User Guide

final feature of the Maxima Gold Card
that concerns the Wildcats now.
The Maxima Gold Card cannot be
electronically revoked. Any Gold Card that
Maxima Corp wishes to deactivate must
be repossessed in person by a duly
authorized member of the Maxima Board
of Directors, and then physically
destroyed. It is considered “a privilege of
membership.”
“Maxima Corp wishes to repossess the
Maxima Gold Card belonging to one
Claude Guillaume. It seems that Mr.
Guillaume dropped in excess of a billion
dollars on the market last week, which
knocks him out of the Fortune 10, placing
him somewhere down in the Fortune
20s and making him ineligible for
continued membership.
“Now, Mr. Guillaume owns an island in
the Aegean. It is heavily defended, as
you’ll see, and that’s where we come in.
“Mr. Petrie, of Maxima’s Board of
Directors, has hired us to fly him onto
Guillaume’s island, and then escort him
into Guillaume’s presence, where he will
personally repo the card.”
Stern proceeds to discuss the tactical
situation, specifically Guillaume’s
defenses. Detection of hostiles at 100
miles. Patrol boats with anti-aircraft
measures. A fleet of Tomcats. AMRAAM
long-range missiles, AA batteries dotting
the island, a small but highly skilled
security detachment on the grounds of
Guillaume’s mansion. Stern informs us
that the Wildcats will be coordinating
with an assault team who will be making
an amphibious landing on the southern
tip of the island. It will be the assault
team’s job to eliminate or severely curtail
the security threat on the ground,
enabling the Wildcats to land. They will
need air cover in turn for their own
landing.
“This will be a Grade One assault,
people. Our object is to locate Guillaume
and escort Mr. Petrie to him. There
should be no civilians in the waters or on
the grounds, so all necessary force is
approved.”
0700 Hours
Schraeder is busy conferring with his
teammates about the ordnance they will
carry and any peculiarities in the planes
they’ll be flying. He knows each craft
inside out, its weaknesses, strengths and
eccentricities, which creaks are not a
problem and which spell trouble. Each jet
has been repaired any number of times,
and the pilots know it. They argue among
themselves, jockeying for the best planes,
despite Miguel’s annoyed assurances that
every one is battle worthy.
Meanwhile, Stern is discussing bud-
getary considerations with Virgil. Virgil
briefs Stern on how many fighters can be
sacrificed as “acceptable losses” (“None,”
Virgil states sharply) and how much they
can afford to spend on ordnance. Virgil is
especially relieved that no strike base will
be needed on this mission. Often, the
Wildcats must set up makeshift bases for
overseas assignments, transporting what
they need in gigantic C-130 Hercules
transports. The expense of setting up
such a base is considerable, and eats into
the profits despite contractual allowances
designed to cover it. Fortunately,
Guillaume’s island is located in the
Aegean, which means they can operate
out of the Lair, much to Virgil’s relief.
Page jokes that perhaps now they’ll be
able to afford bread with crust. Virgil
suggests an activity that Page can indulge
in alone, and in her spare time.
0723 Hours
I finally get a few words out of Gwen.
“I can’t wait to repo this bastard’s
card,” she says, pacing the Ready Room
nervously. “He probably thinks he’s got
everything under control, master of his
own fate and all. Money does that to
people. They don’t understand about
freedom coming from inside, think they
can just buy it, buy anything. Fat cat
capitalist bastard.”
I notice that Gwen sports the
anarchist’s symbol on her helmet as
Miguel walks into the room.
18
July 2011 • SUDDEN DEATH