re going to be seen as going rogue, and we need to get something to show for this if we’re going to demonstrate our loyalty. General Cooley must think that we will, Major Booker thought.
The general would negotiate things with the guys at the top. He wouldn’t have to worry about that. All he needed to concentrate on was how best to utilize their planes. It was the general’s job to worry about the SAF’s position. He was free to do what he wanted to under her authority.
As soon as he learned that the SAF had canceled their strike against Cookie base in order to resume surveillance on Richwar, General Laitume started complaining. General Cooley was summoned, and it was no exaggeration to say that he was thinking of having her relieved of duty right there and then.
Laitume knew perfectly well that there was no time to convene a panel of the heads of the various corps to do that in the midst of a major operation. All he’d be able to do was give a personal warning to Cooley and the SAF, demanding that we restrain ourselves, thought Major Booker. But General Cooley, seeing a good opportunity, had turned the meeting into an impromptu official strategy session between the SAF and the commanding officer of the corps to which it was attached. Major Booker had marveled anew at General Cooley’s abilities. He might have been moved by it all, had he not been busy giving a presentation to General Laitume to make him understand why they were doing what they were doing. It was no trivial task, since failure to persuade Laitume would have ended General Cooley’s career.
Major Booker had explained to him about the JAM’s changing strategy and how the SAF were currently engaged in their own strategic reconnaissance against the JAM. If they let this opportunity slip by, he’d gone on, then they might also lose their chance to make direct contact with the JAM.
“We have the Strategic Reconnaissance Corps for that,” General Laitume had shot back. “I won’t permit the SAF to do whatever it wants to!”
“That assumes the SRC isn’t being manipulated by the JAM,” General Cooley had said. “We in the SAF don’t agree.”
“What was that? Just what are you implying?”
“There’s no doubt now that the JAM have infiltrated the FAF with their duplicates,” Major Booker added. “I can imagine that they’re manipulating our intelligence, meaning we have to be on guard for any false intel they might feed us.”
“It’s just as likely that you people are being manipulated by them as well.”
“And that can be verified by checking for any discrepancies between the intelligence gathered by the SRC and ourselves,” General Cooley had explained in the tone of a tenacious teacher. “If they both agree, then either we’re both right, or else both of us may be supplying false information. In that case, you’ll have to compare it with data gathered from yet another corps. In any case, I’m sure that you can see that the more routes from which we gather our reconnaissance data, the higher the degree of accuracy we’ll achieve. All the SAF is doing is putting that concept into practice using your own forces, General Laitume. We can’t simply take the SRC at its word.”
“Our battle with the JAM has reached a turning point, General,” Major Booker said. “While we expect the SRC is going to complain that we’re invading their turf, as we’ve just explained to you, it’s necessary for us to conduct our own strategic recon operations.”
“It’s a commander’s job to encourage the fighting spirit of their subordinates and keep them motivated,” General Cooley added. “I’m not going to tell Major Booker not to do this.”
“Our corps’ headquarters is frustrated by their inability to receive intel from the SAF in real time.”
“That goes with how we carry out our duties. It can’t be helped—”
Laitume continued, cutting Cooley off.
“I’m not talking about getting combat intel from your planes. We’re getting worried that the SAF isn’t sending all the information it gathers up the chain of command, that you cherry pick and hide things from us. Don’t say that you aren’t aware of that, General.”
“That’s a problem that goes with the very nature of the SAF’s duties,” Cooley said. “Our mission is to carry out combat intelligence gathering. It isn’t all meant for public consumption or to be seen by large numbers of people. It’s easier to control intelligence within the confines of the SAF than it is in a larger organization. If, by some chance, any classified information were to leak out, it’s easier to track down the source in a small organization like ours. That’s why the squadron was set up the way it was. Corps HQ is a bit wrong to blame us for that, since as the corps commanding officer, all the intelligence we gather is sent to you. Letting that information go public is your decision, Lieutenant General. The SAF doesn’t interfere in any decisions you make. However, I will give you a word of warning—those who are complaining about us may be JAM, and you need to take their criticism with a grain of salt.”
“If we start doubting each other, there’ll be no end to it. Blast it all, there’s no easy solution for this problem, is there?” Laitume said.