Dusts of Avalon - Beastwithin.org

X. D“With a Knight's help”, Plaerman said. “Don't forget that.”“If that's all we can do, then that's what we'll do, sir”, Daleworth said.“Don't worry, lieutenant”, Plaerman said. “We actually have some beerplans worked out, but we'll tell you more about it once you are on your way. Itwill all work out, with the Knights one hundred percent behind us.”“Famous last words, sir”, Daleworth said. “But we can't see if this plan worksbefore we actually try it, sir.”February 20, 2632, 09:44 UTCe First Platoon was off to bale again.Daleworth sat on the ba of the M–. She clung to her assault rifle andlooked at the dirty metal grating on the floor. Puddles of water from molten snowwere slowly evapotating as the ship soared in British airspace.What was going to happen?Daleworth sort of knew. She had known it before, but wasn't really sure toadmit it yet.It was time to stop speculating, like everyone else did in the military. It wastime to get rational.She thought of what had happened in Paris, and what the Planners said wouldhappen here. e pictures from the satellites had been abundantly clear. is wasa new type of a Planner cra.But they had detected it. Before the Planners even said a peep. e cra mayhave slipped past the defence network, but they'd know how to handle this.She had to start thinking of the war logically.e Planners had a plan.ey didn't have a good plan.It suddenly hit Daleworth that none of the plans the Planners ever did wereactually very cunning. Sure, they were scary. ey were devastating. ey werefollowed by horrenduous gloating. ey raised questions. e top brass, and shetoo, were prone to analyse these aas to death. What if…“What if… the Planners are actually retarded?” Daleworth said.“Ma'am?” Staff Sergeant Haman raised his gaze and looked at Daleworthfrom the other row of seats.“Never mind, sergeant”, Daleworth said. “I was just thinking aloud.”“Well, they are just dumb bots, basically, aren't they, ma'am?”Daleworth didn't reply. ey had been thinking about the war rationally,because they always thought the enemy was being rational. And, of course, tolarge extent, that was true. e enemy was rational and systematic. But alsounpredictable.